Torah

noun

To·​rah ˈtȯr-ə How to pronounce Torah (audio)
ˈtȯi-rə
1
: the body of wisdom and law contained in Jewish Scripture and other sacred literature and oral tradition
2
: the five books of Moses constituting the Pentateuch
3
: a leather or parchment scroll of the Pentateuch used in a synagogue for liturgical purposes

Examples of Torah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In his absence, worshipers at a nearby ultra-Orthodox synagogue had dedicated a Torah to a soldier killed during the invasion of Gaza — something that would have been unthinkable before the war. Natan Odenheimer, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Traditionalists don’t bother; the study of Torah is self-justifying. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024 The rally’s speakers implored the attendees to limit the use of the internet to business and other practical concerns and to avoid frivolous social media, pornography and other sites that are a distraction from Torah study and human relationships. Joseph Berger, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024 The museum is buying superlative examples of Judaica, such as a Polish Torah crown from around 1800. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Feb. 2024 His aspirations come at a time when ultra-Orthodox Jews face increasing resentment from a larger, secular society over religious school subsidies and other benefits, including exemption from compulsory military service for Torah students. Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Gathering electronic dance music festival celebrating the Jewish holiday Simchat Torah. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2024 Rabbis fashioned substitutes for holy requirements that could no longer be performed: prayers instead of animal sacrifices; arks for Torah scrolls instead of the Temple’s inner sanctum. Marc Tracy, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2024 The program’s seeds were planted last November, a month after Hamas’s Simchat Torah massacre on Oct. 7 and the beginning of the war. Deborah Fineblum, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Torah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew tōrāh

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Torah was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near Torah

Cite this Entry

“Torah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Torah. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Torah

noun
To·​rah ˈtōr-ə How to pronounce Torah (audio)
ˈtȯr-;
ˈtȯi-rə
1
: the wisdom and law contained in Jewish Scripture and other sacred writings and in oral tradition
2
: a scroll containing the first five books of the Old Testament used in a synagogue for religious services

More from Merriam-Webster on Torah

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!