Difference between Talmud and Torah in tabular form

We explain the difference between Talmud and Torah with table. The two most important religious manuscripts of the Jews are the Talmud and the Torah. However, it is easy to get confused between the two given the similarity of their names. But it’s worth noting that they play very different roles in a Jew’s religious journey. Talmud and Torah

The difference between the Talmud and the Torah is that the Talmud is an anthology of the oral Torah, while the Torah generally refers to the written Torah that was passed down from generation to generation. In Jewish culture, it is said that to understand one scripture, the other must also be read.

Another key difference is that when Moses went to Mount Sinai, he is believed to have received 2 Torahs, one written and one oral. The oral Torah that is now known as the Talmud was written much later.

According to Jewish tradition, the Talmud plays a critical role in educating Jews about their ethics, culture, and roots, while the Torah is the written manuscript consisting of five books of mosses. Talmud is a compilation of discussions and lectures of rabbis for more than 400 years.

Comparison table between the Talmud and the Torah (in tabular form)

Parameter of comparison Talmud Torah

What is the Talmud?

Talmud also known as the Babylonian Talmud is a compilation of the lectures and discussions between the rabbis. In Jewish culture, rabbis are considered the most knowledgeable and insightful about their religion.

The Talmud for a long time was only passed down from generation to generation as verses describing the written Torah. Therefore, it was originally known as the Oral Torah until it was written on paper and pencil for 400 years.

Talmud means “instructions” or “learning” and is one of the most important religious books of the Jewish religion. The Talmud is a very deep collection of the laws and literature that defines your religion and is written in the form of short verses.

There are two types of Talmud, the Babylonian Talmud and the earlier version known as the Jerusalem Talmud. The Jerusalem Talmud is a detailed analysis of the Mishnah for 200 years and was written by the sages of the academies in Galilee.

The Babylonian Talmud was written for 300 years by the sages Rav Ashi and Ravina II in Babylon. Although both Talmuds are the result of detailed analysis of the Mishnah, they both differ significantly.

What is the Torah?

The Torah is a collection of five books, that is, the book of Genesis, the book of Exodus, the book of Leviticus, the book of Numbers, and the book of Deuteronomy. These books are considered to have been passed onto the mosses when they visited Mount Sinai.

Some also believe that these Torah writings were dictated by God and written by Moses. However, the last eight verses differ in this setting; they are considered to have been written by Joshua when they speak of the death of Moses.

The Torah is translated as “guide,” “teach,” “instruct,” and later as “law.” It was originally of two types, a written Torah and an oral Torah. The oral Torah was an explanation of the written Torah that was passed down from generation to generation only verbally with the rabbis.

The Torah scriptures begin at the beginning of the world as God creates it and ends with the death of Moses and all the time preaches the laws and beliefs that the Jews consider their religious and civil law. The Torah was also alternately called the Pentateuch because it is a collection of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

According to scholars, the Torah was written during 1312 BC. C. and was written in Hebrew. However, some scholars also believe that it was written by various sages over the years and has also been edited several times.

Main differences between Talmud and Torah

• The main difference between the Talmud and the Torah is that the Talmud is an anthology of the oral Torah, while the Torah generally refers to the written Torah that was passed down from generation to generation.
• The Talmud plays a critical role in educating the Jews about their ethics, culture, and roots, while the Torah is the written manuscript consisting of five books of mosses.
• Talmud means “instructions” or “learning,” while the Torah is translated as “guide,” “teach,” “instruct,” and later “law.”
• According to scholars, the Torah was written during 1312 BC. C. and was written in Hebrew, while the Talmud was written twice, first in the fourth century and the second during the sixth century.
• The Talmud for a long time was only passed down from generation to generation as verses describing the written Torah, while the Torah was written by the wise Moses and dictated by God.

Final Thought

Both the Talmud and the Torah are considered sacred among the Jews and their laws and guidelines are written in every detail in the combined manuscripts. However, there are significant differences between the two that are worth noting.

The main difference between the Talmud and the Torah is that the Talmud is a collection of the oral Torah that contains small verses from the rabbis, while the Torah generally refers to the written Torah that was passed down from generation to generation.

The Torah is translated as “guide,” “teach,” “instruct,” and later “law,” while the Talmud means “instructions” or “learning.” The Talmud for a long time was only passed down from generation to generation as verses describing the written Torah, while the Torah was written by the wise Moses and dictated by God.

The Torah is a collection of five books, that is, the book of Genesis, the book of Exodus, the book of Leviticus, the book of Numbers, and the book of Deuteronomy. The Talmud is a compilation of the lectures and discussions between the rabbis that is an explanation of the written Torah.