The Torah is the most sacred text in Judaism, containing the first five books of the Hebrew Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books tell the story of the world's creation, the early history of the Jewish people, and the laws and teachings that guide Jewish life.

The word Torah means “teaching” or “instruction” in Hebrew. In synagogues, the Torah is written by hand on special scrolls and treated with great reverence. During services, the scroll is carefully removed from a cabinet called an ark, and portions are read aloud to the congregation.

The word can also refer more broadly to Jewish learning and tradition, so when someone says they're studying Torah, they might mean they're learning about Jewish teachings in general.