What is the value and the meaning of the old testament?

The Hebrew Bible taught the ways of God and what He expects of us. It is important because it tells the history of the ancient Israelites, as well as giving us the teachings of such prophets as Moses, Isaiah and Jeremiah, the stories of kings like David and Saul, and the ethics and beliefs of the Jewish religion.
Our tradition is that the Hebrew Bible is from God (Exodus 24:12), given to us to provide knowledge, guidance, inspiration, awe and reverence, advice, law, comfort, history and more.