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What do Jews Believe about the Bible? Part 2
The Tanach is often referred to as the Hebrew Bible, which Christians call the Old Testament. Jews also believe in the oral tradition, which is the Biblical interpretation and commentary that existed for centuries alongside the Tanach and was written down by the 5th Century of the Common Era. Both the written and oral traditions are affirmed by Judaism as authoritative, and both are studied and practiced by Jews today.
Jews, however, do not use the term Old Testament when referring to the Bible, since it implies that a valid new revelation and Testament have been given, a tenet not accepted by Judaism. For the same reason, we prefer to use the terms BCE and CE, short for "Before the Common Era" and "Common Era", rather than BC and AD, which presume the birth of Jesus as the critical dividing point of history.
For Jews, the study of the Bible is the supreme mitzvah, or good deed. Not only does it teach us how God wants us to live it also brings us closer to God Himself. Daily, we pray the following prayer: "With an eternal love hast Thou loved Thy people, the house of Israel; Torah, commandments, good deeds, and laws hast Thou imparted to us. Therefore, O Lord our God, when we lie down and when we rise up, we will ponder Thy vows and rejoice in the words of Thy Torah and commandments. For they are our lives and the length of our days and upon them we will meditate day and night." The study of the Torah is the Jew's loftiest spiritual pursuit.
Christians and Jews may differ on their beliefs on Jesus and the New Testament. But we certainly share much in common regarding the centrality and the authority of Scripture. From the close relationships that I have with many Bible-believing Christians, I know that the daily study of the Scripture and its application to daily life is as important to them as it is to a Jew. From a Jewish or Christian perspective, an understanding of the Hebrew Bible helps us grow in our understanding of God and the roots of our faith.
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