What is the difference between the terms “Five Books of Moses,” “Chumash,” “Torah,” and “Pentateuch”?
Five books--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy--were dictated by G-d to Moses. Thus, they are known as the “Five Books of Moses.” In Hebrew they are known as the Chamisha Chumshei Torah--Five books of the Torah. Each book individually is called a “Chumash.” The word “Torah” comes from the Hebrew word ho’ra-ah meaning “guidance” or “instruction.” It is primarily applied to the Five Books of Moses but colloquially encompasses the entire body of Jewish studies. A “Sefer Torah” is the handwritten Torah scroll read in the synagogue each Shabbat, Monday and Thursday. Pentateuch is the Greek word for the Five Books.