Torah (; , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") has a range of meanings. It can most specifically mean the first five books (Pentateuch or five books of Moses) of the Hebrew Bible. This is commonly known as the Written Torah. It can also mean the continued narrative from all the 24 books, from the Book of Genesis to the end of the Tanakh (Chronicles). If in bound book form, it is called "Chumash", and is usually printed with the rabbinic commentaries (""). If meant for liturgic purposes, it takes the form of a Torah scroll ("Sefer Torah"), which contains strictly the five books of Moses.
Introduction
Torah
Torah | Introduction
It can most specifically mean the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. It can most specifically mean the first five books of the Hebrew Bible It means the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Torah has a range of meanings. It can most specifically mean the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.
who is the prophet who was thrown into the sea and swallowed by the whale
user
Jonah
assistant
which sea was he swallowed in ?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
who is he ?
user
A prophet in the Hebrew Bible of the northern kingdom of Israel in about the 8th century BCE.
assistant
where was he born ?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
the book you mentioned above what is it ?
user
The canonical collection of Hebrew scriptures, including the Torah.
assistant
what is the second thing you have mentioned ?
user
Torah refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (the Pentateuch), and the law derived from them. Torah may also refer to:
Torah (disambiguation) | Introduction
Torah (; , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") has a range of meanings. It can most specifically mean the first five books (Pentateuch or five books of Moses) of the Hebrew Bible. This is commonly known as the Written Torah. It can also mean the continued narrative from all the 24 books, from the Book of Genesis to the end of the Tanakh (Chronicles). If in bound book form, it is called "Chumash", and is usually printed with the rabbinic commentaries (""). If meant for liturgic purposes, it takes the form of a Torah scroll ("Sefer Torah"), which contains strictly the five books of Moses.
Torah | Introduction
It is arranged in "books" (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), with each book loosely based on its equivalent from the Torah, and in the Jewish Talmudic tradition, several glosses further the ideas of each book at the end of the novel. The novel incorporates modes from poetry, drama and prayer, and contains elements of metafiction. The novel's protagonist travels to Israel, seeking "a new revelation of God’s purpose in the world," the "second scroll” of the title, and finds not a new revelation, but a new people being created:
The Second Scroll | Introduction
Christian scholars usually refer to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible as the 'Pentateuch' (, "pentáteuchos", 'five scrolls'), a term first used in the Hellenistic Judaism of Alexandria.
Torah | Alternative names
The Torah (תּוֹרָה, literally ""teaching""), also known as the Pentateuch, or as the ""Five Books of Moses"". Printed versions (rather than scrolls) of the Torah are often called ""Chamisha Chumshei Torah""" ( ""Five fifth-sections of the Torah"") and informally a ""Chumash"".
Hebrew Bible | Torah
Eikev, Ekev, Ekeb, Aikev, or Eqeb ( — Hebrew for "if [you follow]," the second word, and the first distinctive word in the parashah) is the 46th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the third in the Book of Deuteronomy. It comprises . The parashah tells of the blessings of obedience to God, the dangers of forgetting God, and directions for taking the Land of Israel. Moses recalls the making and re-making of the Tablets of Stone, the incident of the Golden Calf, Aaron's death, the Levites' duties, and exhortations to serve God.
Eikev | Introduction
Torah Or/Likutei Torah is a compilation of Chassidic treatises, "maamarim", by the first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. The treatises are classic texts of Chabad philosophy arranged according to the Weekly Torah portion, and are studied regularly by Chabad Chassidim. The work was published originally in two parts. The first part, Torah Or, was first printed in 5597 (1837) in Kopust, with treatises, most of them from 5556 (1796) through the end of 5572 (1812), covering Genesis and Exodus, the first two books of the Pentateuch, with several discourses on Shavuot and Pesach. The second half was published in Zhitomir in 5608 (1848) under the title Likutei Torah, covering Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, the final three books of the Pentateuch, Song Of Songs, the festivals, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
Likutei Torah/Torah Or | Introduction
The first volume, the Torah, was published in 2010, and the second one in 2011. Two more volumes, corresponding to the latter prophets and to the Writings, are currently being prepared. The text of each one of the books of the Bible is presented in Ancient Hebrew on the right and on the left there is a parallel column, in a different font type, with the Modern Hebrew text. At the end of each volume there is a section with tables of measures and weights aimed to be a reference to the reader. Up to October 2014 there have been published two volumes corresponding to the Torah or Moses' Law, and to the former prophets.
Tanakh Ram | Publications
Complete mss. bolded. The Literature of the Jewish People in the Period of the Second Temple and the Talmud, Volume 3 The Literature of the Sages: First Part: Oral Tora, Halakha, Mishna, Tosefta, Talmud, External Tractates. "Compendia Rerum Iudaicarum ad Novum Testamentum", Ed. Shmuel Safrai, Brill, 1987,
Mishnah | Manuscripts
After the "hakafot" and the dancing, three scrolls of the Torah are read. The last "parashah" of the Torah, V'Zot HaBerachah, at the end of Deuteronomy (33:1–34:12), is read from the first scroll, followed immediately by the first chapter (and part of the second) of the Book of Genesis (1:1–2:3), which is read from the second scroll. It is a Jewish custom that a new beginning must immediately follow a completion, therefore it is logical to immediately read Gen. 1 after finishing Deuteronomy. It is a special honor to receive the last "aliyah" of the Book of Deuteronomy; the person receiving that aliyah is called the "Hatan Torah" (the groom of the Torah) (or "Kallat Torah" (the bride of the Torah) in synagogues that allow women to receive an "aliyah").
Simchat Torah | Torah reading and customs
Nitzavim, Nitsavim, Nitzabim, Netzavim, Nisavim, or Nesabim ( — Hebrew for "ones standing," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 51st weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes (Deuteronomy 29:10 onwards in some versions of the Hebrew Bible). In the parashah, Moses told the Israelites that all the people stood before God to enter into the covenant, violation of which would bring on curses, but if they returned to God and heeded God's commandments, then God would take them back in love and bring them together again from the ends of the world.
Nitzavim | Introduction
The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Torah. It is divisible into two parts, the Primeval history (chapters 1–11) and the Ancestral history (chapters 12–50). The primeval history sets out the author's (or authors') concepts of the nature of the deity and of humankind's relationship with its maker: God creates a world which is good and fit for mankind, but when man corrupts it with sin God decides to destroy his creation, saving only the righteous Noah to reestablish the relationship between man and God. The Ancestral history (chapters 12–50) tells of the prehistory of Israel, God's chosen people.
Torah | Bereshit/Genesis
The Hebrew Bible, which is also called the Tanakh (; , or ; also "Tenakh", "Tenak", "Tanach"), or sometimes the Miqra (מִקְרָא), is the canonical collection of Hebrew scriptures, including the Torah. These texts are almost exclusively in Biblical Hebrew, with a few passages in Biblical Aramaic (in the books of Daniel and Ezra, the verse , and some single words). The form of this text that is authoritative for Rabbinic Judaism is known as the Masoretic Text (MT) and consists of 24 books, while Protestant Bibles divide essentially the same material into 39 books. Catholic Bibles and Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bibles contain additional materials in their Old Testaments, derived from the Septuagint (texts translated into Koine Greek) and other sources.
Hebrew Bible | Introduction
The Torah (or Pentateuch, as biblical scholars sometimes call it) is the collective name for the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It forms the charter myth of Israel, the story of the people's origins and the foundations of their culture and institutions, and it is a fundamental principle of Judaism that the relationship between God and his chosen people was set out on Mount Sinai through the Torah. The development of the Torah began by around 600 BCE when previously unconnected material began to be drawn together; by around 400 BCE these books, the fore-runners of the Torah, had reached their modern form and began to be recognised as complete, unchangeable, and sacred; and by around 200 BCE the five books were accepted as the first section of the Jewish canon.
Mosaic authorship | Torah, authorship, and the development of the tradition
Each "oleh", after being called to the Torah, approaches it, recites a benediction, a portion is read, and the "oleh" concludes with another benediction. Then the next "oleh" is called. The gabbai recites a Hebrew verse upon calling the first person to the Torah. After that, men are called with: ""Ya'amod" (Let him arise), [Hebrew Name] "ben" (son of) [Father's Hebrew name] ["Ha-Kohen" (the "Kohen") / "Ha-Levi" (the "Levite")] (the name of the Aliyah in Hebrew)." In synagogues where women may receive aliyot, women are called with ""Ta'amod" (Let her arise), [Hebrew Name] "bat" (daughter of) [Father's Hebrew name] ["Ha-Kohen" (the "Kohen") / "Ha-Levi" (the "Levite")] (the name of the Aliyah in Hebrew)."
Torah reading | The first Aliyah
The Book of Deuteronomy (literally "second law" from Greek "deuteros" + "nomos") is the fifth book of the Jewish Torah, where it is called "Devarim" (Heb. דברים), "the words [of Moses]", and the fifth book of the Christian Old Testament, where it is also known as the Fifth Book of Moses. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recounts the forty years of wilderness wanderings which had led to that moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings), later referred to as the Law of Moses.
Book of Deuteronomy | Introduction
The Torah, of dark red hardcovers and 760 pages, includes the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; the second volume, dark blue and with 621 pages, includes Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings.
Tanakh Ram | Publications
According to Orthodox Judaism, the first "oleh" (person called to read) is a "kohen " and the second a "levi"; the remaining "olim" are "yisr'elim" — Jews who are neither "kohen " nor "levi". (This assumes that such people are available; there are rules in place for what is done if they are not.) The first two "aliyot" are referred to as ""Kohen "" and ""Levi"," while the rest are known by their number (in Hebrew). This practice is also followed in some but not all Conservative synagogues. Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism have abolished special ritual roles for the descendants of the Biblical priestly and levitical castes.
Torah reading | The first Aliyah
The Hebrew Bible comprises the Torah (the five books of Moses), the Neviim (the books of the Prophets), and the Ketuvim (the "Writings"). Judaism has traditionally held that, along with the Torah, referred to as the "Written Torah", God revealed a series of instructions on how to interpret and apply the Torah. The additional instructions were known as the Oral Torah. By the second century CE Jewish sages began writing down interpretations of the Bible; Orthodox Jews consider these writings to embody the "oral law." These writings take several forms:
Names for books of Judeo-Christian scripture | Judaism
The Hebrew Bible is composed of three parts; the Torah (Instruction, the Septuagint translated the Hebrew to "nomos" or "Law"), the Nevi'im (Prophets) and the Ketuvim (Writings). Collectively, these are known as the Tanakh. According to Rabbinic Judaism the Torah was revealed by God to Moses; within it, Jews find 613 Mitzvot (commandments). Rabbinic tradition asserts that God revealed two Torahs to Moses, one that was written down, and one that was transmitted orally. Whereas the written Torah has a fixed form, the Oral Torah is a living tradition that includes not only specific supplements to the written Torah (for instance, what is the proper manner of "shechita" and what is meant by "Frontlets" in the Shema), but also procedures for understanding and talking about the written Torah (thus, the Oral Torah revealed at Sinai includes debates among rabbis who lived long after Moses).
Christianity and Judaism | Sacred texts
The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh is the Jewish scriptural canon and central source of Jewish law. The word is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the three traditional subdivisions of the Tanakh: The Torah ("Teaching", also known as the "Five Books of Moses" or "Pentateuch"), the Nevi'im ("Prophets") and the Ketuvim ("Writings"). The Tanakh contains 24 books in all; its authoritative version is the Masoretic Text. Traditionally, the text of the Tanakh was said to have been finalized at the Council of Jamnia in 70 CE, although this is uncertain. In Judaism, the term "Torah" refers not only to the Five Books of Moses, but also to all of the Jewish scriptures (the whole of Tanakh), and the ethical and moral instructions of the rabbis (the Oral Torah).
Jewish principles of faith | Scripture
Haazinu, Ha'azinu, or Ha'Azinu ( — Hebrew for "listen" when directed to more than one person, the first word in the parashah) is the 53rd weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes . The parashah sets out the Song of Moses — an indictment of the Israelites' sins, a prophecy of their punishment, and a promise of God's ultimate redemption of them. The parashah is made up of 2,326 Hebrew letters, 614 Hebrew words, 52 verses, and 92 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah").
Haazinu | Introduction
The reason for the original practice was that, from Biblical times to well into medieval times, each verse of the Torah reading in Hebrew would be followed by its interpretation into Aramaic, and therefore it would be appropriate, after the first Hebrew verse was read, for another reader to provide an Aramaic gloss including this "introduction". However, when the simultaneous Aramaic interpretation fell into disuse, the recitation of "Akdamut" remained between the first and second Hebrew verses, where it no longer seemed an appropriate interruption, so it was relocated to before the commencement of the Torah reading.
Akdamut | Introduction
Va'etchanan ( — Hebrew for "and I pleaded," the first word in the parashah) is the 45th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes . The parashah tells how Moses asked to see the Land of Israel, made arguments to obey the law, recounted setting up the Cities of Refuge, recited the Ten Commandments and the "Shema", and gave instructions for the Israelites' conquest of the Land. The parashah is made up of 7,343 Hebrew letters, 1,878 Hebrew words, 122 verses, and 249 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah").
Va'etchanan | Introduction
Devarim, D'varim, or Debarim ( — Hebrew for "things" or "words," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 44th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the first in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes . The parashah recounts how Moses appointed chiefs, the episode of the Twelve Spies, encounters with the Edomites and Ammonites, the conquest of Sihon and Og, and the assignment of land for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. The parashah is made up of 5,972 Hebrew letters, 1,548 Hebrew words, 105 verses, and 197 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah").
Devarim (parsha) | Introduction
Jews generally read it in late May or June, typically (though not always) on the first Shabbat after Shavuot. As this parashah includes the story of the consecration of the Tabernacle, Jews also read parts of it as Torah readings on the eight days of Hanukkah, when they commemorate the reconsecration of the Temple in Jerusalem. is the Torah reading for the first day; is the Torah reading for the second day; is the Torah reading for the third day; is the Torah reading for the fourth day; is the Torah reading for the fifth day; is the second Torah reading for the sixth day of Hanukkah, which, because it falls on Rosh Chodesh, has as its first reading; is the Torah reading for the seventh day when it does not fall on Rosh Chodesh; and is the second Torah reading for the seventh day when it does fall on Rosh Chodesh, in which case is the first reading; and is the Torah reading for the eighth day.
Naso (parsha) | Introduction
is the Torah reading for the first day of Rosh Hashanah, and is the Torah reading for the second day of Rosh Hashanah. In Reform Judaism, is the Torah reading for the one day of Rosh Hashanah.
Vayeira | Introduction
Bereshit or Bereishith is the first word of the Torah, translated as "In the beginning...", and may refer to:
Bereshit | Introduction
Shemot is a Hebrew word, which is the second word of the Book of Exodus, the second book of the Torah (the first five books of the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible). It means "Names". When used as a noun, Shemot might refer to:
Shemot | Introduction
Tetzaveh, Tetsaveh, T'tzaveh, or T'tzavveh ( — Hebrew for "you command," the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the 20th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah reports God's commands to bring olive oil for the lamp, make sacred garments for the priests, conduct an ordination ceremony, and make an incense altar. It constitutes The parashah is made up of 5,430 Hebrew letters, 1,412 Hebrew words, 101 verses, and 179 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah"). Jews read it the 20th Sabbath after Simchat Torah, in February or March.
Tetzaveh | Introduction
Dabar ha-lamed me-inyano ("Something proved by the context") refers to definition from the context. Rabbi Ishmael omits rule 6 entirely, and has another (No. 13) instead which is not found in Hillel, and which reads thus: שני כתובים המכחישים זה את זה, עד שיבוא הכתוב השלישי ויכריע ביניהם ("If two passages contradict each other, this contradiction must be reconciled by comparison with a third passage"). The method of solution of such opposing statements by the help of a third passage is a point of divergency between Ishmael and Akiva. According to the latter, the third sentence decides in favor of one of the two contradictory statements (Mekhilta, ed.
Talmudical hermeneutics | Davar ha-lamed me-inyano (דבר הלמד מעניינו)
The Torah contains narratives, statements of law, and statements of ethics. Collectively these laws, usually called biblical law or commandments, are sometimes referred to as the Law of Moses ("Torat Moshe" ), Mosaic Law, or Sinaitic Law.
Torah | Biblical law
This use of the Hebrew term "Torah" (law), for the first five books is considered misleading by 21st-century Christian bible scholar John Van Seters, because the Pentateuch "consists of about one half law and the other half narrative."
Law of Moses | Terminology
In the second reading (, "aliyah"), God instructed the Israelites:
Kedoshim | Second reading — Leviticus 19:15–22
The Hexateuch ("six scrolls") is the first six books of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah ("Pentateuch") and the book of Joshua.
Hexateuch | Introduction
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Torah. Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recounts the forty years of wilderness wanderings which had led to that moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings), later referred to as the Law of Moses; the second reminds the Israelites of the need to follow Yahweh and the laws (or teachings) he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends; and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.
Torah | Devarim/Deuteronomy
Chapters 6 to 9 constitute a separate part, containing Masoretic rules for writing; the first four paragraphs of chapter 6 and some passages of chapter 9 are of early date. This portion was undoubtedly added by Masoretes of Tiberias; and the main portion of the modern Masorah, which also contains the passages in question, likewise originated in the same school. The first two parts of Soferim are acknowledged to be Judean, and were intended for the scribes; the last three halakhot are a kind of appendix relating to the reading of certain words and passages.
Soferim (Talmud) | Second part
Look from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the land that You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey." The second reading (, "aliyah") and a closed portion (, "setumah") end here.
Ki Tavo | Second reading — Deuteronomy 26:12–15
Second Temple Judaism was centered not on synagogues, which began to appear only in the 3rd century BCE, but the reading and study of scripture, the Temple itself, and a cycle of continual animal sacrifice. Torah, or ritual law, was also important, and the Temple priests were responsible for teaching it, but the concept of scripture developed only slowly. While the written Torah (the Pentateuch) and the Prophets were accepted as authoritative by the 1st century CE, beyond this core the different Jewish groups continued to accept different groups of books as authoritative.
Second Temple Judaism | Textual Judaism: priests and scribes
The text of the Torah is also commonly printed and bound in book form for non-ritual functions. It is then known as a "Chumash" (plural Chumashim) ("five-part", for the five books of Moses), and is often accompanied by commentaries or translations.
Sefer Torah | Introduction
The Torah (תּוֹרָה) is also known as the "Five Books of Moses" or the Pentateuch, meaning "five scroll-cases". Traditionally these books were considered to have been written almost entirely by Moses himself. In the 19th century, Julius Wellhausen and other scholars proposed that the Torah had been compiled from earlier written documents dating from the 9th to the 5th century BCE, the "documentary hypothesis". Scholars Hermann Gunkel and Martin Noth, building on the form criticism of Gerhard von Rad, refined this hypothesis, while other scholars have proposed other ways that the Torah might have developed over the centuries. The Hebrew names of the books are derived from the first words in the respective texts.
Bible | Torah
In recent decades it has become increasingly common among scholars to assume that much of the Hebrew Bible was assembled, revised and edited in the 5th century BCE to reflect the realities and challenges of the Persian era. The returnees had a particular interest in the history of Israel: the written Torah (the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), for example, may have existed in various forms during the Monarchy (the period of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah), but according to the documentary hypothesis, it was in the Second Temple that it was edited and revised into something like its current form, and the Chronicles, a new history written at this time, reflects the concerns of the Persian Yehud in its almost exclusive focus on the Judah and the Temple.
Second Temple Judaism | Literature
That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn."
Hillel the Elder | Introduction
A Torah scroll, in Hebrew Sefer Torah (; "Book of Torah"; plural: "Sifrei Torah"), is a handwritten copy of the Torah, meaning: of the Pentateuch, or the five books of Moses (the first books of the Hebrew Bible). It must meet extremely strict standards of production. The Torah scroll is mainly used in the ritual of Torah reading during Jewish prayers. At other times, it is stored in the holiest spot within a synagogue, the Torah ark, which is usually an ornate curtained-off cabinet or section of the synagogue built along the wall that most closely faces Jerusalem, the direction Jews face when praying.
Sefer Torah | Introduction
And lo, in their books of the Torah there are to be found several differences in "defective" and "plene" letters, for example: "minnaso" , [in the verse, "My iniquity is greater than I can bear,"] lacks a "waw"; [or] "maʻayanoth" [in the verse, "All of the fountains of the deep were opened,"] lacks a "waw"; [as well as] "wiyiheyu kol yamei noaḥ" , [in the verse, "And all of the days of Noah were," etc., is written] with the addition of a "waw" at its end; "teʻaseh" , [in the verse, "Of beaten work shall the candlestick be made,"] lacks a "yod"; "ḥodsheikhem" , [in the verse, "Your new moons," etc., is written] with the addition of a "yod"; as also in the lay-out of the Song of the Sea and in certain closed sections [of the Law].
Torah scroll (Yemenite) | Testimonials
Da'as Torah (or Da'at Torah, Da'as Toyreh) (, literally "Knowledge of Torah"), is a concept in Haredi Judaism according to which Jews should seek the input of rabbinic scholars not just on matters of Jewish law, but on all important life matters, on the grounds that knowledge of the Torah aids everything in life.
Da'as Torah | Introduction
It can even mean the totality of Jewish teaching, culture, and practice, whether derived from biblical texts or later rabbinic writings. This is often known as the Oral Torah. Common to all these meanings, Torah consists of the origin of Jewish peoplehood: their call into being by God, their trials and tribulations, and their covenant with their God, which involves following a way of life embodied in a set of moral and religious obligations and civil laws (""). In rabbinic literature the word "Torah" denotes both the five books ( "Torah that is written") and the Oral Torah (, "Torah that is spoken").
Torah | Introduction
According to Jewish law, a Torah is invalid for public reading if even a single letter is incorrect or misplaced, for Jewish law considers each letter as indispensable. In 1525, in Venice, Jacob Ben-Hayim, editor of the second edition of the Mikraot Gedolot, took it upon himself to fix grammatical errors in the Hebrew Bible. Ben-Hayim's version unified Judaism's varying texts and commentaries on the Bible under one umbrella, and it is this version that has remained the standard version used by generations to this day. However, Ben-Hayim had to rely on inferior manuscripts and commentaries, which caused numerous inaccuracies to appear in his version, and these were only magnified in subsequent editions.
Menachem Cohen (scholar) | Background
The composition of the Torah (or Pentateuch, the first five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) was a process that involved multiple authors over an extended period of time. While Jewish tradition holds that all five books were originally written by Moses sometime in the 2nd millennium BCE, by the 17th century leading scholars had rejected Mosaic authorship. The precise process by which the Torah was composed, the number of authors involved, and the date of each author remain hotly contested among scholars. Some scholars espouse a fragmentary hypothesis, in which the Pentateuch is seen as a compilation of short, independent narratives, which were gradually brought together into larger units in two editorial phases: the Deuteronomic and the Priestly phases.
Composition of the Torah | Introduction
The order of the books is Torah (the five books of Moses), Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). Christian readers would note differences in the order of the books from the Christian Bible, as well as some breaks in where chapters begin and end (such as Deuteronomy 12:32 vs. 13:1), and also in Tehillim (Psalms) where the titles are often counted as the first verse, causing a difference of one in verse numbering for these psalms as they appear in Christian Bibles.
Jewish Publication Society of America Version | Book order
In the second reading (, "aliyah"), the priest was to examine the person again the seventh day to determine whether the person was clean or unclean. The reading goes on to describe the features of skin disease.
Tazria | Second reading — Leviticus 13:6–17
Mishpatim ( — Hebrew for "laws," the second word of the parashah) is the eighteenth weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah sets out a series of laws, which some scholars call the Covenant Code. It reports the people's acceptance of the covenant with God. The parashah constitutes The parashah is made up of 5,313 Hebrew letters, 1,462 Hebrew words, 118 verses, and 185 lines in a Torah scroll (, "Sefer Torah"). Jews read it the eighteenth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in February or, rarely, in late January.
Mishpatim | Introduction
The order is: The second section begins like the first, emphasizing particularly the duties of the "disciple of the wise." After a series of admonitions concerning only the student, there follow, to the end of the section, maxims of a general nature for people in the most varied walks of life. These are also arranged in seven teachings, each beginning with the word הוי, which word also comes before למוד להיות גומל בטובה . Then follow seven beginning with אל, and seven with אם.
Derekh Eretz Zutta | Summary of Contents
Its title is an appellation originally used for the Biblical book of Deuteronomy, and its subtitle, "Book of the Strong Hand", derives from its subdivision into fourteen books: the numerical value fourteen, when represented as the Hebrew letters Yod (10) Dalet (4), forms the word "yad" ("hand").
Mishneh Torah | Introduction
There are two introductions. The first introduction, pages 1a-16b, tells how the book developed after Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son fled from the Romans and hid in a cave; describes the Ten Sefirot according to their colors; tells the loftiness of the Tzadikim; gives some explanations of the seventy Tikkunim; and also tells eleven additional tikkunim: It goes on to discuss more concepts regarding the book, interspersed with prayers. The second introduction, pages 17a-17b, contains a similar account of the fleeing to the cave, etc., followed by "Patach Eliyahu". "Patach Eliyahu" is Eliyahu's meditative prayer which contains foundations of Kabbalah, namely, that Hashem is one and indivisible, Creator of all, beyond comprehension, but Who reveals Himself to us by the Torah and the Kabbalah and conducts the world by orders such as the ten Sefirot, which correspond to the human form—though He Himself has no body or form.
Tikunei haZohar | Structure, Composition, and Topics
In addition, the order contains a description of the Second Temple (tractate Middot), and a description and rules about the daily sacrifice service in the Temple (tractate Tamid).
Second Temple | Rabbinical literature
Noach, Noiach, Nauach, Nauah, or Noah (, Hebrew for the name "Noah", the third word, and first distinctive word, of the parashah) is the second weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The parashah tells the stories of the Flood and Noah's Ark, of Noah's subsequent drunkenness and cursing of Canaan, and of the Tower of Babel. The parashah has the most verses of any weekly Torah portion in the Book of Genesis (but not the most letters or words). It is made up of 6,907 Hebrew letters, 1,861 Hebrew words, 153 verses, and 230 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah").
Noach (parsha) | Introduction
Torah study is the study of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature and similar works, all of which are Judaism's religious texts. According to Rabbinic Judaism, the study is ideally done for the purpose of the "mitzvah" ("commandment") of Torah study itself. This practice is present to an extent in all religious branches of Judaism and is considered of paramount importance among religious Jews. Torah study has evolved over the generations, as lifestyles changed and also as new texts were written.
Torah study | Introduction
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Torah. The book has a long and complex history, but its final form is probably due to a Priestly redaction (i.e., editing) of a Yahwistic source made some time in the early Persian period (5th century BCE). The name of the book comes from the two censuses taken of the Israelites. Numbers begins at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites have received their laws and covenant from God and God has taken up residence among them in the sanctuary. The task before them is to take possession of the Promised Land.
Torah | Bamidbar/Numbers
And so did he do, sending them to me with due speed, and I found in the copy of the writing, etc. all the things that you brought to my attention for a decision [as touching the writings of Maimonides] that they were [indeed] true, etc. and that the other matters that were concealed [therein from our understanding] were not made clear unto me by that book until I was compelled to once again search and inquire [into them], etc., and it was revealed unto me their import by the help of Him who favors man with understanding. Now, behold! They are written in this [leafed] booklet which is being sent to you, etc., [both] open and closed [sections], [and] that which is neither an open [section] nor a closed [section], but rather an arranged [section], in my own handwriting.
Torah scroll (Yemenite) | Testimonials
Shemot, Shemoth, or Shemos ( — Hebrew for "names," the second word, and first distinctive word, of the parashah) is the thirteenth weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the first in the Book of Exodus. It constitutes The parashah tells of the Israelites' affliction in Egypt, the hiding and rescuing of the infant Moses, Moses in Midian, the calling of Moses, circumcision on the way, meeting the elders, and Moses before Pharaoh. It is made up of 6,762 Hebrew letters, 1,763 Hebrew words, 124 verses, and 215 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah").
Shemot (parsha) | Introduction
In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parashah is divided into seven readings, or , "aliyot". In the masoretic text of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Parashat Eikev has six "open portion" (, "petuchah") divisions (roughly equivalent to paragraphs, often abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ("peh")). Parashat Eikev has several further subdivisions, called "closed portions" (, "setumah") (abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ("samekh")) within the open portion divisions. The first open portion divides the first reading. The second open portion goes from the middle of the first reading to the middle of the second reading. The short third open portion is contained within the second reading.
Eikev | Readings
According to Rabbi Akiva, laws may be deduced from the juxtaposition of two legal sections, since "every passage which stands close to another must be explained and interpreted with reference to its neighbor". According to Ishmael, on the contrary, nothing may be inferred from the position of the individual sections, since it is not at all certain that every single portion now stands in its proper place. Many a paragraph which forms, strictly speaking, the beginning of a book and should stand in that position, has been transposed to the middle. Ishmael explains the occurrence of a section in a place where it does not properly belong (ולמה נכתב כאן) by declaring that "there is no first or last in the Scriptures", not as due to any special reason.
Talmudical hermeneutics | Juxtaposition of sections
There are two types of "Av HaTumah", the first being one textually listed in the Torah (D'Oraita), such as the carcass of any of the eight creeping things named in Leviticus 11:29-30, or a seminal issue (Leviticus 15), "inter alia"; the second being one of rabbinic origin (D'Rabbanan), such as a grave area that had been ploughed, or any foreign land, or a dead human's bone the size of a barleycorn, among other things.
Av HaTumah | Introduction
In the continuation of the reading, Moses made clear that even as God gave the Israelites more land, they could eat meat in their settlements, so long as they did not consume the blood, and so long as they brought their offerings to the place that God would show them. The second reading (, "aliyah") and a closed portion (, "setumah") end with .
Re'eh | Second reading — Deuteronomy 12:11–28
Masei, Mas'ei, or Masse ( — Hebrew for "journeys," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 43rd weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th and last in the Book of Numbers. The parashah constitutes . The parashah discusses the stations of the Israelites' journeys, instructions for taking the land of Israel, cities for the Levites and refuge, and the daughters of Zelophehad. It is made up of 5,773 Hebrew letters, 1,461 Hebrew words, 132 verses, and 189 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah").
Masei | Introduction
In the second reading (, "aliyah"), Moses prayed that God would be with the Levites, who held God's Urim and Thummim, whom God tested at Massah and Meribah, who disregarded family ties to carry out God's will, who would teach God's laws to Israel, and who would offer God's incense and offerings. Moses asked God to bless their substance, favor their undertakings, and smite their enemies. A closed portion (, "setumah") ends here. In the continuation of the reading, Moses said that God loved and always protected the Tribe of Benjamin, who rested securely beside God, between God's shoulders. The second reading (, "aliyah") and a closed portion (, "setumah") end here.
V'Zot HaBerachah | Second reading — Deuteronomy 33:8–12
During the Haftarah of the second day of Shavuot (this second day is observed only in the Diaspora, not in Eretz Yisrael) a liturgical poem called Yetziv Pitgam is inserted immediately after the first verse of Habakkuk chapter 3 (the second verse of the Haftarah) is read (from Habakkuk 2:20–3:19). The song praises God as the Giver of the Torah and Creator of the universe. The beginning of each of the letters of its 15 verses spells out the name of its author, "Yaakov beribi Meir Levi"; however, the last three lines, which provide the acrostic for "Levi" are suspected of being a later addition.
Yom Tov Torah readings | Yetziv Pitgam
Each "oleh", after being called to the Torah, approaches it, recites a benediction, a portion is read, and the 'oleh' concludes with another benediction. Then the next "oleh" is called. The gabbai recites a Hebrew verse upon calling the first person to the Torah. After that, men are called with: ""Ya'amod" (Let him arise), [Hebrew Name] "ben" (son of) [Father's Hebrew name] ["Ha-Kohen" (the "Kohen") / "Ha-Levi" (the "Levite")] (the name of the Aliyah in Hebrew)." In synagogues where women may receive aliyot, women are called with ""Ta'amod" (Let her arise), [Hebrew Name] "bat" (daughter of) [Father's Hebrew name] ["Ha-Kohen" (the "Kohen") / "Ha-Levi" (the "Levite")](the name of the Aliyah in Hebrew)."
Aliyah (Torah) | The first aliyah
The five books of Moses constitute the entire scriptural canon of Samaritanism.
Torah | Samaritanism
Devarim () is a Hebrew word, which is the last part of the second word ("haDevarim") of the book of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Torah (the first five books of the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible). It means "[The] Words". When used as a noun, Devarim might refer to:
Devarim | Introduction
Rashi comments that the Hebrew word "Bereishit" ("In the beginning") can be homiletically understood to mean "Due to the first", where "first" ("reishit") is a word used elsewhere to refer to the Torah and to the Jewish people. Thus, one may say that the world was created for the sake of Torah and the Jewish people.
Pardes (Jewish exegesis) | In Genesis 1:1
Judaism's purpose is to carry out what it holds to be the covenant between God and the Jewish people. The Torah (lit. "teaching"), both written and oral, tell the story of this covenant, and provides Jews with the terms of the covenant. The Oral Torah is the primary guide for Jews to abide by these terms, as expressed in tractate Gittin 60b, "the Holy One, Blessed be He, did not make His covenant with Israel except by virtue of the Oral Law" to help them learn how to live a holy life, and to bring holiness, peace and love into the world and into every part of life, so that life may be elevated to a high level of kedushah, originally through study and practice of the Torah, and since the destruction of the Second Temple, through prayer as expressed in tractate Sotah 49a "Since the destruction of the Temple, every day is more cursed than the preceding one; and the existence of the world is assured only by the kedusha...and the words spoken after the study of Torah." Since the adoption of the Amidah, the acknowledgement of God through the declaration from Isaiah 6:3 "Kadosh [holy], kadosh, kadosh, is HaShem, Master of Legions; the whole world is filled with His glory".
Christianity and Judaism | Jewish self-identification
Torah study is counted among the 613 mitzvot (commandments), from the verse in Deuteronomy: "And you shall teach it to your children," upon which the Talmud comments that "Study is necessary in order to teach." The importance of study is attested to in another Talmudic discussion regarding which is preferred: study or action? The answer there, a seeming compromise, is "study that leads to action." Although the word "Torah" refers specifically to the Five Books of Moses, in Judaism the word also refers to the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), the Talmud and other religious works, even including the study of Kabbalah, Hasidism, Mussar and much more.
Torah study | Origins
As in Islam, a fundamental tenet of Judaism is that God is not bound by any limitations of time, matter, or space, and that the idea of any person being God, a part of God, or a mediator to God, is heresy. The Book of Ezra, which Judaism accepts as a chronicle of the life of Ezra and which predates Muhammad and the Qur'an by around 1000 years, gives Ezra's human lineage as being the son of Seraiah and a direct descendant of Aaron. Tractate Ta'anit of the Jerusalem Talmud, which predates Muhammad by two to three hundred years, states that “if a man claims to be God, he is a liar.” Exodus Rabba 29 says, "'I am the first and I am the last, and beside Me there is no God' I am the first, I have no father; I am the last, I have no brother.
Uzair | Jewish tradition and literature
The parashah is the longest weekly Torah portion in the Book of Deuteronomy (although not in the Torah), and is made up of 7,442 Hebrew letters, 1,932 Hebrew words, 126 verses, and 258 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah"). Jews generally read it in August or early September. Jews read part of the parashah, , which addresses the Three Pilgrim Festivals (, "Shalosh Regalim"), as the initial Torah reading on the eighth day of Passover when it falls on a weekday and on the second day of Shavuot when it falls on a weekday. And Jews read a larger selection from the same part of the parashah, , as the initial Torah reading on the eighth day of Passover when it falls on a Sabbath, on the second day of Shavuot when it falls on a Sabbath, and on Shemini Atzeret.
Re'eh | Introduction
The name "Sefarim" (= "books") is merely the plural of "sefer," designating the Torah as "the book" par excellence.
Soferim (Talmud) | First part
The Torah is composed of 5 books called in English Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They chronicle the history of the Hebrews and also contain the commandments that Jews are to follow. Rabbinic Judaism holds that the Torah extant today is the same one that was given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. Maimonides explains: "We do not know exactly how the Torah was transmitted to Moses. But when it was transmitted, Moses merely wrote it down like a secretary taking dictation...[Thus] every verse in the Torah is equally holy, as they all originate from God, and are all part of God's Torah, which is perfect, holy and true." "Haredi" Jews generally believe that the Torah today is no different from what was received from God to Moses, with only the most minor of scribal errors.
Jewish principles of faith | The origin of the Torah
Ki Teitzei, Ki Tetzei, Ki Tetse, Ki Thetze, Ki Tese, Ki Tetzey, or Ki Seitzei ( — Hebrew for "when you go," the first words in the parashah) is the 49th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes . The parashah sets out a series of miscellaneous laws, mostly governing civil and domestic life, including ordinances regarding a beautiful captive of war, inheritance among the sons of two wives, a wayward son, the corpse of an executed person, found property, coming upon another in distress, rooftop safety, prohibited mixtures, sexual offenses, membership in the congregation, camp hygiene, runaway slaves, prostitution, usury, vows, gleaning, kidnapping, repossession, prompt payment of wages, vicarious liability, flogging, treatment of domestic animals, levirate marriage (, "yibbum"), weights and measures, and wiping out the memory of Amalek.
Ki Teitzei | Introduction
Genesis 1:2 is the second verse of the Genesis creation narrative. It is a part of the Torah portion Bereshit ().
Genesis 1:2 | Introduction
In regards to the second issue, in Rabbinic Judaism, a person's Jewish status is determined in one of two ways:
Sephardic Bnei Anusim | Halakha
The Torah (or Pentateuch) is collectively the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. According to tradition they were dictated by God to Moses, but when modern critical scholarship began to be applied to the Bible it was discovered that the Pentateuch was not the unified text one would expect from a single author. As a result, the Mosaic authorship of the Torah had been largely rejected by leading scholars by the 17th century, and the modern consensus is that it is the product of a long evolutionary process. In the mid-18th century, some scholars started a critical study of doublets (parallel accounts of the same incidents), inconsistencies, and changes in style and vocabulary in the Torah.
Documentary hypothesis | History of the documentary hypothesis
But he argues that one can understand the Hebrew conception of love only by looking at one of the core commandments of Judaism, Leviticus 19:18, "Love your neighbor as yourself", also called the second Great Commandment. Talmudic sages Hillel and Rabbi Akiva commented that this is a major element of the Jewish religion. Also, this commandment is arguably at the center of the Jewish faith. As the third book of the Torah, Leviticus is literally the central book. Historically, Jews have considered it of central importance: traditionally, children began their study of the Torah with Leviticus, and the midrashic literature on Leviticus is among the longest and most detailed of midrashic literature (see Bamberger 1981: 737).
Christianity and Judaism | Love
In the second reading (, "aliyah"), Moses made the covenant both with those who were standing there that day and with those who were not there that day. The second reading (, "aliyah") ends here.
Nitzavim | Second reading — Deuteronomy 29:12–14
When a day of Hanukkah falls on a Sabbath, however, the regular weekly Torah reading for that Sabbath is the first Torah reading for that day, and the following readings from Parashat Naso are the maftir Torah readings: is the maftir Torah reading for the first day; is the maftir Torah reading for the second day; is the maftir Torah reading for the third day; is the maftir Torah reading for the fourth day; is the maftir Torah reading for the fifth day; is the maftir Torah reading for the sixth day of Hanukkah, which, because it falls on Rosh Chodesh, has as its sixth aliyah; is the maftir Torah reading for the seventh day; and is the maftir Torah reading for the eighth day.
Naso (parsha) | Introduction
Tol'dot, Toldos, or Tol'doth ( — Hebrew for "generations" or "descendants," the second word and the first distinctive word in the parashah) is the sixth weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. The parashah tells of the conflict between Jacob and Esau, Isaac's passing off his wife Rebekah as his sister, and Isaac's blessing of his sons. It constitutes The parashah is made up of 5,426 Hebrew letters, 1,432 Hebrew words, 106 verses, and 173 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah"). Jews read it the sixth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in November, or rarely in early December.
Toledot | Introduction
Re'eh, Reeh, R'eih, or Ree ( — Hebrew for "see", the first word in the parashah) is the 47th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fourth in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes . In the parashah, Moses set before the Israelites the choice between blessing and curse. Moses instructed the Israelites in the laws that they were to observe, including the law of a single centralized place of worship. Moses warned against following other gods and their prophets and set forth the laws of kashrut, tithes, the Sabbatical year, the Hebrew slave, firstborn animals, and the three pilgrim festivals.
Re'eh | Introduction
In the second reading (, "aliyah"), God promises that if the Israelites follow God's laws, God would bless Israel with peace, victory over enemies, and fertility, and God's presence.
Bechukotai | Second reading — Leviticus 26:6–9
The earliest name for the first part of the Bible seems to have been "The Torah of Moses". This title, however, is found neither in the Torah itself, nor in the works of the pre-Exilic literary prophets. It appears in Joshua (8:31–32; 23:6) and Kings (I Kings 2:3; II Kings 14:6; 23:25), but it cannot be said to refer there to the entire corpus (according to academic Bible criticism). In contrast, there is every likelihood that its use in the post-Exilic works (Mal. 3:22; Dan. 9:11, 13; Ezra 3:2; 7:6; Neh. 8:1; II Chron. 23:18; 30:16) was intended to be comprehensive.
Torah | Meaning and names
A synagogue official, called a "gabbai", then calls up several people (men in Orthodox and some Conservative congregations, men and women in others), in turn, to be honored with an "aliyah" (; pl. עליות, "aliyot"; "ascent" or "going up"), wherein the honoree (or, more usually, a designated reader) recites a blessing over the Torah, between each verse. Each reads a section of the day's Torah portion. There are always at least three "olim" (people called to read the Torah) unless a Kohen is present and no Levite is present, in which case the Kohen is called for the first "and" second reading: Initially, the Torah was read on the Sabbath or special occasions by the king, a prophet, or a kohen.
Aliyah (Torah) | Process
Some quotations are repeated from other books of the Hebrew Bible. An example of this is 48:29, This could be repeated from Psalms:
Torah in Islam | In the Quran
Bechukotai, Bechukosai, or B'hukkothai ( "bəḥuqqōṯay" — Hebrew for "by my decrees," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 33rd weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th and last in the Book of Leviticus. It constitutes . The parashah addresses blessings for obeying the law, curses for disobeying it, and vows. The parashah is made up of 3,992 Hebrew letters, 1,013 Hebrew words, 78 verses, and 131 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah"). Jews generally read it in May or early June. The lunisolar Hebrew calendar contains up to 55 weeks, the exact number varying between 50 in common years and 54 or 55 in leap years.
Bechukotai | Introduction
By contrast, scholars such as John Van Seters advocate a supplementary hypothesis, which posits that the Torah is the result of two major additions—Yahwist and Priestly—to an existing corpus of work. Scholars frequently use these newer hypotheses in combination with each other, making it difficult to classify contemporary theories as strictly one or another. The general trend in recent scholarship is to recognize the final form of the Torah as a literary and ideological unity, based on earlier sources, likely completed during the Persian period (539-333 BCE).
Composition of the Torah | Introduction
Judaism's most holy book is the Torah. Virtually all Jewish congregations own at least one "sefer Torah" (copy of the Torah, hand-calligraphed on parchment) of which a portion is read aloud every week. The Torah, the Nevi'im (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings), make up the Tanakh. The Tanakh is explained and supplemented by the Talmud, which is made up of two parts: the Mishnah (Oral Torah) and the Gemara (rabbinic commentaries and analysis). More recent work explaining Jewish law includes the Shulkhan Arukh, which was written in the 16th century. Traditionally, Jews believe that the Torah was given to Moses at Mount Sinai, to be passed on to the Jewish people.
Judaism and Mormonism | Scriptures
Behaalotecha, Beha'alotecha, Beha'alothekha, or Behaaloscha ( — Hebrew for "when you step up," the 11th word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 36th weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the third in the Book of Numbers. The parashah tells of the Menorah in the Tabernacle, the consecration of the Levites, the Second Passover, how a cloud and fire led the Israelites, the silver trumpets, how the Israelites set out on their journeys, the complaints of the Israelites, and how Miriam and Aaron questioned Moses. The parashah constitutes .
Behaalotecha | Introduction
Matot, Mattot, Mattoth, or Matos ( — Hebrew for "tribes", the fifth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 42nd weekly Torah portion (, "parashah") in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the Book of Numbers. It constitutes It discusses laws of vows, the destruction of Midianite towns, and negotiations of the Reubanites and Gadites to settle land outside of Israel. The parashah is made up of 5,652 Hebrew letters, 1,484 Hebrew words, 112 verses, and 190 lines in a Torah Scroll (, "Sefer Torah"). Jews generally read it in July or early August.
Matot | Introduction
The name also hints at the name of the author ("Ayah" evokes "HaRaAYaH", the acronym for the rabbi's Hebrew name) and the name of "Ein Ya'akov". In his introduction, "Rav Kook" writes that he came to write it because of the paucity (in quality and quantity) of "easy to read" Jewish books in his time. The commentary is presented in numbered paragraphs corresponding to the Talmudic text, and it expands upon many diverse subjects in an allegorical style. The book's introduction is considered significant in its own right. Among other things, Rav Kook presents a historical and philosophical view of the Second Temple period, during which rabbis and Talmudic scholars faced significant persecution from Roman authorities.
Ein Ayah | Introduction
He responded in such a manner to inquiries about the ethical will of Rabbi Yehuda haChasid, which contains various instructions not found in the Talmud, a question about the proper manner of writing certain letters in the Torah scroll according to kabbalistic literature, and other similar questions.
Yechezkel Landau | Returning to the Talmud
In the second reading (, "aliyah"), Moses exhorted the Israelites to remember that in ages past, God assigned the nations their homes and their due, but chose the Israelites as God's own people. God found the Israelites in the desert, watched over them, guarded them, like an eagle who rouses his nestlings, gliding down to his young, God spread God's wings and took Israel, bearing Israel along on God's pinions, God alone guided Israel. The second reading (, "aliyah") ends here.
Haazinu | Second reading — Deuteronomy 32:7–12
In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parashah is divided into seven readings, or , "aliyot". In the masoretic text of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Parashah Va'etchanan has six "open portion" (, "petuchah") divisions (roughly equivalent to paragraphs, often abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ("peh")). Parashah Va'etchanan has several further subdivisions, called "closed portions" (, "setumah") (abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ("samekh")) within the open portion (, "petuchah") divisions. The first open portion (, "petuchah") divides the first reading (, "aliyot"). The second open portion (, "petuchah") goes from the middle of the first reading (, "aliyah") to the middle of the second reading (, "aliyah").
Va'etchanan | Readings