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Manuscript on vellum with rollers and pointer

Sacred Texts

Torah


The Torah, also known as The Written Law, The Pentateuch or The Five Books of Moses, contains the first five books of the Tanakh, known to Christians as the Old Testament. Originally, The Torah was disseminated as a series of oral laws, and began to be compiled and written around the second century.

It represents the covenant between God and the Jewish people and is the basis for Jewish religious, political and social life.

The significance of The Torah is reflected in the laws surrounding its production and handling. The Sefer Torah is written on a two-handled scroll for public reading in the synagogue. The parchment is made from the skin of an animal killed in the ritual manner. To avoid touching the parchment, the reader uses a yad or pointer with a hand and extended forefinger.

This copy, on loan from the Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne, is believed to have been produced in Eastern Europe in the 19th century.