ABSTRACT
In rabbinic literature a distinction is drawn between the revelation of the Five Books of Moses (Torah in the narrow sense) and the prophetic writings. This is frequently expressed by saying that the Torah was given directly by God, whereas the prophetic books were given by means of prophecy. The remaining books of the Bible (Hagiographa) were conveyed by means of the holy spirit rather than through prophecy. Nonetheless, all these writings constitute the canon of Scripture. The Hebrew term referring to the Bible as a whole is Tanakh. This word is made up of the first three letters of the three divisions of Scripture: Torah (Pentateuch); Neviim (Prophets); and Ketuvim (Writings). This is the Written Torah (Torah She-BiKetav).
