Torah

Part of a series on
Judaism
Category
Jewish religious movements
Orthodox (Haredi • Hasidic • Modern)
Conservative • Reform
Reconstructionist • Renewal • Humanistic
Jewish philosophy
Principles of faith • Kabbalah • Messiah • Ethics
Chosenness • Names of God • Musar
Religious texts
Tanakh (Torah • Nevi'im • Ketuvim)
Ḥumash • Siddur • Piyutim • Zohar
Rabbinic literature (Talmud • Midrash • Tosefta)
Religious Law
Mishneh Torah • Tur
Shulchan Aruch • Mishnah Berurah
Kashrut • Tzniut • Tzedakah • Niddah • Noahide laws
Holy cities
Jerusalem • Safed • Hebron • Tiberias
Important figures
Abraham • Isaac • Jacob
Moses • Aaron • David • Solomon
Sarah • Rebecca • Rachel  • Leah
Rabbinic sages
Jewish life cycle
Brit • Pidyon haben • Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Marriage • Bereavement
Religious roles
Rabbi • Rebbe • Posek • Hazzan/Cantor
Dayan • Rosh yeshiva • Mohel • Kohen/Priest
Religious buildings & institutions
Synagogue • Beth midrash • Mikveh
Sukkah • Chevra kadisha
Holy Temple / Tabernacle
Jewish education
Yeshiva • Kollel • Cheder
Religious articles
Sefer Torah • Tallit • Tefillin • Tzitzit • Kippah
Mezuzah • Hanukiah/Menorah • Shofar
4 Species • Kittel • Gartel
Jewish prayers and services
Shema • Amidah • Aleinu • Kaddish • Minyan
Birkat Hamazon • Shehecheyanu • Hallel
Havdalah • Tachanun • Kol Nidre • Selichot
Judaism & other religions
Christianity • Islam • Judeo-Christian
Abrahamic faiths
Related topics
Jewish culture • Antisemitism • Israel • Zionism
v t e

Torah (Hebrew: תורה) is a Hebrew word that means "instructions". When most people say the word Torah they either mean the whole Jewish Bible (the Tanakh), the first five books of the Bible, or all of the Jewish teaching in general. These five books are the beginning of both the Jewish and Christian bibles. They are

1. Genesis (Hebrew: Bereishit, בראשית),
2. Exodus (Hebrew: Shemot, שמות),
3. Leviticus (Hebrew: Vayikra, ויקרא),
4. Numbers (Hebrew: Bemidbar, במדבר) and
5. Deuteronomy (Hebrew: Devarim, דברים).

Other names for this set of books are the "Five Books of Moses," or "Pentateuch".

Each of the books in the Torah is separated into parts called "Parshiyot." Parsha is a Hebrew word meaning "portion." Every Shabbat one parsha is read in the synagogue, but sometimes two are read. This is so that all the parshiyot are finished every year, on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.

It is also known as the Five Book of Moses because Moses received these five books from God.

The "Tawrat" (Arabic: توراة‎) is the Arabic name for the Torah within its context as an Islamic holy book believed by Muslims to be given by God (Allah) to prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel, and often refers to the entire Hebrew Bible.^[1] It is mentioned many times in the Qur'an.

1. ↑ Isabel Lang Intertextualität als hermeneutischer Zugang zur Auslegung des Korans: Eine Betrachtung am Beispiel der Verwendung von Israiliyyat in der Rezeption der Davidserzählung in Sure 38: 21-25 Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH, 31.12.2015 ISBN 9783832541514 p. 98 (German)