C
Crumpy
Guest
I have a separate thread on a book called Everybody’s Talmud by Abraham Cohen.
I am including under this thread heading a quotation from the book, the Talmudic exposition on the correct way to read the Torah.
"The Torah is greater than the [Jewish] priesthood and than royalty, seeing that royalty demands thirty qualifications, and the priesthood twenty-four, while the Torah is acquired by forth-eight. They are:
by audible study, distinct pronunciation, understanding and discernment of the heart, awe, reverence, meekness, cheerfulness;
by ministering to the Sages, attaching oneself to colleagues and discussion with disciples;
by sedateness, knowledge of the Scripture and of the Mishnah [the commentary on the Bible that was composed in various synagogues as opposed to the commentary that was developed by the rabbinic schools proper];
by moderation in business, intercourse with the world, sleep, conversation, laughter, long-suffering, a good heart, faith in the wise, resignation under chatisement, recognizing one’s place, rejoicing in one’s portion,putting a fence to one’s words and claiming no merit for oneself;
by being beloved, loving the All-present [God], loving mankind, loving just courses, rectitude and reproof;
by keeping oneself far from honor, not boasting of one’s learning, nor delighting in giving decisions;
by bearing the yoke with one’s fellow, judging him favorably and leading him to truth and peace;
by being composed in one’s study; by asking and answering, hearing and adding thereto (by one’s own reflection;
by learning with the object of teaching, and
by learning with the object of practicing;
by making one’s master wiser, fixing attention upon his discourse, and reporting a thing in the name of him who said it."
(Cohen, Abraham, Everyman’s Talmud, 1931 and 1949 (revised); reprinted 1995.)
**It may be useful for others to add Christian perspectives on how to read the Bible.
e.g. The whole Bible is about one person, Jesus Christ. Everything ultimately relates to Jesus in one way or the other.
The Catholic viewpoint of reading scripture is that we are to read the Bible within the living tradition of the Catholic Church. **
I am including under this thread heading a quotation from the book, the Talmudic exposition on the correct way to read the Torah.
"The Torah is greater than the [Jewish] priesthood and than royalty, seeing that royalty demands thirty qualifications, and the priesthood twenty-four, while the Torah is acquired by forth-eight. They are:
by audible study, distinct pronunciation, understanding and discernment of the heart, awe, reverence, meekness, cheerfulness;
by ministering to the Sages, attaching oneself to colleagues and discussion with disciples;
by sedateness, knowledge of the Scripture and of the Mishnah [the commentary on the Bible that was composed in various synagogues as opposed to the commentary that was developed by the rabbinic schools proper];
by moderation in business, intercourse with the world, sleep, conversation, laughter, long-suffering, a good heart, faith in the wise, resignation under chatisement, recognizing one’s place, rejoicing in one’s portion,putting a fence to one’s words and claiming no merit for oneself;
by being beloved, loving the All-present [God], loving mankind, loving just courses, rectitude and reproof;
by keeping oneself far from honor, not boasting of one’s learning, nor delighting in giving decisions;
by bearing the yoke with one’s fellow, judging him favorably and leading him to truth and peace;
by being composed in one’s study; by asking and answering, hearing and adding thereto (by one’s own reflection;
by learning with the object of teaching, and
by learning with the object of practicing;
by making one’s master wiser, fixing attention upon his discourse, and reporting a thing in the name of him who said it."
(Cohen, Abraham, Everyman’s Talmud, 1931 and 1949 (revised); reprinted 1995.)
**It may be useful for others to add Christian perspectives on how to read the Bible.
e.g. The whole Bible is about one person, Jesus Christ. Everything ultimately relates to Jesus in one way or the other.
The Catholic viewpoint of reading scripture is that we are to read the Bible within the living tradition of the Catholic Church. **