How is the Torah read?

The Torah scrolls are taken out from the Ark (Aron ha kodesh) and portions read in the synagogue three times each week. On Mondays and Thursdays small sections are read. The main reading is on the morning of Shabbat (Sabbath). Over the course of the year the whole scroll is read in sequence.

What exactly is the Torah?

The meaning of “Torah” is often restricted to signify the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), also called the Law (or the Pentateuch, in Christianity). These are the books traditionally ascribed to Moses, the recipient of the original revelation from God on Mount Sinai.

What is the most accurate English translation of the Hebrew Bible?

Word-for-Word Translations of the Bible Word-for-Word (also called “Literal Translation”) is regarded as the most accurate.

What does the Torah teach?

Torah (תורה) in Hebrew can mean teaching, direction, guidance and law. The most prominent meaning for Jews is that the Torah constitutes the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (also called the Pentateuch, ‘five books’ in Greek), traditionally thought to have been composed by Moses.

What is used to read the Torah?

A yad was used during the public reading of the Torah, since the Jewish tradition prohibited touching the scroll containing the holy scriptures with a bare finger. The name derives from the Hebrew word “yad” which means “a hand”.

What is the oldest Torah?

The Bologna Torah Scroll
The Bologna Torah Scroll (also known as the University of Bologna Torah Scroll, circa 1155-1225CE) is the world’s oldest complete extant Torah scroll. The scroll contains the full text of the five Books of Moses in Hebrew and is kosher. The scroll was returned to the Biella Synagogue during a ceremony on March 6, 2016.

What is the purpose of the Torah reading?

The Torah Reading. One of the central aspects of Jewish prayer service is the Torah reading. The Torah—a parchment scroll containing the Five Books of Moses handwritten in Hebrew—is removed from the ark and read at the bimah, a special table situated in the center of the synagogue.

How many Torah books are there in the Torah?

The five books of the Torah are subdivided into 54 portions. Each portion, known as a Parshah or Sidra, is read on another week of the year so that the entire scroll is read through on an annual basis (two portions may be combined depending on that year’s calendar).

What is the difference between the Torah and the Parshah?

Following the Torah reading, it is customary to chant a selection from the Prophets. Unlike the Torah reading, the Prophets are generally read out of a printed book with vowels and cantillation marks, making it much easier to read than the Parshah.

What does the Torah look like in different denominations?

In Sephardi congregations, the Torah is carried inside a large wooden cylinder that stands erect when open, and the Torah parchment is in an upright position when it is read. In Ashkenazi congregations, the Torah lies flat. There are a few passages in the Torah read quickly and in a low voice.