Jewish Law Minutiae

Jewish law stems from the Torah (Five Books of Moses and the rest of the Bible) and the Talmud. While much of the latter has been transcribed in the form of debates and discussion, practical law was codified over the centuries by rabbinic scholars who sensed the need for people to have easy access to the law - much like a US citizen wanting to know the law without having to read every court decision and emendation to the Constitution.

Much of Jewish law is meant to create a lifestyle. Some of it is meant to show how Judaism has something to say - and to point out symbolism - in every aspect of our lives.

Two examples follow:

A. One who is called to the bimah in the synagogue for Torah reading should take the shortest route to get there, but the longer route when returning to one’s seat. By taking these routes to and from the bimah, one demonstrates excitement about going to the Torah, and a sense of longing to stay.

B. There is a commandment called “orlah,” not to eat or remove the produce of a new tree for the tree’s first three years. One of the byproducts of this practice is that the tree has a chance to grow strong and become an even better source of nourishment as it bears superior fruit the fourth time around.