Torah
Scroll
This
scroll is a miniature version of those used in the synagogue.
The Torah is the most important part of the Jewish Scriptures. It contains the Five Books of Moses (the first five books of the Jewish Scriptures, and also of the Christian Bible). It teaches Jews about God and gives rules on how they should live their lives. For reading in the synagogue, the Torah is written on a scroll. The scrolls are written in Hebrew which is read from right to left.
The importance of the Torah is shown
in the way that the scrolls are treated. In the synagogue when they are
not being read, they are kept in the Ark which is the most important
place in the synagogue. The Torah scroll has special coverings and ornaments.
These are to make it beautiful and protect it. When the scroll is closed
up, it is fastened with a Torah band.
The
scroll
is then covered with a velvet mantle which is often in rich red or
royal blue. A silver breastplate is hung
around the front of it, like the one worn by the high priest in Biblical
times. It is decorated with Jewish symbols. There is a silver crown
at the top of each roller and bells are attached so that people can hear
it coming when it is carried around the synagogue (this feature is not
on the miniature Torah scroll).
Yad
(pointer)
Jews
use a pointer to keep their place when reading from the Torah scroll.
This is to show respect for the scroll
and to prevent the readers from
spoiling the parchment by touching it with their fingers. The pointer
is called a ‘Yad’ which means ‘hand’ because
it is in the shape of a hand with a pointing finger.
