What is the Oral Torah?
As mentioned earlier, there are two “Torahs”: the Written and the Oral. In Jewish tradition, both were given to Moses at Mt. Sinai and during the forty years in the desert, and taught to the whole nation. [In fact, when Judaism says “G-d gave the Torah to Moses at Sinai” it is talking only about the Oral — otherwise, Moses should have known about the Golden Calf, and as for Korach’s Rebellion, Moses should have reacted “well, we’ve been expecting you…”] Both have been with us, according to Jewish sources, for all of the past 3300 years. And without both, it is impossible to fully understand traditional Jewish teaching or thought. The Written Torah, mentiones each of the Commandments, or Mitzvos, only in passing or by allusion. The Oral Law fills in the gaps. Here is an example: “And you shall tie them as a sign on your arm and for (Totafos) between your eyes.” (Deut. 6 8) This is the source for the Mitzvah of Tefillin (phylacteries – if that’s any clearer), but it doesn’t tell us th
