The short answer
Because traditional Judaism derives law from the Oral Torah — interpretation, rabbinic enactment, and accumulated practice — not only from explicit biblical verses. Rabbinic law (derabbanan) is binding in traditional communities alongside biblical law (de'Oraita).
Why people ask this
People expect Jewish law to come straight from the Bible; the role of rabbinic law explains the gap.
Key terms
- De'Oraita
- Biblical law.
- DeRabbanan
- Rabbinic law — binding in traditional communities.
Jewish perspectives
- Traditional: rabbinic law is binding alongside biblical law.
- Reform and some others weigh rabbinic law as tradition, not binding.
Scholarly & historical context
Rabbinic law developed to apply Torah to life and to build protective fences around it; it became authoritative in traditional communities.
What is agreed upon
Much Jewish law comes from interpretation, not only explicit verses.
Where the disagreement begins
Whether rabbinic law is binding for everyone.
Practical consequences
Practice includes rabbinic layers; ask which matter in your community.
Original sources
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