The Torah, which means “instruction” or “teaching,” is the foundational text of Judaism. It is the first and most sacred part of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally understood as the divine revelation received by Moses. The Torah consists of exactly five books, which chronicle the origins of the world and the earliest history of the Israelites. This text forms the basis for Jewish religious law and narrative.
The Five Books of Moses
The five books of the Torah are often referred to as the Five Books of Moses, reflecting the traditional view of their authorship. These books are known by their common English names: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Genesis establishes the narrative, covering the creation of the world, the earliest generations of humankind, and the stories of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, ending with Jacob’s family settling in Egypt.
Exodus narrates the Israelites’ enslavement, their liberation from Egypt, and their journey to Mount Sinai, where they receive the Ten Commandments and the covenant from God. Leviticus shifts the focus to the laws governing ritual purity, sacrificial worship in the Tabernacle, and ethical conduct. Numbers details the Israelites’ wandering in the desert for forty years, including a census of the people and various legal instructions.
Deuteronomy concludes the Torah with a series of farewell speeches delivered by Moses to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the promised land. This book reiterates many of the laws and commandments given previously, functioning as a prophetic review and a call to obedience. The five books serve as the primary source of the 613 commandments that govern Jewish life and practice.
The Torah’s Place in Wider Scripture
The term “Torah” most specifically refers to these five books, but its meaning extends to a broader scriptural context. The five books are also known as the Pentateuch, a Greek term meaning “five-book work,” commonly used in Christian traditions. In the larger Hebrew Bible, the Torah constitutes the first of three main divisions: the Nevi’im (Prophets) and the Ketuvim (Writings).
Together, these three sections form the Tanakh, an acronym derived from the first letter of each division’s Hebrew name. The Torah, as the first section, contains the foundational law and narrative upon which the rest of the Tanakh builds. Beyond the written text, “Torah” is sometimes used to encompass the entire body of Jewish teaching, including the Oral Torah, or Torah Sheb’al Peh.
The Oral Torah consists of interpretations and traditions that, according to Rabbinic tradition, were revealed to Moses alongside the written text and passed down orally. These teachings were later compiled into texts like the Talmud and Midrash. This demonstrates that the concept of “Torah” can refer to the whole spectrum of authoritative Jewish religious instruction.
The Physical Form and Ritual Use
For ritual use in synagogues, the five books of the Torah are contained in a Sefer Torah, a meticulously handwritten scroll. The preparation follows strict guidelines consistent for millennia, ensuring its status as a sacred object. A specially trained scribe, known as a Sofer, writes the text in Hebrew script on parchment made from the skin of a ritually clean animal.
The sheets are stitched together to form a continuous scroll attached to two wooden shafts, often called the “Tree of Life.” The Sefer Torah is stored in the holiest spot in the synagogue, the Ark. During public readings, a specialized pointer called a yad is used to follow the text, preventing direct contact with the parchment.
The public reading of the Torah is a central part of Jewish services, following a structured cycle. The text is divided into 54 portions, or parashot. One portion is read weekly on the Sabbath, ensuring the entire Torah is completed and begun anew each year. This ritual reading occurs at least three times a week, underscoring the text’s role as a guiding document for the community.