View source for Torah Or

{{short description|Collection of Hasidic discourses on the Torah by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi}}

{{Infobox book
| name = Torah Or
| image = 
| caption = 
| author = [[Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi]]
| title_orig = תורה אור
| translator = 
| country = [[Russian Empire]]
| language = [[Hebrew]]
| subject = [[Hasidic philosophy]], Kabbalah, Torah commentary
| genre = Religious text
| publisher = 
| pub_date = 1837
| pages = 
| isbn = 
}}
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'''Torah Or''' (Hebrew: תורה אור, "Light of the Torah") is a foundational work of [[Chabad]] Hasidic philosophy, a compilation of maamarim (Hasidic discourses) on the weekly Torah portions and festivals by [[Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi]], the founder of [[Chabad-Lubavitch]].<ref name="ChabadWritings">Chabad.org, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2076435/jewish/Writings-of-the-Alter-Rebbe.htm Writings of the Alter Rebbe] ''Chabad.org'', accessed June 2026.</ref><ref name="AmazonTorahOr">Amazon, [https://www.amazon.com/Sifriy-ha-H%CC%A3asidim-Lyubavit%CC%A3sh-Schneur-Boruchovich-Zalman/dp/0826655505 Torah Or by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi] ''Amazon'', accessed June 2026.</ref>

First published in 1837 by his grandson, the [[Tzemach Tzedek]], it forms part of the core Chabad library alongside ''Likutei Torah''.<ref name="WikiTorahOr">Wikipedia contributors, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah_Or/Likutei_Torah Torah Or/Likutei Torah] ''Wikipedia'', accessed June 2026.</ref>

== History and Publication ==
The discourses in ''Torah Or'' were delivered by [[Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi]] between approximately 1796 and 1812. They cover portions from Genesis and Exodus, as well as festivals such as Pesach and Shavuot.<ref name="WikiTorahOr" />

Published posthumously in Kopust in 1837 (5597), it includes glosses by the [[Tzemach Tzedek]].<ref name="AmazonTorahOr" />

== Content ==
''Torah Or'' presents deep Kabbalistic and Hasidic interpretations of the Torah, emphasising the intellectual service of God, the elevation of the material world, and the unity of the divine in creation.<ref name="ChabadWritings" />

It is studied extensively in Chabad yeshivot and forms the basis for many Chassidic teachings on divine service.<ref name="ChabadWritings" />

== Significance ==
Along with ''Likutei Torah'', ''Torah Or'' is considered one of the most important collections of the Alter Rebbe's maamarim and a cornerstone of Chabad philosophy.<ref name="ChabadWritings" />

== See also ==
* [[Schneur Zalman of Liadi]]
* [[Likutei Torah]]
* [[Tanya]]
* [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]

== External links ==
[https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2853844/jewish/Selections-From-Torah-Or-and-Likkutei-Torah-Festivals.htm Selections at Chabad.org]

==Notes==
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[[Category:Chabad-Lubavitch]]
[[Category:Hasidic texts]]
[[Category:1837 books]]
[[Category:Religious philosophical literature]]