The laws taught in the Talmud are: (i) those which are directly or
indirectly derived from the text of the Pentateuch; they are called
“laws derived from the Torah” (מן התורה or מדאורייתא); (2) those
which trace their origin to the time of Moses, or, in general, to the
remote past; they are called הלכה למשה מסיני “Law given to Moses on
Sinai;” (3) those laws which originated between the period of the
Pentateuch and the close of the Bible; they are called דברי קבלה
(“words of tradition”); (4) those which have been introduced in
post-Biblical times; they are laws מדרבנן “laws introduced by our
teachers.” These are either preventives against breaking any of the
Divine precepts, and are then called מרותגזרות or סיג “a fence,” or
tekanoth (תקנות “institutions” or “regulations”) made in order to
ensure obedience to the Law and improvement of conduct, to remove
abuses and prevent error and misunderstanding; (5) Minhag, “Custom”
(מנהג); religious practices which have not been introduced by any
authority or based on a particular Biblical text, but in consequence of
long usage have become as sacred as a law established by the proper
authority.
These laws, as finally settled, were again codified, in various works,
the most important of which are the following two: (1) Mishneh-torah
(משנה תורה or יד החזקה [16] lit. “Copy of the Law,” or “Strong
Hand”), by Moses Maimonides (twelfth century) in fourteen books; (2)
Shulchan-aruch (שלחן ערוך, lit. “Table-arranged”), by Rabbi Joseph
Caro (sixteenth century).
Ninth Principle.—“I firmly believe that this Law will not be changed,
and that there will not be any other Law given by the Creator, blessed
be His Name.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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