The Elusive Torah

Despite the Oxford Study Bible's translation of torah as primarily being "law," I believe that "torah" is most accurately defined as "instruction." This is not to say that in some sense, torah becomes law. The instructions which are given to Moses come directly from God, giving them divine authority and thus become a set of laws or rules for the Israelites to follow. It is not, however, God's intention to create a prisoned society which is shackled to the rules He creates. God gave man the gift of free will and because of this gift, the rules He sends to Moses act as instructions of how to live.

I think that God gives these rules to Moses with the intention of having Moses teach or perform them to the Israelites so that they may come to know God's will. In this way, torah can also become ritual. Each ritual performed in any faith are intended to teach something about that faith. Thus, torah encourages ritual to teach its message.

Because of this point, I think that it is possible to call both biblical narratives and the rules in Leviticus, torah. Each is intended to teach something about faith, which is the essential element of torah.

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