why is the Torah so imprortant
The Torah is a book containing rules and the way of life, it is important to follow these rules.
The Torah also contains the commandments and the 5 Old Testament books (exodus, leviticus, deutoronomy, genesis and numbers) it is important to keep it safe because.......................................................................................................it's there religion, it was given to the Jews by god on mount sinai and everything can be found in it if you know how to look.
The Torah came to the Jews through Moses on Mt Sinai after the Hebrews were led out of Egypt. The Torah contains the rules and regulations on how one should live one's life, including the Ten Commandments.
What is the Torah: The Torah is the text given by God to Moses. It exists in handwritten parchment scrolls as well as printed books. It contains Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, all in the original Hebrew.
See: Facts about Torah-scrolls
How is the Torah used:
The scroll is read from in the synagogue during services, several times a week, and its contents are studied by Jews everywhere. There are many thousands of published commentaries.
What is the Torah's significance:
Our tradition is that the Torah was given by God (Exodus 24:12), to provide knowledge, guidance, inspiration, awe and reverence, advice, law, comfort, history and more. It is the basis of Judaism.
The Torah is a source of national pride for us (see Deuteronomy 4:6-8).
It increases our reverence towards God; crystallizes, strengthens and codifies our beliefs; ensures our awareness and knowledge of our history; and provides powerful impetus to be ethical.
It makes us stand in awe of God, while also providing optimism and comfort through the prophecies of redemption. It inspires us to strive for holiness and informs us how to pray and to approach God's presence.
It gives us a great deal of general information, guidance and advice.
And it sets detailed laws, practices and traditions for us.
The laws themselves have various reasons. Some (such as the Passover) serve to reenact or remember events of our history.
Some (such as saying the Shema-prayer) serve to reiterate our belief in God.
Some of the laws (such as those of ritual purity and kosher food) serve to sanctify us.
Some (such as the laws of torts) serve to maintain an orderly society.
Some (such as the law against breaking a vow) serve to prevent bad character traits.
Some (such as the command to offer help) serve to engender good character traits.
And all of the commands serve to subjugate us to God's will (especially those commands for which no explanation is easily apparent).
Some examples of the commands:
Putting on Tefillin (a.k.a. phylacteries) in the morning
The sukkah-booth during Sukkot
Avoiding leavened products in Passover
Not eating on Yom Kippur
Not working on the Shabbat
Paying workers on time
Marital rights for one's wife
Counting the days of the Omer
Returning lost objects when feasible
Wearing the tzitzith-garment
Learning Torah
Marrying and having children
Educating one's children in Judaism
Giving tzedakah (charity)
Honoring one's parents
And many more.
Note that the Torah "as is" isn't exactly what Judaism observes. Rather, It's the Torah together with the details provided in the Talmud, which is the Oral Law that was handed down together with the laws of Moses. Otherwise, the verses of the Torah often lack enough detail to be fulfilled as is.
See also:
1. It is commanded in the Torah just like Shabbat 2. It shows love for the Torah
living according to the Torah, as much as we can.
The Torah is important to all Jews as it is the foundation of Judaism and contains the core guidelines that teach us how to live righteously.
This is not correct. The Torah is VERY important to Jewish people. It is the foundation of of Jewish life. The Jews believe it is a tree of life to all that cling to it.
The Jews; and to some extent, to everyone. The Ten Commandments, for example, come from the Torah (Exodus ch.20).
Because they're from God (Exodus 24:12).
No, you cannot. Judaism is defined by the Torah. Other factors such as the existence of the Temple or the geographical location of the Jews, are important but secondary to the Torah and its commands.
It depends on how the term is meant. "Torah Jews" can mean more than one thing. If the definition is: Those who live the laws of the Torah (which is the way the phrase "Torah Jews" is usually used), then it is understandably common to reserve that description for observant Jews. It is indeed customary today to call observant Jews "Torah Jews"; so the answer to the question is Yes. The word "Orthodox" is seen by many Torah Jews to be an exonym, i.e. a term applied to them by non-Orthodox, whereas they prefer the term "Torah Jews". If the definition is: Who is Jewish according to the Torah, then Torah Jews would include non-observant Jews, because they don't cease being Jewish. All Jews, regardless of levels of observance are "Torah Jews" since their Jewishness is derived from the Torah's mandates.
Its origin is in the Holy Temple, as commanded in the Torah (Exodus ch.25).
Learning and teaching Torah is an important mitzva (command) in Judaism.
Basic rules for life and the history of Judaism.
They are Jews who keep the Torah.