Out of the treasures of the religion set forth by the Torah, the religion world know as Judaism, come insights into the human condition—truths for the well-considered life—that everyone may share. Centuries of reflection upon the meaning of everyday events, the outcome of folly, and the reward of wisdom in ordinary affairs have constituted a long period of tradition. Guided by the Torah, the ancient Judaic sages wrote down what they had learned out of the past and observed for themselves, setting forth this wisdom over time.

Presented here are parts of the Judaic tradition of wisdom, concentrating on the oral part of the Torah, represented by the documents of law and scriptural exegesis, the Talmud of Babylonia and Midrash compilations, respectively. The Talmud (encompassing both law and scriptural exegesis, halakhah and aggadah) is one of the great classical writings of human civilization—enduring, influential, nourishing.