With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes. With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119: 10-16)

A good friend recently called the Bible our "rule book. " As today's psalmist suggests there are many different kinds of rules.

Commandment - mitzvah - to order, to charge, to empower.

Word - 'imrah - promise, saying, sometimes also a command.

Statute - 'choq - prescribed action, specific instruction, rule.

Ordinance - mishpat - judgment, decision, plan of action.

Decree - 'eduwth - testimony, story, warning.

Precept - piqquwd - observation, visitation, principle.

Way - 'orach - direction, journey, way of living.

The Talmud teaches that the are 613 rules in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.

When Jesus was growing up two great rabbis argued over how these rules should be applied. Rabbi Shammai, perhaps president of the Sanhedrin (Chief Religious Council) at the time of the crucifixion, was very much a stickler for detail. Rabbi Hillel, his predecessor as president, had taught, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the entire Torah, all of it. Go and study it."

Jesus made a positive principle of Hillel's teaching: "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."