Outline of Judaism
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Judaism:
Judaism – "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people,[1] based on the ancient Mosaic Law.
History and branches
Biblical and holy books and people
Oral Law and Talmud
Rabbinic
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. But the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term Sifrut Hazal (ספרות חז"ל; "Literature [of our] sages [of] blessed memory," where Hazal normally refers only to the sages of the Talmudic era). This more specific sense of "Rabbinic literature"—referring to the Talmudim, Midrash, and related writings, but hardly ever to later texts—is how the term is generally intended when used in contemporary academic writing. On the other hand, the terms meforshim and parshanim (commentaries/commentators) almost always refer to later, post-Talmudic writers of Rabbinic glosses on Biblical and Talmudic texts.
Mishnaic literature
The Mishnah and the Tosefta (compiled from materials pre-dating the year 200) are the earliest extant works of rabbinic literature, expounding and developing Judaism's Oral Law, as well as ethical teachings. Following these came the two Talmuds:
The Midrash
Midrash (pl. Midrashim) – Hebrew word referring to a method of reading details into, or out of, a Biblical text. The term midrash also can refer to a compilation of Midrashic teachings, in the form of legal, exegetical, homiletical, or narrative writing, often configured as a commentary on the Bible or Mishnah.
Later works by category
Major codes of Jewish law
Jewish thought, mysticism and ethics
Liturgy
Later rabbinic works by historical period
Works of the Geonim
The Geonim are the rabbis of Sura and Pumbeditha, in Babylon (650 - 1250) :
The Rishonim are the rabbis of the early medieval period (1000 - 1550), such as the following main examples:
- The commentaries on the Torah, such as those by Rashi, Abraham ibn Ezra and Nahmanides.
- Commentaries on the Talmud, principally by Rashi, his grandson Samuel ben Meir and Nissim of Gerona.
- Talmudic novellae (chiddushim) by Tosafists, Nahmanides, Nissim of Gerona, Solomon ben Aderet (RaShBA), Yomtov ben Ashbili (Ritva)
- Works of halakha (Asher ben Yechiel, Mordechai ben Hillel)
- Codices by Maimonides and Jacob ben Asher, and finally Shulkhan Arukh
- Responsa, e.g. by Solomon ben Aderet (RaShBA)
- Kabbalistic works (such as the Zohar)
- Philosophical works (Maimonides, Gersonides, Nahmanides)
- Ethical works (Bahya ibn Paquda, Jonah of Gerona)
The Acharonim are the rabbis from 1550 to the present day, such as the following main examples:
- Important Torah commentaries include Keli Yakar (Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz), Ohr ha-Chayim by Chayim ben-Attar, the commentary of Samson Raphael Hirsch, and the commentary of Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin.
- Important works of Talmudic novellae include: Pnei Yehoshua, Hafla'ah, Sha'agath Aryei
- Responsa, e.g. by Moses Sofer, Moshe Feinstein
- Works of halakha and codices e.g. Mishnah Berurah by Yisrael Meir Kagan and the Aruch ha-Shulchan by Yechiel Michel Epstein
- Ethical and philosophical works: Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Yisrael Meir Kagan and the Mussar Movement
- Hasidic works (Kedushath Levi, Sefath Emmeth, Shem mi-Shemuel)
- Philosophical/metaphysical works (the works of the Maharal of Prague, Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and Nefesh ha-Chayim by Chaim of Volozhin)
- Mystical works
- Historical works, e.g. Shem ha-Gedolim by Chaim Joseph David Azulai.
Meforshim
- Meforshim is a Hebrew word meaning "(classical rabbinical) commentators" (or roughly meaning "exegetes"), and is used as a substitute for the correct word perushim which means "commentaries". In Judaism this term refers to commentaries on the Torah (five books of Moses), Tanakh, the Mishnah, the Talmud, responsa, even the siddur (Jewish prayerbook), and more.
Classic Torah and Talmud commentaries
Classic Torah and/or Talmud commentaries have been written by the following individuals:
- Geonim
- Rishonim
- Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki), 12th century France
- Abraham ibn Ezra
- Nahmanides (Moshe ben Nahman)
- Samuel ben Meir, the Rashbam, 12th century France
- Rabbi Levi ben Gershom (known as Ralbag or Gersonides)
- David ben Joseph Kimhi, the Radak, 13th century France
- Joseph ben Isaac, also known as the Bekhor Shor, 12th century France
- Nissim ben Reuben Gerondi, the RaN, 14th century Spain
- Isaac ben Judah Abravanel (1437–1508)
- Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, 16th century Italy
- Acharonim
- The Vilna Gaon, Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, 18th century Lithuania
- The Malbim, Meir Lob ben Jehiel Michael
Classical Talmudic commentaries were written by Rashi. After Rashi the Tosafot were written, which was an omnibus commentary on the Talmud by the disciples and descendants of Rashi; this commentary was based on discussions done in the rabbinic academies of Germany and France.
Holy days and observances
Philosophy and jurisprudence
Law
Major legal codes and works
Examples of legal principles
Examples of Biblical punishments
Life
Dietary laws and customs
Mysticism and the esoteric
- Category:Jewish mysticism
- Category:Jewish eschatology
- Category:Jewish mystical texts
- Category:Kabbalah
- Category:Four Worlds
- Category:Hermetic Qabalah
- Category:Kabbalah texts
- Category:Kabbalists
- Category:Practical Kabbalah
- Category:Qliphoth
- Ohr
- Category:Angels in Judaism
- Kabbalistic angelic hierarchy
- Category:Sephiroth
- Category:Kabbalah stubs
- Names of God in Judaism:
Religious articles and prayers
Repentance and return
- Rejection of Judaism by Jews:
- Return to Judaism:
- Repentance in Judaism
- Category:Conservative Judaism outreach
- Category:Orthodox Jewish outreach
- Category:Reform Judaism outreach
- Conversion to Judaism:
- Conversion to Judaism
- Brit milah
- Hatafat dam brit
- Tevilah
- Mikveh
- Category:Converts to Judaism
- Category:Converts to Judaism from atheism or agnosticism
- Category:Converts to Judaism from Christianity
- Category:Converts to Judaism from Islam
- Category:Converts to Judaism from Oriental Orthodoxy
- Category:Groups who converted to Judaism
Interactions with other religions and cultures
References
- ^ Jacobs, Louis (2007). "Judaism". In Fred Skolnik. Encyclopaedia Judaica. 11 (2d ed.). Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. p. 511. ISBN 978-0-02-865928-2. "Judaism, the religion, philosophy, and way of life of the Jews"