Topic: Judaism/history:Bible to 1492 reading and response

Order Description
Assignment:
Read Pirqei Avot 1:1-18. It starts with the “chain of tradition”

tracing rabbis back to Moses. Such an opening implies a particular

way of constructing history and group identity. What is the purpose

of this chain? What rabbis want to tell us by starting the tractate

with it? What claims do they make? Also, what does the text mean by

“Torah”? What does Torah include? Is it just the Torah of Moses or

also something else?

Use information learned from lectures and the textbook in your

initial post and responses. Avoid generalities not supported with

specific analysis and evidence. Anchor your post and responses in

careful analysis of document’s text. You should cite specific

passages from the text to support your argument.
Read and respond to the 2 posts.

__________________________________________________________________
The essay should look like these two posts.
Post 1:
The purpose of this chain is to reinforce the importance of

tradition in Jewish culture and religion. There is a strong emphasis

on the fact that the Torah was given to “Moses at Sinai and handed

it on to Joshua,” (1.1 A). The purpose for such a chain of command

is to establish that the Torah and the teachings of the rabbis stem

back all the way to the initial interaction between Moses and God at

Sinai. The result, is that Judaism is the teachings from God, to

Joshua, to the following Rabbis all the way to the modern day

rabbis.
By starting the tractate with it the rabbis mean to explain that

they are the teachers of God’s word. Without the temple it is only

through the study of the Torah that Jews are able to understand the

words of God to Moses. The rabbinic role is to interpret the words

of God and to formulate a path by which Jews should follow to

maintain their relationship with God and their heritage. Judaism is

a very traditional religion based in its history from the beginning.

The claims that the rabbis make is that the Torah is directly given

to Moses from God at Mount Sinai and from there Moses gave it to

Joshua. In turn Joshua passed it down to Simeon and all the

following rabbis. The main claims which all the rabbis tend to agree

upon are that in order to live well and be a good Jew one must study

the Torah. In participating in distractions such as women “1. he

brings trouble upon himself 2. he wastes time better spent studying

Torah, and 3. he ends up an heir of Gehenna,” (1.5 B).

By Torah the text means the Books of Moses which were given to him

at Mount Sinai directly from God. The Torah includes not only the

books of Moses however. With the introduction of rabbinic Judaism so

too came the Talmud and the Mishnah which are rabbinic

interpretations of the Torah as it was given to us by God.

Therefore, the Torah also includes these works when it is referred

to as a whole.
_________________
Post2:
What is the purpose of this chain?

The reason for the chain, is to show the linked connection between

rabbis. The chain directly shows a connection to Gods word through

the chain of rabbis. Also, the chain shows the evolution of the

religion. It shows how rabbis were able to adapt to society and

pass on their knowledge.

What rabbis want to tell us by starting the tractate with it? What

claims do they make?

The rabbis strart the tractate with this chain because they want to

show their credibility, and to prove others that their tradtions are

historical as well. Some claim that they may include principles to

live by that originate from their earliest of sacred texts, like the

Torah. These texts provide them with the “rules” to live by. The

biggest claim can be seen in the fact that the Torah was also

something handed down through the chain and brings about historical

values as well as current beliefs.

Also, what does the text mean by “Torah”?

The text refers to the Torah and it means the “Torah of Moses.” As

stated in The Jews: A History, Effron says “…rabbinic sages had

come to believe that the Torah revealed to Moses had two forms, the

Written Torah…and an Oral Torah transmitted by the sages” (Effron

144).

What does the Torah include? Is it just the Torah of Moses or

something else?

The Torah includes the five books of Moses, as well as the Oral

Torah. The Oral Torah came about once they believed that they had

interpretted it correctly. After this, the creation of the Mishnah

and the Talmudic were transcribed from the rabbis oral teaching.

Topic: Judaism/history:Bible to 1492 reading and response

Order Description
Assignment:
Read Pirqei Avot 1:1-18. It starts with the “chain of tradition”

tracing rabbis back to Moses. Such an opening implies a particular

way of constructing history and group identity. What is the purpose

of this chain? What rabbis want to tell us by starting the tractate

with it? What claims do they make? Also, what does the text mean by

“Torah”? What does Torah include? Is it just the Torah of Moses or

also something else?

Use information learned from lectures and the textbook in your

initial post and responses. Avoid generalities not supported with

specific analysis and evidence. Anchor your post and responses in

careful analysis of document’s text. You should cite specific

passages from the text to support your argument.
Read and respond to the 2 posts.

__________________________________________________________________
The essay should look like these two posts.
Post 1:
The purpose of this chain is to reinforce the importance of

tradition in Jewish culture and religion. There is a strong emphasis

on the fact that the Torah was given to “Moses at Sinai and handed

it on to Joshua,” (1.1 A). The purpose for such a chain of command

is to establish that the Torah and the teachings of the rabbis stem

back all the way to the initial interaction between Moses and God at

Sinai. The result, is that Judaism is the teachings from God, to

Joshua, to the following Rabbis all the way to the modern day

rabbis.
By starting the tractate with it the rabbis mean to explain that

they are the teachers of God’s word. Without the temple it is only

through the study of the Torah that Jews are able to understand the

words of God to Moses. The rabbinic role is to interpret the words

of God and to formulate a path by which Jews should follow to

maintain their relationship with God and their heritage. Judaism is

a very traditional religion based in its history from the beginning.

The claims that the rabbis make is that the Torah is directly given

to Moses from God at Mount Sinai and from there Moses gave it to

Joshua. In turn Joshua passed it down to Simeon and all the

following rabbis. The main claims which all the rabbis tend to agree

upon are that in order to live well and be a good Jew one must study

the Torah. In participating in distractions such as women “1. he

brings trouble upon himself 2. he wastes time better spent studying

Torah, and 3. he ends up an heir of Gehenna,” (1.5 B).

By Torah the text means the Books of Moses which were given to him

at Mount Sinai directly from God. The Torah includes not only the

books of Moses however. With the introduction of rabbinic Judaism so

too came the Talmud and the Mishnah which are rabbinic

interpretations of the Torah as it was given to us by God.

Therefore, the Torah also includes these works when it is referred

to as a whole.
_________________
Post2:
What is the purpose of this chain?

The reason for the chain, is to show the linked connection between

rabbis. The chain directly shows a connection to Gods word through

the chain of rabbis. Also, the chain shows the evolution of the

religion. It shows how rabbis were able to adapt to society and

pass on their knowledge.

What rabbis want to tell us by starting the tractate with it? What

claims do they make?

The rabbis strart the tractate with this chain because they want to

show their credibility, and to prove others that their tradtions are

historical as well. Some claim that they may include principles to

live by that originate from their earliest of sacred texts, like the

Torah. These texts provide them with the “rules” to live by. The

biggest claim can be seen in the fact that the Torah was also

something handed down through the chain and brings about historical

values as well as current beliefs.

Also, what does the text mean by “Torah”?

The text refers to the Torah and it means the “Torah of Moses.” As

stated in The Jews: A History, Effron says “…rabbinic sages had

come to believe that the Torah revealed to Moses had two forms, the

Written Torah…and an Oral Torah transmitted by the sages” (Effron

144).

What does the Torah include? Is it just the Torah of Moses or

something else?

The Torah includes the five books of Moses, as well as the Oral

Torah. The Oral Torah came about once they believed that they had

interpretted it correctly. After this, the creation of the Mishnah

and the Talmudic were transcribed from the rabbis oral teaching.