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I think that the following regarding the Oral Torah is important to
know.<br><br>
<br>
</font><font size=3 color="#000099">The following is from
<a href="http://www.morashasyllabus.com/class/Jewish%20Law%20II.pdf">
http://www.morashasyllabus.com/class/Jewish%20Law%20II.pdf</a>
beginning on page 6. <br><br>
</font><font size=3>Rambam, Introduction to Sanhedrin, Chapter 10 – There
has always been an Oral Torah <br><br>
The eighth Fundamental Principle of Judaism is <br>
that the Torah is from Heaven. This means that <br>
we must believe that this entire Torah, which <br>
was given to us from Moshe Our Teacher, may <br>
he rest in peace, is entirely from the mouth of the <br>
Almighty. <br>
All this is also true for the explanation of the <br>
Torah [the Oral Torah], which was also received <br>
from the mouth of the Almighty. The manner in <br>
which we today perform the mitzvot of Sukkah, <br>
Lulav, Shofar, Tzitzit, Tefillin, and other items <br>
is precisely the way that God, blessed be He, <br>
told Moshe, who then informed us. And the one <br>
whom God appointed as an agent is surely to be <br>
relied upon.<br><br>
There are hints in the written text to the fact that the Written Torah
was given together with the Oral Torah. <br><br>
Vayikra (Leviticus) 26:46 with Commentary of Rashi – There are two
Torahs, both given to <br>
Moshe by God.<br><br>
These are the statutes, the ordinances, and the <br>
Torahs that the Lord gave between Himself and <br>
the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, through <br>
Moshe.<br><br>
Rashi – <br>
and the Torahs [Why the plural form, <br>
“Torahs” ? This denotes two Torahs]: One Written <br>
Torah and one Oral Torah. It teaches us that all <br>
was given to Moshe on [Mount] Sinai. [Torat <br>
Kohanim 26:54<br>
Moshe was taught both on Mount Sinai. <br><br>
Devarim 9:10 and Talmud Yerushalmi, Megillah 28a – Moshe was taught all
of the Oral Torah.<br><br>
God gave me the two stone tablets inscribed <br>
with the finger of God. And upon them was [it <br>
written] according to all the words that God <br>
declared to you on the mountain out of the fire, <br>
on the Day of Assembly. <br><br>
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The text does <br>
not say, “upon them” rather “and upon them”; <br>
not “words” rather “the words”; not “all” rather <br>
“according to all.” These extra words allude to <br>
Scripture, Mishnah, Talmud and Aggadah. Even <br>
what an experienced student was destined to <br>
rule before his teacher was already said to Moshe <br>
at Sinai. And so it is written, “Is there a matter <br>
about which one can say ‘Look, this is new!’? To <br>
which his fellow will reply, ‘It has already been in <br>
the times that came before us’” (Kohelet 1:10).<br><br>
Moshe then transmitted all that he was taught by God, both the Written
and the Oral Torah<br><br>
<br>
Talmud Bavli, Eruvin 54b – The Oral Torah was taught to Moshe and
transmitted by him to <br>
the entire nation.<br><br>
Our Rabbis taught: What was the procedure of <br>
the instruction in the Oral Torah? Moshe learned <br>
directly from God. Then Aharon entered and <br>
Moshe taught him his lesson. Aharon then moved <br>
aside and sat down on Moshe’ left. Thereupon, <br>
Aharon’s sons entered and Moshe taught them <br>
this lesson. His sons then moved aside, Eleazar <br>
taking his seat on Moshe’ right and Ithamar on <br>
Aharon’s left. <br><br>
Rabbi Judah stated: Aharon was always on <br>
Moshe’s right. Thereupon, the elders entered, and <br>
Moshe taught them the lesson. When the elders <br>
moved aside, all the people entered, and Moshe <br>
taught them the same lesson. It thus followed <br>
that Aharon heard the lesson four times, his <br>
sons heard it three times, the elders twice and all <br>
the people once. At this stage Moshe departed, <br>
and Aharon taught them the same lesson. Then <br>
Aharon departed, and his sons taught them the <br>
lesson. His sons then departed, and the elders <br>
taught them the lesson. It thus followed that <br>
everyone heard the same lesson four times<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#000099">From all of this it seems to me that
Torah she-be-al peh was given with precision and definiteness to Moshe
and transmitted by him to the nation of Israel and on and on for
generations.<br><br>
<br>
YL<br>
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