ADVERTISEMENT
Home

Main navigation

  • World
    • Countries
    • World History & Timelines
    • World Stats & Facts
    • War
    • Current Events
    • World Geography
    • Religion
    • Natural Disasters
    • Accident Archive
  • U.S.
    • U.S. History
    • Government
    • U.S. Geography
    • Education
    • Laws & Rights
    • National Landmarks
    • The Fifty States
    • U.S. Cities
    • U.S. Population
    • Race & Ethnicity
    • Postal Information
    • Speeches & Documents
    • U.S. State Flags
    • U.S. Maps
    • Timelines
  • People
    • People Fun Facts
    • Biographies
    • Women of Influence
    • U.S. Presidents
  • Science
    • Biology
    • Earth Sciences
    • Environment, Energy, and Nature
    • Health and Body
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Dinosaurs
    • Inventions and Inventors
    • Chemistry
    • Physics
    • Weather
    • Food
    • General Science
    • Computers, Technology and the Internet
    • Transportation
    • Astronomy and Space
    • Interactive Periodic Table
  • Math
    • Numbers
    • Tables and Formulas
    • Money
    • Measurement
    • Factors and Fractions
  • Language Arts
    • Creature Catalog
    • All About Books
    • Grammar and Spelling
    • Speaking of Language
    • Mythology
  • Homework
    • Geography
    • History
    • Language Arts
    • Mathematics
    • Science
    • Social Studies
    • Writing
    • Research
    • Speaking & Listening
    • Studying
  • Games
    • Roman Numeral Challenge
    • Math Flashcards
    • Hangman
    • Same Game
    • Tic Tac Toe
  • Holidays & Calendars
    • 2018 Calendar
    • 2018 Holidays
    • Calendars
    • Perpetual Calendar
  • Tools
    • Almanac
    • Atlas
    • Conversion Calculator
    • Dictionary
    • Distance Calculator
    • Encyclopedia
    • Place Finder
    • Spell Checker
    • Thesaurus
  • Dictionary
  • Encyclopedia
  • Thesaurus
  • Almanac
  • Atlas
  • Timelines
  1. Home /
  2. Columbia Encyclopedia /
  3. Philosophy and Religion /
  4. Judaism /
  5. Judaism /
  6. scribe

scribe

scribe skrīb [key], Jewish scholar and teacher (called in Hebrew, Soferim ) of law as based upon the Old Testament and accumulated traditions. The work of the scribes laid the basis for the Oral Law, as distinct from the Written Law of the Torah. The period of their activity is in doubt. They may have been active from the time of Ezra (c.444 BC) to that of Simeon the Just. In Talmudic literature, the term may be applied to any interpreter of the Law from Moses to the period just before the compilation of the Mishna .

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Judaism

Browse By Subject

  • Earth and the Environment +-
    • Atmosphere and Weather
    • Biographies
    • Ecology and Environmentalism
    • Geography
    • Geology and Oceanography
    • Minerals, Mining, and Metallurgy
  • History +-
    • Ancient Greece and Rome
    • Asia and Africa
    • Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific
    • Biographies
    • Historians and Chronicles
    • Latin America and the Caribbean
    • Modern Europe
    • United States, Canada, and Greenland
  • Literature and the Arts +-
    • Art and Architecture
    • Biographies
    • Classical Literature, Mythology, and Folklore
    • Fashion, Design, and Crafts
    • Journalism and Publishing
    • Language, Linguistics, and Literary Terms
    • Literature in English
    • Literature in Other Modern Languages
    • Performing Arts
    • Scholars and Historians
  • Medicine +-
    • Anatomy and Physiology
    • Biographies
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Divisions, Diagnostics, and Procedures
    • Drugs
    • Psychology
  • People +-
    • History
    • Literature and the Arts
    • Medicine
    • Philosophy and Religion
    • Science and Technology
    • Social Sciences and the Law
    • Sports and Games
  • Philosophy and Religion +-
    • Ancient Religions
    • Biographies
    • Christianity
    • Eastern Religions
    • Islam
    • Judaism
    • Other Religious Beliefs and General Terms
    • Philosophy
    • The Bible
  • Places +-
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Australia and Oceania
    • Britain, Ireland, France, and the Low Countries
    • Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic Nations
    • Germany, Scandinavia, and Central Europe
    • Latin America and the Caribbean
    • Oceans, Continents, and Polar Regions
    • Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and the Balkans
    • United States, Canada, and Greenland
  • Plants and Animals +-
    • Agriculture and Horticulture
    • Animals
    • Biographies
    • Botany
    • Microbes, Algae, and Fungi
    • Plants
    • Zoology and Veterinary Medicine
  • Science and Technology +-
    • Astronomy and Space Exploration
    • Biochemistry
    • Biographies
    • Biology and Genetics
    • Chemistry
    • Computers and Electrical Engineering
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Technology
  • Social Sciences and the Law +-
    • Anthropology and Archaeology
    • Biographies
    • Economics, Business, and Labor
    • Education
    • Law
    • Political Science and Government
    • Sociology and Social Reform
  • Sports and Everyday Life +-
    • Biographies
    • Crafts and Household Items
    • Days and Holidays
    • Fashion and Clothing
    • Food and Drink
    • Games
    • Manners and Customs
    • Social Organizations
    • Sports
Play Poptropica Worlds

Download Poptropica and play for free!

Explore a limitless universe of uncharted islands
App store
Google Play
 

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

Featured Videos

 
ADVERTISEMENT

Women's History Month

Learn all about history's greatest women.

ADVERTISEMENT

Baseball

The season's begun! Brush up on your baseball facts!

The Boston Marathon

Read more about the world's oldest annual marathon!

  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Terms of Use
  • Citing Fact Monster™
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Part of FEN Learning
  • FactMonster
  • InfoPlease
  • FamilyEducation
  • TeacherVision

© 2000-2018 Sandbox Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FactMonster.com is certified by the kidSAFE Seal Program.

FactMonster.com is certified by the kidSAFE Seal Program. To learn more, click on the seal or go to www.kidsafeseal.com.