Final answer:
Ezra was a scribe who played a pivotal role in the compilation of the Torah, which is the central religious text of Judaism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ezra was a scribe who guided the writing of the Torah. The Torah is the most sacred text of Judaism, consisting of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Ezra played a crucial role during the Babylonian Captivity when the Hebrews developed a strict set of religious customs and laws while in exile. Once the Torah was compiled as a single sacred text by the prophet Ezra, it solidified the religious and cultural identity of the Jewish people. This compilation and the duties of rabbis to meticulously copy the text ensured that their religious traditions could be carried with them regardless of their geographic location, helping to preserve Jewish identity through time.