Torah | Definition, Meaning, & Facts

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[{"p":1,"t":599756},{"p":45,"t":307197},{"p":2,"t":259039},{"p":6,"t":393555},{"p":1,"t":587032},{"p":1,"t":309224},{"p":1,"t":252201},{"p":3,"t":381297},{"p":1,"t":487890},{"p":1,"t":497082}], "sequence": 1, "topics": {} }); </script> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content " data-topic-id="599756"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah">Torah</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Torah">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/97/8997-050-0D4FBFB9/Part-chapter-Leviticus-British-Museum-Torah.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/7808" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/97/8997-004-19B6029F/Part-chapter-Leviticus-British-Museum-Torah.jpg" alt="early 10th-century Torah" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/76578-050-5AA8FD45/breastplate-Torah-Frankfurt-am-Main-Ger-New-1710.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/96708" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/76578-004-A22A6D74/breastplate-Torah-Frankfurt-am-Main-Ger-New-1710.jpg" alt="Torah breastplate" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/79/76579-050-F37748F0/Torah-ark-Weiheim-Bavaria-New-York-City-1720.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/96709" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/79/76579-004-07C6D79F/Torah-ark-Weiheim-Bavaria-New-York-City-1720.jpg" alt="Torah ark" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/13027-004-B267BDD1/case-Torah-New-York-City-Jewish-Museum-1764.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/4780" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/13027-004-B267BDD1/case-Torah-New-York-City-Jewish-Museum-1764.jpg" alt="Chased silver Torah case, 1764; in the Jewish Museum, New York City" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/01/123501-050-BB894082/Reading-Torah.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/117058" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/01/123501-004-02094939/Reading-Torah.jpg" alt="reading from the Torah" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/66/133066-004-386850C3/sofer-Torah-scroll.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/129509" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/66/133066-004-386850C3/sofer-Torah-scroll.jpg" alt="sofer" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/81/143581-050-FB8262A4/Torah-scroll-yad-Deuteronomy-6.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/147043" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/81/143581-004-4520736A/Torah-scroll-yad-Deuteronomy-6.jpg" alt="Hebrew alphabet" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/26957-004-0FB35126/Yad-European.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/8054" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/26957-004-0FB35126/Yad-European.jpg" alt="Yad, European, 19th century" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span 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alt="early 10th-century Torah" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/97/8997-050-0D4FBFB9/Part-chapter-Leviticus-British-Museum-Torah.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/7808">early 10th-century Torah</a> <span><span>Part of the fifth chapter of Leviticus from an early 10th-century Torah; in the British Museum</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-01-10T00:00:00CST" >Jan 10, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref99451"></span>Torah</strong>, in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Judaism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Judaism</a>, in the broadest sense, the substance of divine <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="revelation" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/revelation" data-type="EB">revelation</a> to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Israel-Old-Testament-kingdom" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Israel</a>, the Jewish people: God’s revealed teaching or guidance for humankind. The meaning of “Torah” is often restricted to signify the first five books of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hebrew-Bible" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hebrew Bible</a> (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Old-Testament" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Old Testament</a>), also called the Law (or the Pentateuch, in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Christianity</a>). These are the books traditionally ascribed to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Moses-Hebrew-prophet" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Moses</a>, the recipient of the original revelation from God on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Sinai-mountain-Egypt" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mount Sinai</a>. Jewish, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Roman Catholic</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eastern-Orthodoxy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Eastern Orthodox</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Protestant-Heritage" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Protestant</a> canons all agree on their order: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Genesis-Old-Testament" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Genesis</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Exodus-Old-Testament" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Exodus</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Leviticus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Leviticus</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Numbers-Old-Testament" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Numbers</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Deuteronomy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Deuteronomy</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The written Torah, in the restricted sense of the first five books of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bible" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bible</a>, is preserved in all Jewish <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/synagogue" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">synagogues</a> on handwritten <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/parchment" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">parchment</a> scrolls that reside inside the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/ark-Judaism" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">ark of the Law</a>. They are removed and returned to their place with special reverence. Readings from the Torah form an important part of Jewish liturgical services.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="96708" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/76578-050-5AA8FD45/breastplate-Torah-Frankfurt-am-Main-Ger-New-1710.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/599756/96708"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/76578-050-5AA8FD45/breastplate-Torah-Frankfurt-am-Main-Ger-New-1710.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/76578-050-5AA8FD45/breastplate-Torah-Frankfurt-am-Main-Ger-New-1710.jpg?w=300" alt="Torah breastplate" data-width="1333" data-height="941" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/78/76578-050-5AA8FD45/breastplate-Torah-Frankfurt-am-Main-Ger-New-1710.jpg" data-href="/media/1/599756/96708">Torah breastplate</a><span>Torah breastplate from Frankfurt am Main, Ger., 1710; in the Jewish Museum, New York City.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The term Torah is also used to designate the entire Hebrew Bible. Since for some Jews the laws and customs passed down through oral traditions are part and parcel of God’s revelation to Moses and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="constitute" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constitute" data-type="MW">constitute</a> the “oral Torah,” Torah is also understood to include both the Oral Law and the Written Law.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-read-more-module" href="/topic/biblical-literature/Old-Testament-canon-texts-and-versions#ref597301" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/99/73199-050-8B10012A/spread-Johannes-Gutenberg-Bible.jpg" alt="Gutenberg Bible" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-navy-dark">More From Britannica</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">biblical literature: The Hebrew canon</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Rabbinic commentaries on and interpretations of both Oral and Written Law have been viewed by some as extensions of sacred <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/oral-tradition" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">oral tradition</a>, thus broadening still further the meaning of Torah to designate the entire body of Jewish laws, customs, and ceremonies. <em>See also</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halakhah" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Halakhah</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span><span class="md-signature font-12">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Adam-Augustyn/6394">Adam Augustyn</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":599756,"pageLength":243,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"SMALL","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Torah | Definition, Meaning, & Facts | Britannica