Orit
The sacred scripture of Ethiopian Jewry — the Pentateuch (and more) in the Ge'ez language, the core text the Kessim read from.
What is the Orit?
The Orit (from Aramaic "Oraita" — Torah) is the central sacred scripture of Ethiopian Jewry (Beta Israel). Unlike Rabbinic Judaism, Beta Israel did not have the Talmud, so the Orit and the Bible were the primary source of religious authority and halakha.
What does it contain?
- The Five Books of Moses — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- Additional biblical and extra-biblical works preserved in tradition (e.g. Jubilees, Enoch)
- All written in Ge'ez — the Ethiopian liturgical language, not Hebrew
Who reads from it?
The Kessim (religious leaders) read from the Orit during prayers, Sabbaths and festivals — especially on Sigd, when the community gathers to hear the reading.
Significance in Israel
Immigration to Israel brought an encounter with Rabbinic Judaism and Hebrew. Many in the community preserve the Orit and Ge'ez tradition as part of their identity, alongside learning Hebrew. Keeping the Orit alive is seen as an anchor of identity and cultural pride.
See also
- Ge'ez — the language the Orit is written in
- Kessim — those who read from the Orit
- Beta Israel — the community that preserved it
Related terms
- SigdAn Ethiopian-Jewish community holiday observed on the 29th of Heshvan. Law 5774-2008 recognizes it as an official Israeli holiday.
- Beta IsraelThe traditional name of the Ethiopian-Jewish community. Today numbers approximately 160,000 in Israel.
- KessimThe traditional religious leaders of Beta Israel. In Israel today they are recognized as religious-cultural authorities but are not integrated into the official Chief Rabbinate.