The Torah: Story Of The Hebrew People

The Torah, or the Old Testament, is a collection of stories of the Hebrew people. It was a part of their oral tradition for generations, until, per tradition, it was written down by Moses in the 14th Century BCE. The Torah is essentially the foundation of Judaism; it is not just the story of the Hebrews, it is the story of their relationship with God, the divine, ultimate, all-knowing creator of the Universe. To the Hebrews, and by extension the Jews, the Torah is not just their most important cultural keystone, but, indeed, a way of life. It is the closest one can get to the supposed word of God himself. The Torah is split up into five sections. The first and most famous section, Genesis, details the creation of the Earth and all its living creatures, including man, and the cleansing of the Earth by God with the flood of Noah. Exodus tells of the plight of the Hebrews under Egyptian enslavement, of …show more content…
He did something subtle, but very effective in accomplishing what he intended. God changed the languages that they spoke; instead of all people speaking one unified language, they now spoke many different ones. God knew, importantly, that if all humankind could communicate easily, any project they attempted would be achieved easily, simply by dint of how much teamwork and collaboration would exist. And God most certainly did not want this. He did not want them to achieve His level. It is clear in the Old Testament that God is supreme; he does not look kindly upon those who try to become like him. God has complete control over people; people are free to do what they choose, to a degree, but he has the right to punish or reward people for whatever reason he chooses. Consider the story of Cain and Abel. It is the story of two brothers, Cain, a farmer, and Abel, a shepherd. They are the offspring of Adam and Eve. Cain and Abel give their offerings to God, and God accepts Abel’s, but rejects