Jewish communities throughout history have selectively drawn upon their vast textual inheritance to address the pressing needs of their time - a dynamic process that holds vital lessons for modern Judaism. By examining the interpretive approaches of Zacharias Frankel, Solomon Schechter, and Mordecai Kaplan, a framework emerges distinguishing between the comprehensive "Jewish Heritage" and selective "Jewish traditions." Analysis of the Babylonian Talmud and rabbinic literature reveals Judaism's inherently multivocal nature, where communities have historically emphasized different perspectives to meet their contextual needs. The Jewish Heritage represents an objective repository encompassing all Jewish writings and experiences, while traditions manifest as subjective relationships between specific communities and chosen aspects of this heritage. Talmudic interpretations of biblical law and inheritance practices demonstrate how religious authorities have consistently reinterpreted authoritative texts to address contemporary moral and practical concerns. Modern Jewish communities can therefore legitimately construct meaningful traditions through selective engagement with their heritage while maintaining intellectual honesty about the diversity and sometimes contradictory nature of Jewish thought, enabling Judaism to remain both authentic and responsive to contemporary challenges.