How does the Jewish Bible tell us to live?

Answer 1

That depends upon whether you are Jewish or Gentile. For Jews, the Hebrew Bible (specifically its first portion, the Torah) has hundreds of commands, which are elucidated in the Talmud and listed in the Code of Jewish Law. For Gentiles (non-Jews), the commands of the Torah may be divided into these categories:

1) Those mitzvot (obligations) that are obligatory only for Jews. This category includes the majority of the mitzvot of the Torah.
2) Those mitzvot that are obligatory upon non-Jews as well as Jews. This category includes seven commands (Talmud, Sanhedrin 56a):

a] not to eat from an animal which is still alive;

b] not to curse God;

c] not to steal;

d] to maintain courts of law;

e] not to commit adultery or incest;

f] not to worship idols; and

g] not to murder.

3) There are certain mitzvot which are not explicitly commanded for non-Jews but which non-Jews are nonetheless expected to learn from and adopt. This category includes such examples as:

a] going in the ways of God (Deuteronomy 28:9);

b] giving charity (Leviticus 25:35);

c] learning from the lessons of history (Deuteronomy 32:7);

d] not to ignore reproof (Deuteronomy 10:16);

e] not to mindlessly follow mass behavior (Exodus 23:2); and more.

4) There are some things that are the universal tradition of mankind, so much so that the Torah doesn't command them at all, and considers them as being self-understood. These include burying the dead, not eating human flesh, belief in the afterlife, and more.

As for the rest of the Hebrew Bible (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, etc.), it follows the same pattern as the Torah. Some of the passages are directed at and relevant to the Israelites, while others are meant to be emulated by everyone, such as those which speak of social justice.