Question for Jewish brothers and sisters

[AngelaMarie]

Is it common for practicing Jews (and I know that there are various sects) to read and study the Hebrew Bible? I ask because I am associated with someone who considers themselves a practicing jew but doesn’t read scripture?

 

[edtaylor51]

I’m not jewish, but my wife is. She reads the Hebrew Bible (or what we call the Old Testament). I know others who do not. Judaism is very open individual interpretation and debate. There are nearly as many ways to practice Judaism as there are Jews. One doesn’t even need to worship to remain Jewish. It’s a culture, it’s a religion, it’s an ethnic group. Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan called Judaism a civilization.

 

[Poldy]

Define “practicing” in Judaism. It has a different meaning than in Catholicism.

 

[phil19034]

Define “practicing” in Judaism. It has a different meaning than in Catholicism.

This. The phrase “practicing Jew” is not the same as the phrase “practicing Catholic.”

 

[Moses613]

Orthodox Jews publicly read the Torah in Hebrew from a scroll every Sabbath and finish the entire Five Books of Moses each year. They also publicly read selections from the Prophets and Writings. These texts and others are studied in-depth with scholarly and popular commentaries to differing degrees on a personal basis, along with the Oral Law (Mishna and Talmud) and Midrash.