Basic covenantal agreement between G-d and the Jewish People, embodied in the Five Books of Moses, containing 613 Commandments, 248 “positive” and 365 “negative.” The relationship of the “Written” to the “Oral” Law is that of “Basic Principles” to the “Analysis and Clarification of the Principles;” somewhat analogous to the relationship between the U.S. Constitution and Books and classes in constitutional Law. The basic idea giving authority to this Law is the principle of “Torah min HaShamayim,” that the Torah (in the sense of both the “written” and the “oral” forms) was given by G-d to Man for his creative study and application to all realms of life.
