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.

Abraham

Jewish Bible

The Talmud states that “anyone can be called up to read from the Torah, even a minor and even a woman, but our sages taught that we do not call a woman on account of Kevod Hatzibur” (the dignity of the congregation; Megillah 23a). This statement is mirrored in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Hayim 282:3.

synagogue

This manuscript of the Hebrew Bible dates to the year 1008 C.E., so it is a medieval text, but it is the oldest complete textual witness to the Pentateuch. This seems to leave us in a very awkward position: We are dealing with an allegedly 2500-year-old text, but its earliest textual attestation is only 1000 years old.

Hebrew Bible

• Aaron, brother of Moses and Miriam, and the first High Priest.
• Abigail, a prophetess who became a wife of King David.
• Abishai, one of King David’s generals and relative.
• Abner, cousin of King Saul and commander of his army, assassinated by Yoav.
• Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Judaism’s “Three Patriarchs”

Development of Judaism. Jews were monotheists—they believed in and worshipped only one god. This stands out to historians because monotheism was relatively unique in the ancient world. Most ancient societies were polytheistic—they believed in and worshiped multiple gods.

The most important ceremonial object is the Torah scroll, the Pentatuch, which retells the history of the Jewish people and carries universal messages of monotheism and ethical behavior.

The Four Holy Cities in Jewish tradition are the cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safed: The Jewish Encyclopedia in 1906 noted: “Since the sixteenth century the Holiness of Palestine, especially for burial, has been almost wholly transferred to four cities—Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safed.”

Festival of Lights

Jerusalem

Israel

Judaism marked the beginning of a revolutionary idea that laid the groundwork for social reform: humans have the ability and therefore the responsibility to stop injustices in the world. The Jews were the first to decide that it was their responsibility as the Chosen People to fight against inequality in the world.