What exactly is the Oral Torah in Judaism?

[FeHePe]

Is it all contained in a portion of the Talmud? What other sources do Jews rely upon?

 

[Aravah]

http://www.jewfaq.org/torah.htm#Talmud

In addition to the written scriptures we have an "Oral Torah," a tradition explaining what the above scriptures mean and how to interpret them and apply the Laws. Orthodox Jews believe G-d taught the Oral Torah to Moses, and he taught it to others, down to the present day. This tradition was maintained only in oral form until about the 2d century C.E., when the oral law was compiled and written down in a document called the Mishnah.

Over the next few centuries, additional commentaries elaborating on the Mishnah were written down in Jerusalem and Babylon. These additional commentaries are known as the Gemara. The Gemara and the Mishnah together are known as the Talmud. This was completed in the 5th century C.E.

There are actually two Talmuds: the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud is more comprehensive, and is the one most people mean if they just say "the Talmud" without specifying which one.

There have been additional commentaries on the Talmud by such noted Jewish scholars as Rashi and Rambam. Adin Steinsaltz recently completed a new edition of the Talmud, with his own commentary supplementing the Mishnah, Gemara, and Rashi commentaries.

The Talmud is not easy to read. It reminds me of someone else's class notes for a college lecture you never attended. There are often gaps in the reasoning where it is assumed that you already know what they are talking about, and concepts are often expressed in a sort of shorthand. Biblical verses that support a teaching are often referenced by only two or three words. The Talmud preserves a variety of views on every issue, and does not always clearly identify which view is the accepted one.

 

[kaganate]

Moses instituted a working judiciary and legislature based on the Torah.
In addition to the overview written in his "Five Books" - he taught the details of the day ot day process to the judges, the legislators, the people of Israel.
This is what "Oral Torah" means -- the explanations that Moses gave which make the whole a complete working system of government and evryday living.

How this connects to Talmud --
Deuteronomy 4:1 "And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you..." -
"to teach" is "Lilmod" -- "Talmud" means roughly "the teaching" - ie: the oral instruction that was given.

The first written document which was created as an aid to learning the oral law was the Mishnah
and then notes on this were called Gemarah
These are collectively called "The Talmud" and there is a "Babylonian Talmud" and "Jerusalem Talmud" - which complement each other.
These, of course, are again realy only aids to learning the oral law -- and further books have been written to document the insights of Jewish scholars throughout the ages.

@Aravah> "The Talmud is not easy to read. It reminds me of someone else's class notes for a college lecture you never attended"

Thats precisely what it is.
Thats why we always need to learn with other people -- people who have learned from others ...and so on -- down the line to the people who sat with Moses.

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@John - I don't know if you noticed that you included a link to Naturei Encarta (jewsagaistzionism.com), a sect which advocates and financialy supports violence against Jews.