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Torah
Thoughts
The Torah (Hebrew: תּוֹרָה, "teaching"
or "instruction", or "law") is what Jews call the Five Books of
Moses, also known as the Pentateuch (Greek: penta: five, and teuchos:
book), and the as the first five books of the Old Tetament. The
Torah is the basis for the vast ocean of works, which include the
Talmud and the Mishnah, and is actually the foundation on which
Judaism lega and ethical laws are constructed.
The Torah, consisting of the first five books of the Tanakh or
Bible, is divided into 54 portions or Parashot. Each year, at the
holiday of Simchat Torah, we start anew, as we roll the Torah Scroll
back from Its end to Its beginning, and commense with Parashat
Bereishit, the first portion in Genesis. During the year we read
through all 54 Parashot, usually one Portion per week, though there
are Shabbatot during which two Parashot are read.
The portion of the week is read in the synagogue from a "Sefer
Torah" (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, "book of Torah") or Torah scroll, which
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 (Hebrew Bible).
The Tanakh, an acronym of Torah Neviim, Ktuvim. The Torah is divided
into five books, known in English as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The Hebrew names are:
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Bereshit, בראשית - Genesis
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Shmot שמות - Exodus
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Vayikra ויקרא - Leviticus
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Bamidbar במדבר - Numbers
§
Dvarim דברים - Deuteronomy
THE TORAH: THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
Torah Thoughts
- Home Page
Bereshit, בראשית - Genesis
Shmot שמות - Exodus
Vayikra ויקרא - Leviticus
Bamidbar במדבר - Numbers
Dvarim דברים - Deuteronomy
RECOMMENDED READING
ArtScroll: The Stone Edition Chumash -
Full Size
A Classic in its own time
The entire
Chumash, newly reset, in one beautiful
volume with a new, contemporary English
translation of the Torah, faithful to
Rashi and the classic Rabbinic
commentators, and an anthologized
commentary by a team of scholars, under
the editorship of Rabbi Nosson Scherman.
Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch Chumash -
The Masterful New English Translation!
Since it first appeared, nearly 150
years ago, the Hirsch Commentary on
Chumash has gained worldwide popularity
for the breathtaking scope of insight
and information it offers to scholar,
student, and layman alike.
