What Is A Divrei Torah?

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A Divrei Torah, also called a D’var Torah in Hebrew, is a detailed conversation on subjects that are directly related to sections or what, in Hebrew, is called a parashah of the Torah itself. The Divrei Torah or D’var Torah happens between the rabbis after a Torah reading has been done in a synagogue or other religious meeting place.

Divrei Torahs can range in length and are totally dependent on the rabbis present, as well as what the topic of conversation is all about and the meaning that each rabbi is trying to convey.

The five books of the Torah are called Bereshit, Shemoth, VaYikra, BeMidbar and Devarim. These very same five books from the Bible go by the Christian names of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

A very important lesson on life is what is usually stressed by the reading of the weekly parsha that is read on the Sabbath at the synagogue. After the reading is given, the rabbi will have a specific talk prepared on it to share with those gathered at the synagogue.

One of the things that is very important to Divrei Torah is the Talmud and this is because it is both ...
... a record and contains discussions of rabbis on everything from Jewish law to ethics to philosophy. There is another very important Jewish text and it is called the Mishnah. The word Mishnah means “repetition” in Hebrew and it is the very first writing of its kind that displays oral tradition from ancient Judaism. This is known as the Oral Torah. Both the Talmud and the Mishnah convey knowledge and wisdom to help Jewish people understand their faith better.

Divrei Torahs usually last about ten or fifteen minutes in length but have been known in some cases to go on for many hours. There are two crucial factors that determine how long these special talking sessions last and they are based on the rabbi who is heading the discussion and also the topic of discussion. If the subject is something that is serious in nature or is tied in some way to a very special occasion, the talks can get very lengthy.

Divrei Torahs do not just take place in synagogues anymore either. This is because they are now also done on the internet worldwide. There are many websites that are devoted to it and to helping people study the Torah better. A few people have even posted blogs with their own Divrei Torahs for others to read and respond to or comment on personally.

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