What Is Jewish Law, Really

Nov 26, 2025

Delve into the fascinating world of Jewish law as Mijal and Noam explore its evolution from Sinai to modern practice. They highlight key texts like the Mishnah and Talmud, revealing how oral interpretations shape legal principles. Discover the differences between Sephardic and Ashkenazi customs, and how debates across denominations influence contemporary Jewish life. Personal anecdotes add a lively touch, making the complexities of halacha both engaging and meaningful.

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INSIGHT

Written Torah Plus Oral Jurisprudence

Jewish law (halacha) combines a written Torah and an oral legal system that interprets and expands it.
The oral law functions like constitutional interpretation and ongoing jurisprudence that keeps the law alive.

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ANECDOTE

Four Species Example

Mijal uses the sukkot four species to show how rabbis defined details not explicit in the Torah.
The oral law supplied the technical identification (etrog, myrtle, willow, palm) through legal interpretation.

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INSIGHT

Writing The Oral Law Was Revolutionary

Rabbi Judah HaNasi wrote the Mishnah to preserve oral traditions when transmission became unstable.
Writing the oral law was a radical, temporary legal move made to protect the tradition (hora'at sha'ah).

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Why Jewish Law Matters

01:23 • 1min

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Judaism as a Covenant of Law

02:33 • 1min

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Written Torah vs. Oral Torah

03:59 • 5min

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Oral Law Illustrated: Sukkot Example

09:21 • 1min

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Why the Mishnah Was Written

10:41 • 4min

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Talmud: Mishnah Plus Gemara

14:39 • 6min

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How Talmud Records Debate

20:53 • 3min

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Why the Talmud Is Authoritative

23:54 • 3min

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Major Codifications: Maimonides

26:59 • 2min

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Shulchan Aruch and Sephardic/Ashkenazic Notes

29:06 • 2min

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Role of Custom (Minhag) in Practice

31:35 • 2min

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Denominational Divergences Today

33:43 • 2min

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Who Decides and Moral Intuition

35:46 • 2min

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Practical Questions for Converts

37:17 • 2min

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Engagement Across Beliefs

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Exodus

Leon Uris

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Mishneh Torah

Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka (Book of the Strong Hand)

Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon/Rambam)

The Mishneh Torah is a 14-volume compendium of Jewish law, authored by Maimonides. It gathers all the binding laws from the Talmud and incorporates the positions of the Geonim. The work is designed to provide a complete statement of the Oral Law, making it unnecessary for readers to consult other texts. Despite initial opposition due to its lack of sources and perceived intent to supersede Talmudic study, it has become a highly influential work in Jewish religious thought and law.

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• Mentioned in 16 episodes

Talmud

The Central Text of Rabbinic Judaism

Various Rabbis and Scholars

The Talmud is a vast collection of writings that include the Mishnah and the Gemara. It covers a wide range of subjects such as Jewish law (halakha), ethics, philosophy, customs, history, and folklore. The Talmud exists in two main versions: the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud, compiled in the 5th century, is more widely studied and consists of 2,711 double-sided pages with numerous commentaries and notes.

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• Mentioned in 8 episodes

Mishnah

The First Written Collection of Jewish Oral Traditions

Judah ha-Nasi

Various Tannaim

The Mishnah is the oldest authoritative postbiblical collection and codification of Jewish oral laws. It was systematically compiled by numerous scholars (Tannaim) over a period of about two centuries and given final form by Judah ha-Nasi in the early 3rd century CE. The Mishnah supplements the written laws found in the Pentateuch and presents various interpretations of selective legal traditions that had been preserved orally since at least the time of Ezra. It is divided into six major sections (sedarim) containing 63 tractates, each further divided into chapters. The Mishnah has played a decisive role in the religious life of the Jewish people and serves as the foundation for both the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds.

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Shulchan Aruch

The Code of Jewish Law

Rabbi Moshe Isserles

Rabbi Yosef Caro

The Shulchan Aruch, written by Rabbi Yosef Caro and supplemented by Rabbi Moshe Isserles, is a foundational text of Jewish law. It is divided into four sections: Orach Chaim (laws of prayer, Shabbat, and holidays), Yoreh Deah (laws of kosher, usury, vows, etc. ), Even HaEzer (laws of marriage and divorce), and Choshen Mishpat (monetary laws and torts). The work aims to clarify Jewish law by presenting all known sources on particular issues, especially addressing the differences between Sephardic and Ashkenazic customs. It has become the standard legal code of Judaism and is widely consulted by rabbis and scholars.

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Mijal and Noam break down Jewish law (halacha) as a living legal system—tracing its path from Sinai to the Mishnah, Talmud, Maimonides, and the Shulchan Aruch. They explore how halacha is interpreted, how Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions differ, the role of custom (minhag), and why debates across denominations shape Jewish life today. They share personal stories that reveal just how much they love Jewish law and how fun, engaging, and meaningful it can be.

We’re proud to be collaborating with Sefaria and The Simchat Torah Challenge, on this episode along with all the other episodes of our “In the Beginning” mini-series. Learn more about these two incredible organizations here:

https://simchattorahchallenge.org/

https://www.sefaria.org/texts

Get in touch at WonderingJews@unpacked.media and call us, 1-833-WON-Jews. Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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