The Torah - 

 

The Torah is the primary text of the Jewish faith and is also known as the Five Books of Moses. It is considered the most sacred text in Judaism and is believed to be the word of God as revealed to Moses. The Torah contains the laws and teachings that are central to the Jewish faith, as well as the stories of the creation of the world and the history of the Jewish people. It is divided into five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

 

The first book, Genesis, tells the story of the creation of the world and the first humans, Adam and Eve. It also includes the story of the patriarchs of the Jewish people, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants.

 

The second book, Exodus, tells the story of the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt and their liberation by Moses. It also includes the Ten Commandments and the laws given to the Israelites by God at Mount Sinai.

 

The third book, Leviticus, contains the laws that govern the daily life of the Israelites, including the laws of sacrifice and ritual purity.

 

The fourth book, Numbers, tells the story of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and their preparations for entering the Promised Land. It also includes a census of the Israelite people and lists of the tribes of Israel.

 

The fifth book, Deuteronomy, contains a summary of the laws given in the Torah and emphasizes the importance of following these laws in order to live a righteous life. It also includes a call to the Israelites to be faithful to God and to follow His commands.

 

Overall, the Torah is a central text in Judaism that contains the laws and teachings that guide the faith and practice of Jews. It is considered to be the foundation of the Jewish religion and is widely studied and revered by Jews around the world.

 

The Torah is multifaceted. For what we are aiming to accomplish, we will be referencing the Torah as a term to include all holy topics which can all lead back to the 5 books of Moses known as the written Torah. To better understand, the below timeline will be able to categorize the different references to "Torah"

a rule book from G-D to the Jewish people. 

 

The Torah, refers to the 10 Commandments, The written Torah (5 books of Moses, like a Torah scroll, think of your bar or bat mitzvah) The oral Torah (i.e. the Talmud, commentaries on the 

​

 

There are 2 parts referring to Torah, 1. the Written Torah (24 books of Tanach) 2. The Oral Torah 

 

 

 

PART 1: Written Torah Includes

 

 

A. Torah: 5 books of Moses

 

The 5 Books of Moses include the following:

 

• Bereishis: History up to the giving of the 10 commandments

• Bamidbar:  the 10 Commandments

• Shemos:

• Vayikra: All 613 Laws (Mitzvahs) how we are able to practice Judaism

• Devarim: The Story of the Jewish people up to being lead to the Promised Land (Israel)

 

 

B. Neviim: Prophets

 

The Prophets include the following:

 

• Joshua

• Judges

• Samuel

• Kings

• Latter Prophets

• Isaiah

• Jeremiah

• Ezekiel

• The Twelve

 

 

C. Kesuvim: Writings

 

The Writings include the following:

​

• Psalms

• Proverbs

• Job

• Song of Songs 

• Book of Ruth

• Book of Lamentations

• Ecclesiastes

• Book of Esther

• Daniel

• Ezra-Nehemiah

• Chronicles

 

 

(Acronym for the above 24 books is often referred to as Tanaccchhhhh (ccchhhhh))

​

PART 2: Oral Torah

 

The Mishna: Systematically Codified (arranged) 613 commandments in detail

 

The Gomorrah: Discussion & Commentaries on the Mishna by great sages

 

 

Firstly, just reading this is considered a mitzvah ( a commandmnedt) & is making G-D happy. The idea is that 

 

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS: 

​

The Ten Commandments are a set of religious and moral imperatives that are central to Judaism and Christianity. They are traditionally believed to have been given by God to the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai and are recorded in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament in Christianity).

 

Here is a summary of the Ten Commandments and some potential reasons for each one:

 

"You shall have no other gods before me." This commandment is meant to promote monotheism and discourage the worship of false idols or other deities.

 

"You shall not make for yourself an idol." This commandment is meant to reinforce the first commandment and prevent the worship of physical objects or representations of gods.

 

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God." This commandment is meant to encourage respect for God and prohibit the use of His name in vain or for dishonest purposes.

 

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." This commandment is meant to set aside one day of the week for rest and worship, as a way to honor God and focus on spiritual matters.

 

"Honor your father and mother." This commandment is meant to promote respect and obedience to parents, as they are responsible for raising and caring for children.

 

"You shall not murder." This commandment is meant to prohibit the taking of another person's life, as all human life is considered sacred.

 

"You shall not commit adultery." This commandment is meant to promote faithfulness in marriage and discourage infidelity.

 

"You shall not steal." This commandment is meant to prohibit the taking of another person's property without their consent.

 

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." This commandment is meant to encourage honesty and prohibit lying or giving false testimony in court or other situations.

 

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife, or possessions." This commandment is meant to discourage envy and encourage contentment with one's own possessions and circumstances.