Overview of the Sacred Scriptures

The Tanakh (Hebrew: תנ״ך‎) is the authoritative version of the Hebrew Bible for Judaism and is its primary sacred text. Later, Christianity referred to it as the “Hebrew Bible” or the “Old Testament.” The Hebrew “Writings” (or “Holy Writings”), literally meaning “writings” or “compositions,” constitute the third section of the Hebrew Bible. The Writings contain wisdom literature, poetry, narrative prose, history, religious philosophy, and songs of love. It comprises twelve books, divided into three parts: Poetic Books, Five Megillot, and Historical Books.

1)Psalms: The Book of Psalms collects 150 prayers, many of which are works by King David. These prayers include heartfelt cries of sorrow and joy, as well as songs and praises to God.

2)Proverbs: The Book of Proverbs consists of short aphorisms that teach life values and guide people on how to live.

3)Job: The Book of Job narrates how a man who suffered greatly faced everything with faith. It is a classic work on the meaning of good and evil.

Additionally, within the Writings, five books are collectively known as the Five Megillot. Jews read these books in synagogues during specific Jewish festivals or commemorative days. These five books are:

1)Song of Solomon: The Song of Solomon is an ardent love poem describing the struggles and joys experienced by a man and a woman in their quest for spiritual and physical union. Jews traditionally read this book on the Sabbath during Passover (the day before the Festival of Firstfruits).

2)Ruth: The Book of Ruth is a covenant of faith, representing loyalty to God and the Torah.

Jews read the Book of Ruth during the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) because its main events occur during the harvest season of Pentecost. Furthermore, Pentecost is the time when God gave the Torah at Mount Sinai and when the Jewish people received the Torah, resolving to obey it for generations. Since the Book of Ruth narrates how a non-Jewish woman wholeheartedly believed in God, obeyed the Torah’s laws, and became part of the Jewish people, Jews read the Book of Ruth during Shavuot.

3)Lamentations: The Book of Lamentations mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and assures the Jews that if they repent, they can return and restore their past glory. Jews read the Book of Lamentations in synagogues on the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av, commemorating the destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC, as well as the exile of the Jewish people (though the Temple was later rebuilt, it was again destroyed by the Romans on the 9th of Av in 70 AD). These historical events are precisely what the Book of Lamentations records.

4)Ecclesiastes: Ecclesiastes is a rather pessimistic and sometimes cynical treatise that discusses the meaning of existence and why humanity needs a plan that enables them to live out their highest ideals. Jews read this book during the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) because Sukkot celebrates the autumn harvest, when people not only gather crops but also sow new seeds. Sukkot celebrates and commemorates the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and the continuous process of creation and re-creation.

Jews read Ecclesiastes during Sukkot because it describes God’s power, humanity’s place in the universe, the purpose and meaning of existence, and mentions that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

5)Esther: The Book of Esther records the Jewish people’s faithfulness to God and their perseverance in the face of oppression by their rulers.

Jews read the Book of Esther during the Feast of Purim because it is on this day that Jews celebrate their ancestors’ joyous victory over the secret plot of Haman, prime minister to King Ahasuerus of the Persian Empire, in the latter half of the 5th century BC (the exact date is unknown), thus escaping the fate of massacre. Since the Book of Esther records the story of Purim and how the beautiful Queen Esther thwarted this plot to harm her compatriots, Jews read this book with festive joy on Purim.

The remaining four books in the “Writings” are Historical Books. They chronicle the return of the Jews from exile to the Land of Israel, their regaining of independence, and the rebuilding of the Temple. They record a period of national renewal and relative peace for the Jewish people between 586 BC and 300 BC.

1．Daniel: The Book of Daniel emphasizes God’s sovereignty over all things and His power beyond measure. It records the courageousness and faithfulness displayed by a group of Jews in maintaining their faith and also includes visions concerning the Messiah.

2．Ezra: The Book of Ezra records the return of the Jewish people from their captivity in Babylon to their homeland, and the rebuilding of the Temple. It affirms the covenant between God and the Jewish people, the priority of studying the Torah, and adherence to God’s law.

3．Nehemiah: The Book of Nehemiah records the rebuilding of the city walls and religious ceremonies (such as sacrifices). It also documents the religious reforms of the time and the enforcement of Sabbath observance.

4．Chronicles: The Book of Chronicles is divided into First and Second Chronicles. Chronicles provides a comprehensive overview of Jewish history from creation until the return to the Land of Israel to rebuild the Temple. Its content is similar to the historical sections of the Torah, the Books of Samuel, and the Books of Kings.