How to Write a D'var Torah: A Step-by-Step Guide

What Is a D’var Torah?

A d’var Torah (literally, “a word of Torah”) is a short talk or essay that interprets a passage from the Torah or other Jewish text and draws a lesson or insight from it. It is one of the most common forms of Jewish public speaking — delivered at Shabbat tables, synagogue services, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, and community events.

A d’var Torah is not a sermon (which can be longer and more wide-ranging). It is not an academic lecture (which prioritizes analysis over application). It is a focused, personal engagement with a sacred text that connects ancient words to contemporary life.

If you have been asked to give a d’var Torah — for your bar or bat mitzvah, for a family Shabbat dinner, or for any other occasion — this guide will walk you through the process step by step.

Step 1: Read the Text

Start by reading the Torah portion (or the specific passage you have been assigned) at least three times.

First reading: Just absorb the story. What happens? Who are the characters? What is the setting? Do not try to interpret yet — just read.

Second reading: Pay attention to what surprises, confuses, or bothers you. Where does the text say something unexpected? Where does it leave something out? Where does a character do something that seems wrong, or God does something that seems unfair? These are your potential entry points. The places where the text resists easy understanding are often the places where the best d’vrei Torah begin.

Third reading: Look for patterns, repetitions, and key words. The Torah is a carefully constructed text — nothing is accidental. If a word appears three times in one passage, there is a reason. If two stories seem to mirror each other, the Torah is inviting comparison.

Step 2: Ask a Question

Every good d’var Torah begins with a question. Not a generic question (“What can we learn from this?”) but a specific, pointed question that arises from the text itself.

Examples of good d’var Torah questions:

• “Why does Abraham argue with God about Sodom but not about the binding of Isaac?”
• “Why does the Torah describe Moses as ‘the most humble man on earth’ — wouldn’t writing that about yourself be the opposite of humble?”
• “Why does God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Doesn’t that take away Pharaoh’s free will — and if so, how can he be punished?”

The question should be genuine. It should be something that actually puzzles you, not something you already know the answer to. Your audience can tell the difference between a question that drives real inquiry and one that is merely rhetorical.

Step 3: Consult the Commentators

Now that you have a question, see what the great commentators have to say. You are not alone in reading Torah — thousands of scholars have read these same words over three thousand years, and their insights are available to you.

Start with these accessible resources:

Rashi (1040-1105) — the most widely studied commentator, known for concise explanations that often draw on midrash. Available on Sefaria.org in English.

Ramban (Nachmanides) (1194-1270) — offers longer, more philosophical interpretations. Often disagrees with Rashi, which is itself instructive.

Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) — a grammarian and philosopher who pays close attention to language and context.

Modern commentaries — Nehama Leibowitz’s studies on the weekly portion are brilliant and accessible. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ Covenant & Conversation is beautifully written. The JPS Torah Commentary provides scholarly context.

You do not need to quote every commentator. Pick one or two whose insights resonate with your question and engage with them — agree, disagree, extend, or modify their interpretations.

Step 4: Build Your Structure

The classic d’var Torah structure is:

1. Hook: Start with a question, a story, or a surprising observation that grabs attention. Do not start with “In this week’s parasha…” This is the d’var Torah equivalent of starting a meal with lukewarm water.

2. Text: Present the relevant passage. Quote the key verse or describe the story briefly. Your audience may not remember the details — help them.

3. Problem: Articulate the question or tension. Why is this text difficult? What does it not explain? Where does it challenge us?

4. Interpretation: Offer your reading. Engage with one or two commentators. Show how you arrived at your understanding. This is the heart of the d’var Torah.

5. Lesson: Connect the interpretation to real life. What does this ancient text say to us today? How does it challenge us, comfort us, or change how we see the world? The lesson should be specific and personal, not generic.

Step 5: Make It Personal

The best d’vrei Torah include a personal element. This does not mean making it all about yourself. It means connecting the text to your own experience, your own struggles, your own questions.

If you are giving a d’var Torah for your bar or bat mitzvah, think about how the themes of your Torah portion connect to your life right now — to growing up, to taking responsibility, to your relationship with family or community.

If you are speaking at a Shabbat table, share how the text speaks to something you have been thinking about during the week.

The personal element makes the d’var Torah authentic. Without it, you are merely summarizing other people’s interpretations. With it, you are contributing your own voice to a three-thousand-year conversation.

Step 6: Keep It Short

This bears repeating: keep it short.

The rabbis of the Talmud were masters of concision. Hillel summarized the entire Torah in one sentence (“What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor — that is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary; go and study”). You may need a few more sentences than Hillel, but the principle stands.

Every word should earn its place. If a sentence does not advance your argument, cut it. If a paragraph repeats what you have already said, cut it. If a commentator’s quote does not directly support your point, cut it.

Five minutes of focused, original thinking is worth more than twenty minutes of rambling.

Step 7: Practice Out Loud

A d’var Torah is a spoken genre. Write it for the ear, not the eye. Short sentences work better than long ones. Simple words work better than complicated ones. Conversational tone works better than formal academic language.

Read it aloud at least three times before delivering it. Time yourself. Notice where you stumble — those are places where the writing needs revision. Notice where you naturally speed up or slow down — those are your emotional cues.

If possible, deliver it to a friend or family member first. Ask them: “Did this make sense? Was there a point where you lost interest?” Their honest feedback is more valuable than your own assessment.

The Secret Ingredient

Here is what no one tells you about writing a d’var Torah: it is not really about the performance. It is about the process.

When you sit with a Torah text, struggle with its meaning, consult the commentators, and find your own voice — you are doing the thing that Jews have done for three thousand years. You are studying Torah. You are entering the conversation. You are adding your link to a chain that stretches back to Sinai.

The d’var Torah you deliver may be five minutes long. The process of creating it — the reading, the questioning, the thinking, the revising — may take weeks. That process is the Torah study. The speech is just the visible tip of the iceberg.

So do the work. Read deeply. Think honestly. Speak from the heart. And trust that your voice, however small or uncertain it may feel, belongs in the conversation.