When did reading the Torah become a custom for Jewish people?
The custom of reading the Torah can probably be traced back to approximately 400 B.C.E., when Ezra the Scribe read from the Torah in front of the newly returned Jews who had been exiled in Babylonia after the destruction of the First Temple. The practice of reading from the Torah became an integral part of the worship service from about the year 200 B.C.E. What other names does the Torah have? The Torah is also called the Five Books of Moses or the chumash. It is divided into 54 portions. One portion is read each Shabbat. Homework directions: Your child will be studying these prayers for three weeks. Each week your child will have a homework sheet with these prayers. Please sign and date this sheet each time your child has practiced reading. Your child is expected to practice three times and each practice should last between 5-8 minutes. Please use the attached homework sheets to help your child study these prayers. The sheets need to be signed by a parent and returned to the teacher o
