What is the Torah

March 24, 2008 by Chad
Filed under: Torah

The Torah

Content provided by: Wikipedia

The Torah (Hebrew: ??????? Translit.: torah Translated: doctrine, teaching) has been revered as the inspired word(s) of God, as it is said by tradition to have been revealed to Moses by Him. The Torah is sometimes referred to as the (written) Law orwritten Torah (unlike the oral Torah called Mishnah).

The Torah is the first part of the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, and is made up of five books. For that reason it is also called the Pentateuch, Chumash, or “the Five Books of Moses”.

The five books of the Torah are:

Genesis (Hebrew: ?????? Translit.: Bereshit (Bereishis) Translated: In the beginning)
Exodus (Hebrew: ???? Translit.: Shemot (Shemos) Translated: Names)
Leviticus (Hebrew: ????? Translit.: Vayyiqra (Vayikra) Translated: And he called)
Numbers (Hebrew: ????? Translit.: Bamidbar Translated: In the desert (wilderness))
Deuteronomy (Hebrew: ????? Translit.: Devarim Translated: Words (Discourses <Things>))

The Hebrew names are taken from initial words of the first verse of each book. For example, the Hebrew name Bereshit means “in the beginning” which is the first word (in Hebrew) in Genesis 1:1. The Latinized names are derive from the Greek and reflect the essential theme of each book. For example, Genesis means beginning, while Deuteronomy means Second word, and is a reference to how the fifth book is essentially a recapitulation of the commandments reviewed by Moses before his death. Leviticus is a reference to the descendants of Levi and the particular regulations that apply to their presence and service in the Temple, which form the bulk of the third book.

Jews have revered the Torah through the ages, as have Samaritans and Christians. It is traditionally accepted as the literal word of God as told toMoses. Christian Bibles incorporate the Hebrew Bible (with some variations) into its canon under the name of Old Testament. Though different Christian denominations have slightly different versions of the Old Testament in their Bibles, the Five Books of Moses (or “the Law”) are common to them all.