Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

Dear Vadim,
I hope by "Jews of this time" you mean the Persian period,
the period in which the text is set. At this time there
was no concept of written law. I'm sure it is Greek.
There is no written law in Mesopotamia and none in Egypt
until the advent of the Ptolemies. There is a lot of work
on law codes, see my article in Persia and Torah for a review.
The word torah should be translated like hep, like data, etc.
I have tried to show that the reading of the torah in Ezra-Neh.
and the concept of Mosaic law which should be followed by all
is an Hellenic invention. That article should be out this fall
in a special Transeuphratene supplement. There were lists of
examples of just decisions, as in Hammurabi's Code, in the 
hp that Darius collected, in the Priestly Code of Leviticus, etc.,
but this should not be mistaken for a law code as we would
consider laws. The concept of no law except what is written
in the torah is anachronistic for the Persian period. It may
even be anachronistic for the Hellenic period. Perhaps a real
legal system is Roman.
Best,
Liz

> -----Original Message-----
> From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-hebrew-
> bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of UUC
> Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 11:23 AM
> To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 53 read within the book as a whole
> 
> >Zot hattorah for the killing of the pigeon?<
> Of course it's teaching here! Maximum, precepts. Or, the procedure we're
> taught. In Jewish life, there is no law besides what is written in Torah
> (unless we dwell on the modern Israeli perversion). You could see this
> approach in modern fundamentalist Islam. Or, put it another way, you are
> attempting to find non-existent difference. Jews of the time did not
> distinguish between the "legal" (not heathen) law and Torah. This is how
> Pharisees were able to secure hold even much later.
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Vadim
> 
> 
> 
> >
> > Does "teaching" fit every instance of the word
> > in the tanak?
> > Zot hattorah for the killing of the pigeon?
> > This is the "teaching"? Or rather, this is the
> > procedure, custom, correct way?
> > This is the meaning of data, nomos, hep, also of
> > torah, kinnatu.
> > Best,
> > LIz
> >
> > > It's a teaching, why?
> > >
> > > > Certainly,
> > > > How would you define torah?
> > > > Liz
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Dear Liz,
> > > > >
> > > > > We figure out the word' meaning from its established usage, not
> > > > > theoricizing
> > > > > about the Persian mental dichotomy.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Best regards,
> > > > >
> > > > > Vadim
> > > >
> > > >
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