Torah Judaism
|
|
- See: United Torah Judaism and Degel HaTorah for the Haredi Israeli political parties.
Torah Judaism is an English term, also a slogan, used by a number of Orthodox Jewish groups, mostly associated with Haredi Judaism, to describe a Judaism based on a strict adherence to the laws of the Torah's 613 mitzvot and the Halakha. Followers of Torah Judaism also follow the Daat Torah the guidelines of their rabbis who are usually their rebbes ("Hasidic rabbis), rosh yeshivas ("deans of yeshivas -- Talmudical schhols") or of a posek and expert in the Shulkhan Arukh ("Code of Jewish Law").
Torah Judaism implies a belief and practice of Judaism that is based purely on the Torah (meaning the inclusion of the entire Torah, Tanakh, Talmud and more) and on the premise that the Torah emanated directly from God when he revealed himself to the Children of Israel (for Jews this is the Biblical name for their own people) at Mount Sinai and made an eternal covenant with them, which is further defined by the application and usage of such Hebrew phrases as:
- Torah min hashamayim ("Torah from Heaven/sky")
- Torat Hashem ("Torah of God"")
- Torah misinai ("Torah from Sinai")
- Kedushat HaTorah ("Holiness of Torah")
- Torat Hashem temimah ("Torah of God is pure/complete")
- Matan Torah ("giving the Torah")
- Kabbalat HaTorah ("receiving/acceptance of Torah")
- Na'aseh venishmah ("we shall do and we shall learn")
The term "Torah Judaism" is a reaction to the perceived loss of meaning of other terms used to describe their beliefs. It is also a declaration that they perceive the liberalism of some Orthodox Jews, such as in some left-wing sectors of Modern Orthodox Judaism as leaving the bounds that they believe are mandated by the Torah.
On the other hand, Modern Orthodoxy has developed its own self-defining slogans such as Torah Umadda and Synthesis to define its world view of Judaism in modern times.