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what book do jewish follow

The main holy book that Jews follow is the Torah , which is the foundational part of the Hebrew Bible and the core text of Judaism.

Quick Scoop: Core Jewish Books

To properly answer “what book do Jewish follow,” it helps to know that Judaism is built on a set of connected sacred texts, not just one.

1. Torah – The Central Book

  • The Torah is the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).
  • It is considered the direct teaching or instruction from God and is the most important text in Jewish religious life and law.
  • In synagogue, Jews read from a handwritten Torah scroll during services every week and on festivals.

In most everyday answers, if you ask “What book do Jews follow?”, people will simply say: the Torah.

2. Tanakh – The Full Hebrew Bible

Beyond the Torah, Jews recognize the wider Tanakh , which is the full Hebrew Bible.

Tanakh is an acronym made from three sections:

  1. T orah – “Teaching” (the Five Books of Moses).
  2. N evi’im – “Prophets” (books like Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah).
  3. K etuvim – “Writings” (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, etc.).
  • Together, these 24 books form the main biblical canon of Judaism.
  • Many non‑Jews know a similar collection as the “Old Testament,” but the Jewish order, grouping, and emphasis are slightly different.

3. Talmud – How the Torah Is Lived

When people talk about what Jews “follow” in daily life (law, customs, practice), the Talmud is also crucial.

  • The Talmud contains discussions of Jewish law, ethics, customs, and stories, built around the earlier oral traditions linked to the Torah.
  • It includes:
    • Mishnah – the early written core of oral law.
    • Gemara – later rabbinic discussion explaining and debating the Mishnah.
  • It is one of the most studied Jewish texts and guides how commandments in the Torah are applied in real life.

4. Short, Direct Answer

If you just want a simple one‑line reply to “what book do Jewish follow”:

  • Religious base text: the Torah.
  • Full Bible: the Tanakh (Torah + Prophets + Writings).
  • Main interpretive/legal tradition: the Talmud.

TL;DR: Jews primarily follow the Torah , as part of the wider Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and use the Talmud to interpret and live out those teachings in everyday life.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.