Torah and Tanakh Search
Search the Hebrew Bible by word or topic and read the verses in Hebrew and English.
Hebrew text and English translation come from the Sefaria library. If Sefaria has no match, an AI search may fill in, so check any verse you plan to quote in a printed edition.
Searching Torah...
Guidance only. For questions of halacha, ask your rabbi.
About the Torah Search tool
The Torah is the five books of Moses, and the Tanakh adds the Prophets and the Writings. Together they hold the narratives, laws, poems and teachings that Jewish tradition studies each week. This tool lets you search that library by a word or topic.
Type a word such as covenant, justice or Abraham, or tap a topic button. Matching verses appear with their reference, the Hebrew text on the right and the English translation below it. The results come from the Sefaria library, which is a free, community-built collection of Jewish texts.
When Sefaria returns no match, an AI search may fill in. That fallback can mis-quote a verse or its Hebrew, so check the reference in a printed edition before you rely on a quotation. For how a text is understood in practice, ask your rabbi.
How to use it
Type a word or topic. Use a single English word or a name, such as love, justice or Moses, or tap one of the topic buttons.
Search. Press the search button or press Enter. A spinner shows while results load.
Read the verses. Each result shows a reference, the Hebrew text and the English translation.
Check the source. Open the reference in a printed edition when you plan to quote or study the verse.
A simple example
A list of verses that match, such as from Deuteronomy or Isaiah Each shows the Hebrew text and an English translation A count of results is shown above the list
Tips for good results
- Try the English word first. Then try the Hebrew term if you know it.
- If you get no results, use a simpler or broader word.
- Use the reference shown to read the whole chapter around a verse.
- Different translations phrase the same verse differently, so compare editions.
Common mistakes
- Quoting a verse without opening its reference. Always read the verse in a printed edition.
- Searching with a whole sentence when a single word would work better.
- Treating an AI back-up result as if it came from Sefaria.
- Reading a verse alone without its chapter.
Common questions
Where do the verses come from?
From the Sefaria library when it has a match. When it does not, an AI search fills in, and that can contain mistakes.
Which books does the search cover?
It is aimed at the Torah and the Tanakh, the Prophets and the Writings. Results can include other texts when the library returns them.
Is the Hebrew text exact?
Sefaria results use published Hebrew text. AI back-up results may not, so check printed editions for anything you plan to quote.
Can I search in Hebrew?
You can try. English words and names usually give the most results.
Does this explain how to apply a verse?
No. It finds and shows text. For practice and interpretation, ask your rabbi.
