Q&A: The Status of Jewish Law
The Status of Jewish Law
Question
Hello Rabbi,
If Judaism is Jewish law and nothing more, as you often say, it would seem that most of the Torah—and of course the Prophets and Writings—are superfluous. In particular, how do you answer Rashi’s question at the beginning of the Torah? According to your view, the Torah really should have begun with “This month shall be for you,” no?
Answer
Judaism is only Jewish law. But Torah includes all parts of the Torah, including the universal sections. It’s just that, in my view, there is no point in studying them, because you do not learn anything from them. But one cannot say that someone who engages in the non-halakhic portions of the Torah is neglecting Torah study. I discussed all this at length in the second book of the trilogy. Rashi at the beginning of the Torah is my main source.