The Talmud

The Talmud is the comprehensive body of Jewish law intended to explain and safeguard the laws of the Bible. Religious Jews believe that the basic laws of the Talmud were given to Moses at Mt. Sinai and transmitted orally from generation to generation. The Talmud also contains many layers of dispute and discussion over the fine points of those laws, as well as rabbinical enactments and ethical statements. 

Countless passages in the Talmud, its commentaries and legal codes show the ideals of kindness and fairness to all of mankind aspired to and practiced by the Jewish people. Below is a list of links to quotations that exemplify the teachings of the Talmud.

Below are some questions people have asked about the Talmud, with our answers. If you have a question about the Talmud, you can send it to us at staff (at)jewishresponse.com.

• Are Jews allowed to steal from gentiles?
• Did the Tabernacle work really stop on the Sabbath?
• Does the Talmud say Jews should be deceptive?
• Does the Talmud say Jews should secretly be loyal only to other Jews, not to their country?
• How do you explain the Talmuds astronomical statements?
• What is the Talmudic position on returning lost objects to non-Jews?
• Why did a Talmudic rabbi curse the philosophers?
• Why does the Talmud say the Land of Israel is higher than all lands?