Jewish Texts

Biblical Texts

  1. Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) – The canonical collection of Jewish scriptures, consisting of:
    • Torah (Pentateuch) – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
    • Nevi’im (Prophets) – Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets
    • Ketuvim (Writings) – Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles

Second Temple Period Texts

Septuagint (LXX) – A Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, used by Hellenistic Jews.
The Septuagint PDF

Dead Sea Scrolls – A collection of Jewish texts from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE, including biblical manuscripts, sectarian writings, and apocryphal works.
Apocrypha & Pseudepigrapha – Writings not included in the Jewish canon but significant in some traditions, such as:

Rabbinic Literature

Mishnah (c. 200 CE) – The first major written collection of Jewish oral traditions, compiled by Rabbi Judah the Prince.

Tosefta – A supplement to the Mishnah with additional teachings and interpretations.
Talmud – Expansions and discussions on the Mishnah, consisting of:

  • Jerusalem Talmud (Talmud Yerushalmi) – c. 4th-5th century CE
  • Babylonian Talmud (Talmud Bavli) – c. 6th century CE, the more authoritative version in mainstream Judaism

Midrashic Literature

Midrash – A collection of commentaries and interpretations on the Torah and other biblical texts, including:

  • Midrash Rabbah
  • Mekhilta (on Exodus)
  • Sifra (on Leviticus)
  • Sifrei (on Numbers and Deuteronomy)

Mystical and Esoteric Texts

Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Creation) – A foundational mystical text that describes creation through 32 paths of wisdom, combining the 10 sefirot and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Sepher Yetzirah (The Book of Creation) PDF

Sefer HaBahir (The Book of Brightness) – An early Kabbalistic text that explores divine emanations and mystical interpretations of scripture.
Sepher Ha-Bahir (The Book of Illumination)

Sefer HaRazim (The Book of Secrets) – A magical and mystical text detailing angelic hierarchies and practical uses of divine names.
Sefer HaRazim (The Book of Secrets) PDF

Hekhalot Literature (Palaces Texts) – A collection of mystical writings describing visionary ascents into the divine palaces (hekhalot) and encounters with angelic beings.

Shi’ur Komah (The Measure of the Stature) – A mystical text detailing the immense and unfathomable dimensions of God’s presence.

Sefer HaZohar (The Book of Splendor) – The most influential Kabbalistic work, attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, offering mystical interpretations of the Torah and insights into the nature of the divine.

Sefer HaTemunah (The Book of the Image) – A Kabbalistic work discussing the mystical significance of Hebrew letters and the concept of cosmic cycles.

Sefer Yetzirah Commentaries – Various medieval and later commentaries by scholars such as Saadia Gaon, Abraham Abulafia, and the Vilna Gaon, expanding on the mystical ideas of Sefer Yetzirah.

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