What is Chumash?חומש
A Chumash is a printed volume of the Five Books of Moses, named from the Hebrew word for five, usually including commentary and the haftaros read on Shabbos and festivals.
Also written: Chumesh, Humash, Chumashim, Homash
Editions differ far more than the shared name suggests. Some carry only the Hebrew text; the widely used ones add Rashi's commentary, an Aramaic targum, an English translation, or all three. A Chumash intended for use in shul will normally include the haftaros, while a study edition may not.
Chumashim are bought both individually and in matched sets of five, one per book. Sets are frequently donated to a shul in someone's memory, which is why used listings often appear in quantity and why matching the existing edition on the shelf tends to matter to the buyer.
Browse Chumash listings on SimplySefer
Related terms
- Tanach — Tanach is the complete Hebrew Bible, an acronym formed from its three parts: Torah (the Five Books), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Kesuvim (Writings).
- Parsha — The parsha is the weekly Torah portion, one of fifty-four sections read in sequence over the course of the annual Torah reading cycle.
- Meforshim — Meforshim are the classical commentaries on Jewish texts and the commentators behind them — individual authors such as Rashi, Ramban, and Ibn Ezra, and collective works such as Tosafos.
- ArtScroll — ArtScroll is an imprint of Mesorah Publications known for English-language editions of Jewish texts, including the Schottenstein Talmud and the Stone Chumash.