A Popular Dictionary of Judaism
Traditional Judaism. The Orthodox believe that both the *Written and *Oral Law were given by *God to *Moses on Mount *Sinai. The term was first coined in 1795 to make a distinction between Traditional Jews and *Progressive Jews. The latter are regarded by the Orthodox as sinners; their *rabbis are perceived as laymen and their *converts as non-Jews.
For the Orthodox, only a literal observance of *Torah and the subsequent *Codes of Law is adequate. Some Orthodox leaders try to isolate their followers from the outside world while others try to integrate with modern culture while remaining true to the principles of *halakhah. Although many Orthodox communities have been destroyed by the *holocaust, thriving groups exist particularly in *Israel, the United States and the British Commonwealth. (See also *HASIDISM, *MITNAGDIM, *NEO-ORTHODOXY).
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