It describes the earliest origins of the Jewish people and contains a great many rules to be used as a guideline toward a virtuous lifestyle. The word Torah means 'law'.
The Torah has traditionally been written in Hebrew on a long role of parchment rolled around a stick at each end. Torah scrolls are often adorned with valuable textile and silver ornaments.
The second part of the Hebrew Bible (which is called Tenakh) is Nevi‘im (meaning prophets) and the third part Ketuvim (meaning scriptures). The first letters of the three parts form the word TeNaKH.