Tanakh

Torah(The Five Books of Moses)

Creation, the beginning of mankind, and stories of the patriarchs and matriarchs.

The Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt, miraculous redemption, the giving of the Torah, and building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

Leviticus

Laws of sacrificial worship in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), ritual purity, and other topics like agriculture, ethics, and holidays.

Numbers

Wanderings of the Israelites in the desert, census, rebellion, spies and war, interspersed with laws.

Deuteronomy

Moses’ final speeches, recalling events of the desert, reviewing old laws, introducing new ones, and calling for faithfulness to God.

Prophets

Joshua

The Israelites enter, conquer, and settle Israel under the leadership of Joshua.

Judges

Cycles of sin, foreign oppression, repentance, and redemption through leaders appointed by God.

I Samuel

The prophet Samuel, the advent of monarchy with the reign of Saul, and the rise of a young David.

II Samuel

King David’s triumphs and challenges as he establishes a united kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital.

I Kings

Solomon’s kingship, construction of the Temple, a schism in the kingdom, and Elijah the Prophet.

II Kings

Stories and miracles of the prophet Elisha, the decline of Israel’s kingdoms, and the Temple’s destruction.

Isaiah

Criticism of religious corruption, calls for change, and descriptions of a utopian future.

Jeremiah

Warnings of Jerusalem’s destruction and demands for repentance, largely rejected by the people, some of whom torture and persecute him.

Ezekiel

Dramatic symbolism conveying rebuke or hope, and visions of a future Temple.

Hosea

Rebuke of Israel for abandoning God, comparing their relationship to that of unfaithful lovers.

Joel

A locust plague, a call to repent, and a promise of judgement for Israel’s oppressors.

Amos

Condemnation of oppression and arrogance in the nations and Israel, and a call for reform.

Obadiah

The shortest book in Tanakh, at just 21 verses, predicting the downfall of the kingdom of Edom.

Jonah

A great fish swallows Jonah when he tries to escape his mission of prophecy, and Jonah repents.

Micah

Berating of Israel and its leadership for insincere ritual worship, and calls for justice and kindness.

Nahum

A celebratory prophecy about the downfall of the Assyrian empire, an oppressor of Israel.

Habakkuk

Charging God to explain the unjust success of the Babylonians, God’s response, and a prayer.

Zephaniah

Warnings of the destruction God will wreck on the unfaithful and calls for justice and humility.

Haggai

Urgent calls to build the Second Temple and descriptions of its future glory.

Zechariah

Symbolic visions of redemption, explained by angels, and descriptions of the end of days.

Malachi

Criticism of disingenuous ritual worship and descriptions of God’s future blessings.

Writings

Psalms

Poems of despair, hope, gratitude, and supplication to God, attributed to David and others.

Proverbs

Guidance for living a wise, moral, and righteous life, in the form of poems and short statements.

Job

Satan convinces God to strike a righteous man with tragedy, spurring conversations about suffering.

Song of Songs

Poetic conversations of two lovers, traditionally read as a metaphor for God and Israel.

Ruth

A Moabite widow remains loyal to her mother-in-law and to Israel, embarking on a new beginning.

Lamentations

Laments of Jerusalem’s destruction, grappling with theological explanations.

Ecclesiastes

An exploration of the meaning of life, reckoning with death, futility, and purpose.

Esther

Esther becomes queen of Persia and foils a plot to destroy the Jews, establishing the Purim holiday.

Daniel

A Jewish advisor to Babylonian kings interprets dreams and miraculously escapes danger.

Ezra

Rebuilding the Temple after decades of exile and religious revival led by Ezra the scribe.

Nehemiah

Rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and the nation’s commitment to observe the commandments.

I Chronicles

Recounts of events in the Torah and early Prophets, focusing on King David.

II Chronicles

Recounts of events in the Prophets, from Solomon through the First Temple’s destruction.

Targum

Translations of Tanakh into Aramaic, originally transmitted orally and mostly committed to writing between the 1st and 8th centuries CE.

Aramaic Targum

Targumim on the books of Writings, ranging in style and date of composition.

Onkelos

Primary Targum on the Torah accepted in the Talmud as authoritative; read publicly in synagogues in talmudic times and still today by Yemenite Jews.

Tafsir Rasag

Rav Saadia Gaon’s influential 10th-century translation of the Torah into Arabic using Hebrew characters.

Targum Jerusalem

Pieces of Targum on scattered phrases throughout the Torah.

Targum Jonathan

Primary Targum on the books of the Prophets, read publicly in synagogues in talmudic times and still today by Yemenite Jews.

Neofiti

Targum on the Torah that incorporates expansions on biblical text, compiled in Israel.

Rishonim on Tanakh

Rashi

Most widely-read biblical commentary, compiled in the 11th-century, explaining the simple meaning of the text with interpretive elaborations.

Ibn Ezra

12th-century commentary focusing on the simple meaning of the text and incorporating grammar and linguistics.

Ramban

13th-century commentary weaving together biblical interpretation with law, philosophy, and mysticism.

Abarbanel

15th-century commentary on the Torah and Prophets, opening each section with a list of questions on the biblical text.

Alshich

16th-century commentary highlighting the moral and religious lessons embedded in every biblical phrase.

Ateret Zekeinim

First completed work of the Abarbanel, composed around 1470, commenting on passages in chapters 23 and 24 in Exodus.

Baal HaTurim

14th-century short introductions to biblical passages by the author of the Tur, often containing gematria and linguistic devices.

Bartenura on Torah

15th-century supercommentary to Rashi’s Torah commentary, attributed to the Mishnah commentator Rav Ovadiah Bartenura.

Bekhor Shor

12th-century commentary by a French Tosafist, focusing on literal interpretations and offering rational explanations of miraculous biblical events.

Chizkuni

13th-century commentary presenting literal interpretations of the author’s predecessors and presenting new ideas.

Daat Zkenim

Commentary composed by the Tosafists in the 12th and 13th centuries, primarily in France and Germany.

Immanuel of Rome on Esther

14th-century commentary incorporating allegorical interpretation, philosophy, and mysticism.

Joseph ibn Yahya

16th-century commentary on Writings by a student of the Rashba.

Kitzur Baal HaTurim

Abridgement of the 14th-century Baal HaTurim Torah commentary.

Mashmia Yeshuah

15th-century treatise of the Abarbanel examining prophecies throughout Tanakh that speak of redemption.

Minchat Shai

17th-century commentary focusing on textual variants, cantillation marks, and vowelization of biblical text.

Paaneach Raza

13th-century commentary by one of the French Tosafists explaining the simple meaning of the text while weaving in gematria and word schemes.

Rabbeinu Bahya

14th-century commentary incorporating literal explanations along with allegorical, philosophical, and mystical interpretations.

Rabbeinu Chananel

11th-century commentary reconstructed from citations in later Torah commentators and fragments of manuscripts discovered in the Cairo Genizah.

Radak

Popular 13th-century commentary focusing on the simple meaning of the text and incorporating grammar and philosophy.

Ralbag

14th-century commentary defining words, explaining passages, and demonstrating morals, incorporating law, philosophy, math, and astronomy.

Ralbag Beur HaMilot

One of three sections of Ralbag’s Torah commentary, focusing on literal definitions.

Rashbam

Popular 12th-century commentary by Rashi’s grandson focusing on the simple meaning of the text.

Riva on Torah

Supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary compiled by one of the Tosafists in the 13th or 14th century.

Rosh on Torah

14th-century commentary attributed to the legal codifier Rabbi Asher ben Yechiel.

Saadia Gaon

10th-century commentary incorporating essays on legal and philosophical topics loosely connected to biblical verses.

Second Version of Ibn Ezra

Second commentary of the Ibn Ezra on the Book of Esther, with overlapping themes to those of his first commentary but with many new interpretations.

Sforno

Commentary by 16th-century Italian physician and rabbi with clear and concise explanations focused on the simple meaning of the text.

Shelom Esther

16th-century commentary on the Book of Esther by Rabbi Yitzchak ben Mordechai Gershon.

Toledot Yitzchak on Torah

16th-century commentary combining simple and allegorical interpretations by the uncle of Rav Yosef Karo based on sermons he delivered.

Tur HaArokh

14th-century commentary by the author of the Tur with summaries of traditional interpretations, particularly those of the Ramban.

Tzror HaMor on Torah

16th-century commentary with literal explanations as well as mystical ones based on the teachings of the Zohar.

Acharonim on Tanakh

Aderet Eliyahu

18th-century commentary on the Torah by the Vilna Gaon.

Aderet Eliyahu (Rabbi Yosef Chaim)

19th-century commentary on select verses from the Torah and haftarot by the Ben Ish Chai, with elaborative and mystical interpretations.

Avi Ezer

18th-century supercommentary to Ibn Ezra's Torah commentary.

Ba'alei Brit Avram

Mystical commentary compiled by a student of Rav Chaim Vital in the 17th century and first published in the 19th century.

Beit HaLevi on Torah

19th-century analytical commentary on Genesis and part of Exodus by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik.

Chanukat HaTorah

Mystical commentary compiled in the 19th century from teachings of Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel, a 17th-century leading rabbi in Poland.

Chatam Sofer on Torah

19th-century commentary of the Chatam Sofer on the Torah and haftarot published by his grandson.

Chida

Series of 18th-century commentaries of Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai, incorporating rabbinic and kabbalistic teachings.

Gur Aryeh

16th-century supercommentary to Rashi’s Torah commentary by the Maharal of Prague.

HaKtav VeHaKabalah

19th-century commentary by an opponent of Reform Judaism meant to demonstrate how the oral tradition is derived from the biblical text.

Haamek Davar

Influential 19th-century commentary of the Netziv based on classes he gave on the weekly Torah portion in the Volozhin Yeshiva.

Harchev Davar

The Netziv’s elaborations upon his Haamek Davar.

Imrei Yosher

19th-century commentaries on the five megillot by the author of the Netivot Mishpat.

Kli Yakar

17th-century commentary based in part on sermons delivered by the author, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim of Luntshits.

Malbim

19th-century commentary known for its assumption that every word in Tanakh carries unique meaning, with no synonyms or repetitions.

Maskil LeDavid

18th-century super-commentary on Rashi on the Torah by Rabbi David Pardo, an Italian Rabbi and poet.

Mechir Yayin on Esther

First work authored by the Rema, written in the 16th century as a commentary comparing the plot of the Book of Esther to a person’s journey through life.

Meshekh Chokhmah

20th-century commentary of Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, which he started writing as a teenager.

Metzudat David

18th-century classic commentary on Prophets and Writings explaining verses in clear and simple language, primarily based on the Radak’s commentary.

Metzudat Zion

Work originally composed together with the Metzudat David as one work, explaining individual words.

Minei Targuma on Torah

18th-century commentary interpreting and expanding upon Targum Onkelos.

Mizrachi

16th-century supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary, in part defending Rashi from critiques of later commentators like the Ramban.

Ohev Ger

19th-century academic work of the Shadal analyzing the methods of Targum Onkelos and presenting its textual variants.

Ohr Chadash

16th-century commentary on the Book of Esther by the Maharal.

Or HaChaim

18th-century Torah commentary incorporating mysticism, originating in Morocco and seen as an essential work by the European founders of chasidism.

Rav Hirsch on Torah

Seminal 19th-century commentary of Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch giving expression to his belief in the interconnectedness of Torah and civilization, composed in German.

Sepher Torat Elohim

19th-century translation of the Torah into Italian, accompanied by a Hebrew commentary.

Shadal

19th-century commentary by a leading figure in the Jewish enlightenment quoting from traditional commentaries as well as from Christian and academic sources.

Siftei Chakhamim

17th-century supercommentary on Rashi, often beginning sections by identifying the textual difficulties that made Rashi’s comments necessary.

Tevat Gome

18th-century commentary by the author of the Pri Megadim, a supercommentary on major Shulchan Arukh commentaries.

Torah Temimah

Early 20h-century encyclopedia of the passages in rabbinic literature relevant to each biblical verse accompanied by brief explanations.

Tzafnat Pa'neach on Torah

20th-century commentary of the Rogatchover Gaon with a focus on analysis of biblical text through a legal lens.

Yeriot Shlomo on Torah

16th-century supercommentary on the Mizrachi supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary.

Yesha Elohim on Esther

16th-century commentary on the Book of Esther with a focus on highlighting God’s role in the story.

Modern Commentary on Tanakh

Avraham Remer

20th-century commentaries on early Prophets by a student of Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, highlighting the text’s contemporary relevance.

Birkat Asher on Torah

21st-century Torah commentary by the editor of the Shmirat Shabbat Kehilchatah, with a focus on elucidating Rashi’s commentary.

Chibbah Yeteirah on Torah

20th-century commentary of Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin, a leading figure in the Religious Zionist movement.

Depths of Yonah

21st-century English commentary on the Book of Jonah authored by Rabbi Chaim Jachter together with his son, Binyamin.

From David to Destruction

21st-century English commentary on the Book of Kings by Rabbi Chaim Jachter.

Moses; A Human Life

21st-century portrait of the biblical Moses’ inner world by Dr. Avivah Zornberg, drawing on traditional commentaries and psychoanalytic sources.

Nechama Leibowitz

20th-century collection of worksheets with questions on the Torah and traditional commentators created by a pioneering educator and scholar.

Redeeming Relevance

20th-century compilation of essays by Rabbi Francis Nataf suggesting innovative ways to look at events of the Torah.

About Tanakh

Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) is Judaism’s foundational text. The word “Tanakh” is an acronym of its three parts: Torah (The Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). It contains stories, law, poetry, and teachings about God and humanity.