Jewish Basic Concepts
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Sages – Hazal
Hazal is an acronym for the Hebrew words Hakhameinu Zikhronam Livrakha (our sages of blessed memory) and refers primarily to the rabbis of the Talmudic period.
The group known as the sages came into being in the second Temple times and continued until the Arab/Muslim conquest – a period of over 1,000 years. The Sages were dedicated to interpreting the Written Torah (s.v.) and applying it to Jewish life. According to their own tradition (Pirkei Avot 1:1) the Sages inherited the traditions revealed to Moses orally, passed them on and developed them further. Belief in the Oral Torah is the most important characteristic of this group. They are the creators of the Mishna, Talmud and Midrash (s.v. Torah – oral).
Shabbat
In the Hebrew language, six out of the seven days of the week do not have names. They are, rather, “the first day,” “the second day,” and so on, up to “the sixth day.” Only the seventh day has a name—Shabbat, the Sabbath. The root of Shabbat is resting, refraining from work. But the traditional Shabbat is much more than simply a day off.