Gittin 60B

ופרשת שתויי יין, ופרשת נרות, ופרשת פרה אדומה.

the section dealing with priests who have become intoxicated with wine (Leviticus 10:8–11); the section of the lamps (Numbers 8:1–7); and the section of the red heifer (Numbers, chapter 19), as all of these sections are necessary for service in the Tabernacle.

אמר רבי אלעזר: תורה ⁠– רוב בכתב ומיעוט על פה, שנאמר: ״אכתוב לו רובי תורתי כמו זר נחשבו״. ורבי יוחנן אמר: רוב על פה ומיעוט בכתב, שנאמר: ״כי על פי הדברים האלה״.

§ The Talmud continues its discussion concerning the writing of the Torah: R' Elazar says: The majority of the Torah was transmitted in writing, while the minority was transmitted orally, as it is stated: “I wrote for him the greater part of My Torah; they were reckoned a strange thing” (Hosea 8:12), meaning that the majority of the Torah was transmitted in written form. And R' Yoḥanan says: The majority of the Torah was transmitted orally [al peh], while the minority was transmitted in writing, as it is stated with regard to the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai: “For on the basis of [al pi] these matters I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27), which indicates that the greater part of the Sinaitic covenant was taught orally.

ואידך נמי, הכתיב: ״אכתוב לו רובי תורתי״! ההוא, אתמוהי קא מתמה: אכתוב לו רובי תורתי?! הלא ״כמו זר נחשבו״!

The Talmud asks: And according to the other Sage, R' Yoḥanan, as well, isn’t it written: “I wrote for him the greater part of My Torah”? How does he understand this verse? The Talmud answers: This verse is not a statement, but rather a rhetorical question expressing bewilderment: For did I write for him the greater part of My Torah? In that case they, the Jewish people, would be reckoned as strangers, meaning that there would be no difference between them and the non-Jewish nations if everything was written down. Rather, the majority of the Torah must remain an oral tradition.