Torah

Sefer Torah at old Glockengasse synagogue (reconstruction), Cologne The term Torah ( Hebrews : תּוֹרָה, "teaching" or "instruction", or "law"), also known as the Pentateuch ( Greek : penta [five] and teuchos [tool, vessel, book]), refers to the Five Books of Moses —the entirety of Judaism 's founding legal and ethical religious texts . A " Sefer Torah " (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, "book of Torah") or Torah scroll is a copy of the Torah written on parchment in a formal, traditional manner by a specially trained scribe under strict requirements. The Torah is the first of three parts of the Tanakh (i.e. Hebrew Bible ), the founding religious document of Judaism, and is divided into five books, whose names in English are Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers , and Deuteronomy , in reference to their themes (their Hebrew names: Bereshit , בראשית, Shmot שמות, Vayikra ויקרא, Bamidbar במדבר, and Dvarim דברים, are derived from the wording of their initial verses ). The Torah contains a variety of literary genres , including allegories, historical narrative, poetry, genealogy, and the exposition of various types of law. According to rabbinic tradition, the Torah contains the 613 mitzvot (מצוות, "commandments"), which are divided into 365 negative restrictions and 248 positive commands. In rabbinic literature , the word "Torah" denotes both the written text, " Torah Shebichtav " (תורה שבכתב, "Torah that is written"), as well as an oral tradition , " Torah Shebe'al Peh " (תורה שבעל פה, "Torah that is oral"). The oral portion consists of the "traditional interpretations and amplifications handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation," now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash . Jewish religious tradition ascribes authorship of the Torah to Moses through a process of divine inspiration. This view of Mosaic authorship is first found explicitly expressed in the Talmud, dating from the 1st to the 6th centuries CE, and is based on textual analysis of passages in the Torah and the subsequent books of the Hebrew Bible. The Zohar , the most significant text in Jewish mysticism , states that the Torah was created prior to the creation of the world, and that it was used as the blueprint for Creation . According to dating of the text by Orthodox rabbis , though some place it earlier, the revelation of the Torah to Moses occurred in 1312 BCE at Mount Sinai . Contemporary secular biblical scholars date the completion of the Torah, as well as the prophets and the historical books, no earlier than the Persian period (539 to 334 BCE). Scholarly discussion for much of the 20th century was principally couched in terms of the documentary hypothesis , according to which the Torah is a synthesis of documents from a small number of originally independent sources. Outside of its central significance in Judaism, the Torah is accepted by Christianity as part of the Bible , comprising the first five books of the Old Testament . The various denominations of Jews and Christians hold a diverse spectrum of views regarding the exactitude of scripture . The Torah has also been accepted to varying degrees by the Samaritans , an ethnoreligious group of the Levant , and others as the authentic revealed message of YHWH to the early Israelites and as factual history, in both cases as conveyed by Moses . "The ancient Greek translation of the Tanak translated the word Torah as name , or law," Wylen, Stephen M. Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism . See Torah#Meaning and names and see also Philip Birnbaum , Encyclopedia of Jewish Concepts , Hebrew Publishing Company, 1964, page 630, and Coggins, R.

Sefer Torah at old Glockengasse Synagogue (reconstruction), Cologne Torah ( / ˈ t ɔː r ə ˌ ˈ t oʊ r ə / ; , "Instruction, Teaching"), or the Pentateuch ( / ˈ p ɛ n t ə ˌ t uː k , - ˌ t j uː k / ), is the central reference of the religious Judaic tradition . It has a range of meanings. It can most specifically mean the first five books of the twenty-four 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. Common to all these meanings, Torah consists of the foundational narrative of the Jews : their call into being by God , their trials and tribulations, and their covenant with their God, which involves following a way of life embodied in a set of moral and religious obligations and civil laws ( halakha ). In rabbinic literature the word "Torah" denotes both the five books , Torah Shebichtav (תורה שבכתב, "Torah that is written"), and an Oral Torah , Torah Shebe'al Peh (תורה שבעל פה, "Torah that is spoken"). The Oral Torah consists of interpretations and amplifications which according to rabbinic tradition have been handed down from generation to generation and are now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash . According to rabbinic tradition , all of the teachings found in the Torah, both written and oral, were given by God through Moses , a prophet, some of them at Mount Sinai and others at the Tabernacle , and all the teachings were written down by Moses , which resulted in the Torah we have today. According to a Midrash, the Torah was created prior to the creation of the world , and was used as the blueprint for Creation. The majority of Biblical scholars believe that the written books were a product of the Babylonian exilic period (c. 600 BCE) and that it was completed by the Persian period (c. 400 BCE). Traditionally, the words of the Torah are written on a scroll by a sofer on parchment in Hebrew. A Torah portion is read publicly at least once every three days, in the halachically prescribed tune, in the presence of a congregation . Reading the Torah publicly is one of the bases for Jewish communal life. The Pentateuch: An introduction to the first five books of the Bible .

First five books of the Hebrew Bible Torah scroll at old Glockengasse Synagogue (reconstruction), Cologne . Interpretation Hermeneutics Pesher Midrash Pardes Allegorical interpretation Historical-grammatical method Inspiration Literalism Alcohol Conspiracy theory Ethics Capital punishment Homosexuality Humor Incest Muhammad Prophecy Rape Serpents Sex Slavery Violence Warfare Women Perspectives Gnostic Islamic Quranic Inerrancy Infallibility Criticism of the Bible Biblical authority Outline of Bible-related topics Bible portal v t e Torah ( / ˈ t ɔːr ə , ˈ t oʊ r ə / ; , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") has a range of meanings. It can most specifically mean the first five books ( Pentateuch or five books of Moses) of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible . This is commonly known as the Written Torah . It can also mean the continued narrative from all the 24 books, from the Book of Genesis to the end of the Tanakh ( Chronicles ), and it can even mean the totality of Jewish teaching, culture, and practice, whether derived from biblical texts or later rabbinic writings . This is often known as the Oral Torah . Common to all these meanings, Torah consists of the origin of Jewish peoplehood: their call into being by God , their trials and tribulations, and their covenant with their God, which involves following a way of life embodied in a set of moral and religious obligations and civil laws ( halakha ). If in bound book form , it is called Chumash , and is usually printed with the rabbinic commentaries ( perushim ). If meant for liturgic purposes, it takes the form of a Torah scroll ( sefer Torah ), which contains strictly the five books of Moses. In rabbinic literature the word Torah denotes both the five books ( "Torah that is written") and the Oral Torah ( , "Torah that is spoken"). The Oral Torah consists of interpretations and amplifications which according to rabbinic tradition have been handed down from generation to generation and are now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash . Rabbinic tradition's understanding is that all of the teachings found in the Torah (both written and oral) were given by God through the prophet Moses , some at Mount Sinai and others at the Tabernacle , and all the teachings were written down by Moses , which resulted in the Torah that exists today. According to the Midrash, the Torah was created prior to the creation of the world , and was used as the blueprint for Creation. The majority of Biblical scholars believe that the written books were a product of the Babylonian captivity (c. 6th century BCE), based on earlier written sources and oral traditions, and that it was completed with final revisions during the post-Exilic period (c. 5th century BCE). Traditionally, the words of the Torah are written on a scroll by a scribe ( sofer ) in Hebrew. A Torah portion is read publicly at least once every three days in the presence of a congregation . Reading the Torah publicly is one of the bases of Jewish communal life. The Emergence of Judaism . We recall ... the most familiar meaning of the word: 'Torah = the five books of Moses", the Pentateuch .... The Torah may also refer to the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures .... The Torah furthermore covers instruction in two media, writing and memory .... [The oral part] is contained, in part, in the Mishnah, Talmud, and midrash compilations. The Pentateuch: An introduction to the first five books of the Bible . Reading the Pentateuch: a historical introduction .

First five books of the Hebrew Bible This article is about the Hebrew Torah. Torah scroll at old Glockengasse Synagogue (reconstruction), Cologne The Torah ( / ˈ t ɔːr ə , ˈ t oʊ r ə / ; Tōrā , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible , namely the books of Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy . It is known as the Pentateuch ( / ˈ p ɛ n t ə tj uː k / ) or the Five Books of Moses by Christians . It is also known as the Written Torah ( תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב , Tōrā šebbīḵṯāv ) in Jewish tradition. If meant for liturgic purposes, it takes the form of a Torah scroll ( Sefer Torah ). If in bound book form , it is called Chumash , and is usually printed with the rabbinic commentaries ( perushim ). At times, however, the word Torah can also be used as a synonym for the whole of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, in which sense it includes not only the first five, but all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible. Finally, Torah can even mean the totality of Jewish teaching, culture, and practice, whether derived from biblical texts or later rabbinic writings . The latter is often known as the Oral Torah . Representing the core of the Jewish spiritual and religious tradition, the Torah is a term and a set of teachings that are explicitly self-positioned as encompassing as many as 70 or potentially infinite faces and interpretations, making an unequivocal definition of Torah impossible. Common to all these meanings, the Torah consists of the origin of Jewish peoplehood: their call into being by God , their trials and tribulations, and their covenant with their God, which involves following a way of life embodied in a set of moral and religious obligations and civil laws ( halakha ). The " Tawrat " (also Tawrah or Taurat; ) is the Arabic name for the Torah within its context as an Islamic holy book believed by Muslims to have been given by God to the prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel . In rabbinic literature , the word Torah denotes both the five books ([תורה שבכתב] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= ( help ) "Torah that is written") and the Oral Torah ([תורה שבעל פה] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= ( help ) , "Torah that is spoken"). The Oral Torah consists of interpretations and amplifications which according to rabbinic tradition have been handed down from generation to generation and are now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash . Rabbinic tradition's understanding is that all of the teachings found in the Torah (both written and oral) were given by God through the prophet Moses , some at Mount Sinai and others at the Tabernacle , and all the teachings were written down by Moses , which resulted in the Torah that exists today. According to the Midrash, the Torah was created prior to the creation of the world , and was used as the blueprint for Creation. The majority of Biblical scholars believe that the written books were a product of the Babylonian captivity ( c. 6th century BCE ), based on earlier written sources and oral traditions, and that it was completed with final revisions during the post-Exilic period ( c. 5th century BCE ). Traditionally, the words of the Torah are written on a scroll by a scribe ( sofer ) in Hebrew. A Torah portion is read publicly at least once every three days in the presence of a congregation . Reading the Torah publicly is one of the bases of Jewish communal life. We recall ... the most familiar meaning of the word: 'Torah = the five books of Moses", the Pentateuch .... The Torah may also refer to the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures .... The Torah furthermore covers instruction in two media, writing and memory .... [The oral part] is contained, in part, in the Mishnah, Talmud, and midrash compilations.

First five books of the Hebrew Bible This article is about the Hebrew Torah. An opened Torah scroll ( Book of Genesis part). The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch ( / ˈ p ɛ n t ə tj uː k / ) or the Five Books of Moses . In Rabbinical Jewish tradition it is also known as the Written Torah ( תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב , Tōrā šebbīḵṯāv ). If meant for liturgic purposes, it takes the form of a Torah scroll ( Hebrew : ספר תורה Sefer Torah ). If in bound book form , it is called Chumash , and is usually printed with the rabbinic commentaries ( perushim ). In rabbinic literature , the word Torah denotes both the five books ( תורה שבכתב "Torah that is written") and the Oral Torah ( תורה שבעל פה , "Torah that is spoken"). It has also been used, however, to designate the entire Hebrew Bible . The Oral Torah consists of interpretations and amplifications which according to rabbinic tradition have been handed down from generation to generation and are now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash . Rabbinic tradition's understanding is that all of the teachings found in the Torah (both written and oral) were given by God through the prophet Moses , some at Mount Sinai and others at the Tabernacle , and all the teachings were written down by Moses , which resulted in the Torah that exists today. According to the Midrash, the Torah was created prior to the creation of the world , and was used as the blueprint for Creation. Though hotly debated, the general trend in biblical scholarship is to recognize the final form of the Torah as a literary and ideological unity, based on earlier sources, largely complete by the Persian period , with possibly some later additions during the Hellenistic period. The words of the Torah are written on a scroll by a scribe ( sofer ) in Hebrew. A Torah portion is read every Monday morning and Thursday morning at a shul(synagogue) and as noted later in this article a part is also read on Saturdays (in fact a more substantial part!). In some synagogues, but not all, the reading is done only if there are ten males above the age of thirteen. Today most "movements" of Judaism accept 10 adult Jews as meeting the requirement for reading a Torah portion. Reading the Torah publicly is one of the bases of Jewish communal life. The Torah is also considered a sacred book outside Judaism; in Samaritanism , the Samaritan Pentateuch is a text of the Torah written in the Samaritan script and used as sacred scripture by the Samaritans ; the Torah is also common among all the different versions of the Christian Old Testament ; in Islam , the Tawrat ( Arabic : توراة‎ ) is the Arabic name for the Torah within its context as an Islamic holy book believed by Muslims to have been given by God to the prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel . (Subscription or participating institution membership required.) "Torah | Definition, Meaning, & Facts" . The best candidate for a post-Persian, Hellenistic text in the Pentateuch seems to be the small 'apocalypse' in Num 24:14-24, which in v. 24 mentions the victory of the ships of the כִּתִּים over Ashur and Eber . This text seems to allude to the battles between Alexander and the Persians , as some scholars suggested. Another set of post-Persian text elements might be the specific numbers in the genealogies of Gen 5 and 11. These numbers build the overall chronology of the Pentateuch and differ significantly in the various versions. But these are just minor elements. The substance of the Pentateuch seems pre- Hellenistic." Römer, Thomas "How "Persian" or "Hellenistic" is the Joseph Narrative?", in T.