Torah
The Torah is a central sacred text in Judaism, revered as the foundational document of Jewish law and teachings. It comprises the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Pentateuch, which include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Written in Hebrew, the Torah outlines the creation of the world, the history of the Israelites, and the 613 commandments, including the well-known Ten Commandments. Traditionally believed to have been revealed to Moses by God at Mount Sinai, the Torah is considered to contain God's original instructions for the Jewish people.
The Torah is meticulously transcribed by hand by a sofer (scribe) onto parchment from kosher animals, taking about eighteen months to complete. Once finished, it is rolled into a scroll, known as the Sefer Torah, which is stored in a special area called the Ark within synagogues. During religious services, portions of the Torah are read aloud, primarily on Shabbat and other designated days. The reading is a sacred act, often accompanied by specific customs, such as using a pointer called a yad to avoid touching the scroll directly. The reverence surrounding the Torah and its readings reflects its significance in guiding Jewish life and spirituality.
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Torah
The Torah is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the religion of Judaism. It is the first part of the Hebrew Bible, which is also known as the Tanakh. The Torah is written in Hebrew and contains the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and the 613 commandments, including the Ten Commandments. The word torah means "teaching," "instruction," and "law" in English. The Torah also is known as the Pentateuch, which derives from the Greek word for "five books," or the Chumash, from the Hebrew word for "five." The Torah encompasses the creation story and all of the Hebrew biblical laws. Jews believe that the Torah contains all of God's original laws and prescriptions for the Jewish people. All of the information required to know and understand Jewish law, lifestyles, and beliefs is contained within the Torah. In the Christian religion, the Torah is known as the Old Testament of the Bible.
History
Traditional Judaism holds that the line of Jewish people began with Abraham, the man God chose as a patriarch of the Israelites. According to ancient Jewish tradition, the Torah existed prior to it being revealed to Moses by God and even predates the creation of the world. However, some researchers dispute this claim. The most accepted belief is that God asked Moses to climb Mount Sinai, where he gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the Torah and asked Moses to teach the Israelites. Moses spent forty days and forty nights at Mount Sinai. He then accepted God's law and later recited it to the Israelites.
The version of the Torah used in modern times has been redacted (edited) numerous times throughout the centuries, and no exact date of its composition can be determined. Many scholars believe that the last redactions were made around 539 B.C.E., near the time Cyrus the Great conquered the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
The Torah begins with the creation of the world and humanity, and it ends with the arrival of the Jewish people in the Promised Land, or Canaan. The Hebrew titles for Genesis (Bereshith), Exodus (Shemot), Leviticus (Vayikra), Numbers (Bamidbar), and Deuteronomy (Devarim) are taken from the first word of each book.
Genesis is the first book of the Torah. It starts with the word Bereshith, which means "in the beginning" and discusses the creation of the world, the Great Flood, and the history of Israel. Exodus begins with the word Shemot, which means "names." The book tells of the Israeli peoples' escape from slavery to Egypt with Jacob and describes the development of their laws and the receiving of the Ten Commandments. Vayikra, which means "and He called" starts Leviticus, in which God calls Moses and asks him to relay the laws (or rituals) to the Israelites. In the book of Numbers, which starts with Bamidbar, or "in the wilderness," the Jews wander from place to place in search of a homeland after the Exodus from Egypt. The last book, Deuteronomy, begins with Devarim, meaning "words" and is essentially a speech delivered by Moses to the Israelites shortly before they have arrived at their new homeland of Canaan. The book ends with the death of Moses.
Overview
As of the twenty-first century, the Torah remains an important part of the Jewish faith. The Torah is traditionally transcribed by hand by a sofer (scribe) on parchment from the skin of a kosher animal, such as a cow. A kosher animal or item is sanctioned by Jewish law as fit to consume or use. The parchment is then rolled up into a scroll onto two wooden poles. Composing the Torah by hand is a lengthy process and can take about eighteen months to complete. First, the animal skin must be prepared; then the transcription process begins. Sofers must be very precise; one tiny mistake can invalidate the scroll and deem it pasul, or unfit for Jewish ceremonial use. The entire process, including the acquiring and preparing of the animal skin, must begin again if this happens. The completed scroll is known as the Sefer Torah; the word serfer means "book" in Hebrew. The Sefer Torah is considered very sacred. If it is dropped during the reading, the entire congregation must fast for forty days. A modern printed form of the Torah is called a Chumash, which is derived from the Hebrew word for "five."
The Torah scrolls are kept in the Ark of the synagogue, and parts of it known as the sedrah are read three times a week during services. The Ark is considered the holiest place in the synagogue. Jews recite the main reading of the Torah on Shabbat, or Sabbath, which is the seventh day of the week that begins on Friday evening and lasts through Saturday evening. Other readings of the Torah are typically on Mondays and Thursdays. The scroll is read in order over the course of the year, beginning after the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which falls from late September to late October.
The reading of the scrolls is symbolic; portions are either sung or chanted, but not spoken. Readers must not touch the scrolls directly, and they must be properly trained so that they do not make any mistakes during the reading. It is a great honor to be requested to recite the Torah. The act of being asked is called having an aliyah, which means "going up." Rabbis sometimes perform the reading of the Torah. Reciting the Torah can be difficult since the text of the scrolls is written without corresponding vowels. During the reading, the scroll is unrolled onto the bimah (similar to a raised altar), and the reciter uses a pointer called a yad as not to touch the scroll while chanting.
Bibliography
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