Torah scroll in the context of Parashah

Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and laws, ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and admonitions for fostering a religious community.

Within each religion, these texts are revered as authoritative sources of guidance, wisdom, and divine revelation. They are often regarded as sacred or holy, representing the core teachings and principles that their followers strive to uphold.

In Islam, the Torah (Arabic: توراة‎, romanized: tawrat) is regarded as an Islamic holy book that was revealed by God to guide the Children of Israel. In the Quran, the word "Tawrat" appears eighteen times, particularly in passages mentioning the Jewish people or their history, including Jewish prophets who are also regarded as Islamic prophets and messengers, such as Moses. The Torah is held by Muslims in identification with other books of the Hebrew Bible and with Jewish writings and exegeses in the Talmud and Midrash.

The Samaritan Pentateuch, also called the Samaritan Torah (Samaritan Hebrew: ‮ࠕࠦ‎‎‬ࠅࠓࠡࠄ‎, Tūrā), is the sacred scripture of the Samaritans. Written in the Samaritan script, it dates back to one of the ancient versions of the Torah that existed during the Second Temple period. It constitutes the entire biblical canon in Samaritanism.

Some 6,000 differences exist between the Samaritan and the Jewish Masoretic Text. Most are minor variations in the spelling of words or grammatical constructions, but others involve significant semantic changes, such as the uniquely Samaritan commandment to construct an altar on Mount Gerizim. Nearly 2,000 of these textual variations agree with the Koine Greek Septuagint, and some are shared with the Latin Vulgate. Throughout their history, Samaritans have used translations of the Samaritan Pentateuch into Aramaic, Greek, and Arabic, as well as liturgical and exegetical works based upon it.

Chumash (also Ḥumash; Hebrew: חומש, pronounced [χuˈmaʃ] or pronounced [ħuˈmaʃ] or Yiddish: pronounced [ˈχʊməʃ]; plural Ḥumashim) is a copy of the Torah (the Five Books of Moses that begin the Hebrew bible), printed and bound in the form of a book (i.e. a codex) for convenience when studying. In comparison, a Torah scroll is handwritten, with rigorous production standards, on a special type of parchment and sewn together as a single scroll for use in the synagogue.

The word 'Chumash' comes from the Hebrew word for five, ḥamesh (חמש). A more formal term is Ḥamishah Ḥumshei Torah, "five fifths of Torah". It is also known by the Latinised Greek term Pentateuch in common printed editions.

A Hebrew school is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on Jewish history, learning the Hebrew language, and finally learning one's Torah portion in preparation for the coming-of-age ceremony in Judaism. Classes are usually taught in dedicated rooms at a synagogue under the instruction of a Hebrew teacher (who may or may not be fluent in Hebrew), often receiving support from a hazzan for learning the ancient chanting of a student's Torah portion and from a rabbi during the ceremony, owing to the fact that a Torah scroll is typically very challenging for a student to read because it lacks Hebrew vowel markings while also having very condensed text with minimal line spacing.

Hebrew schooling can be either an educational regimen separate from secular education, in a similar fashion to Sunday school among Christians; education focusing on topics of Jewish history and learning the Hebrew language; or a primary-, secondary-, or college-level educational institution in which some or all of the classes are taught in Hebrew. The first usage is more common in the United States, while the second is used elsewhere bar Israel—for example, in reference to the Colegio Hebreo Unión in Barranquilla, Colombia, or the Associated Hebrew Schools in Toronto, Canada.

Synagogue architecture often follows styles in vogue at the place and time of construction. There is no set blueprint for synagogues and architectural shapes and interior designs of synagogues vary greatly. According to tradition, the Shekhinah or divine presence can be found wherever there is a minyan: the quorum of ten required for Jewish prayer.

Synagogues have some requirements. They always contain a Torah ark where the Torah scrolls are kept (called an aron qodesh (Hebrew: אָרוֹן קׄדֶש) by Ashkenazi Jews and a hekhal (היכל) by Sephardic Jews). Also, since synagogues are buildings for congregational worship, they require a large central space (like churches in Christianity and mosques in Islam). They are generally designed with the ark at one end, typically opposite the main entrance on the east side of the building, and a bema either in front of that or more centrally placed. Raised galleries for female worshipers have been common in historical buildings.