Torah

Torah (Hebrew: תּוֹרָה, "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") has a range of meanings. It can most specifically mean the first five books (Pentateuch) of the 24 books of the Tanakh, and it usually includes the rabbinic commentaries. The term "Torah" means instruction and offers a way of life for those who follow it; it can mean the continued narrative from Genesis to the end of the Tanakh, and it can even mean the totality of Jewish teaching, culture, and practice, whether derived from biblical texts or later Rabbinic literature.

Etymology

The Hebrew word "תּוֹרָה" (Torah) occurs often in the Hebrew Bible. It comes from the root ירה (Y-R-H), which means "to throw", "to shoot" (as in arrows), or "to teach". Therefore, "Torah" can also be translated as "teaching", "instruction", or "law".

Content

The Torah starts from the beginning of God's creating the world, through the beginnings of the people of Israel, their descent into Egypt, and the giving of the Torah at biblical Mount Sinai. It ends with the death of Moses, just before the people of Israel cross to the promised land of Canaan. Interspersed in the narrative are the specific teachings (religious obligations and civil laws) given explicitly (i.e. Ten Commandments) or implicitly embedded in the narrative (as in Exodus 12 and 13 laws of the celebration of Passover).

Composition

The Torah is divided into five books, each named after its initial Hebrew word: Genesis (בְּרֵאשִׁית, Bereshit, "In [the] beginning"), Exodus (שְׁמוֹת, Shemot, "Names"), Leviticus (וַיִּקְרָא, Vayikra, "And He called"), Numbers (בְּמִדְבַּר, Bemidbar, "In the desert [of]"), and Deuteronomy (דְּבָרִים, Devarim, "[The] words [of]").

In Judaism

In Judaism, the Torah is read publicly over the course of a year, with one major portion read each week in the Shabbat morning service. The reading of the Torah and the proclamation of the Haftarah often form the core of Jewish worship service.

See also

• Tanakh
• Moses
• Book of Genesis
• Book of Exodus
• Book of Leviticus
• Book of Numbers
• Book of Deuteronomy

References

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