There are over sixteen million Jewish people worldwide who are divided into four major categories: Orthodox (Modern and Chasidic), Reformed, Conservative, and Reconstructionist. Orthodox Jews uphold the rules and regulations divinely stated in the Torah by carefully and strictly observing the six hundred and thirteen commandments Moses received as God’s direct will. Reformed Judaism subjects religious customs and laws to divinely inspired individuals in the attempt to make a distinction between the divine mandates of the Torah and the facets that were solely specific to the time in which they were written. Conservative Judaism developed as a response to Reform Judaism’s liberalism with the belief that conserving the original tradition is vital and should be practiced by applying new, historical methods. Reconstructionism is the most recent denomination of Judaism that views Judaism as an evolving civilization, people hood, culture, and faith community. Although the four major denominations of Judaism have their various differences, the Talmud is at the heart of them all.
“Herman Wouk is an Orthodox Jew and famed Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 11 novels, three plays and two works of nonfiction. In his book, This is My God; the Jewish Way of Life, he wrote, “The Talmud is to this day the circulating
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The Talmud, also referred to as the “Oral Law”, constitutes the backbone of diverse Jewish knowledge by elaborating on how to apply God’s Law in everyday life. Many aspects of Jewish culture are connected to, based on, or inspired by the Talmud such as Halakhic literature, Jewish philosophy, poetry and prayers. Its study can not be confined to mechanical memorization because it requires constant renewal and innovation as well as active participation on emotional and intellectual