Sforza Book of Hours
The Torah
Written by divinely inspired authors between two and three millennia ago, this is the sacred scripture of Judaism. It is made up of three parts. The first is Torah - or Pentateuch, or "Law" - which sets forth religious and social rules, tells the story of the creation and describes the lord's covenant with Israel, the Exodus from Egypt, and the Hebrew people's arrival in the Promised Land. Nevi-im ("Prophets") is the Israeli history in Palestine, filled not only with prophecies but with wars and heroes - principal among the latter, David. Ketuvim ("Writings") includes meditations on evil and death, as well as psalms and praises of Israel's covenant with God. Jews call their sacred volume Tanakh, an acronym for Torah, Nevi-im, and Ketuvim.