Monday, September 28, 2009

Sefer Torah

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Welcome to That's My World Tuesday. For the past 26 hours my world has been the solemn Jewish holy day, Yom Kippur, complete with fasting and lots of ancient prayers.
You can see more about the Day of Atonement and a video of my grandson blowing the shofar in yesterday's post.
You may not take pictures in the synagogue on a day like today because "work" is forbidden on Yom Kippur. So in order to show you the beautiful Sephardic-style Torah cases, I took these photos in a store in Jerusalem a couple weeks ago.

The parchment of the Torah scroll would be attached to the two wooden rollers.
The first five books of Moses--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy--are carefully written on the parchment (animal skin) by a special scribe.
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In Ashkenazic congregations the Torah scroll is covered with a velvety mantel instead of being housed in the wooden case.
All the beautiful ornamentation is our way of honoring the Torah.
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14 comments:

  1. Oh, happy day of atonement. Great post. You must have been so proud of your grandson. Thanks for sharing this moment with us Gentiles.

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  2. Thank you for sharing the Day of Atonement and Yom Kippur the most holy day.

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  3. What a store this is. Beautiful vessels to hold the sacred word of God.

    I hope and pray that your day was blessed and filled with peace, Dina.

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  4. Wow, Dina - I enlarged the photos and the details are just amazing! I hope you had a good holiday surrounded by your beloved family.

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  5. Welcome back, Dina. I hope you were able to have a very peaceful Yom Kippur. Those photos are very awesome and beautiful.

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  6. great shots. thanks for sharing.

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  7. wonderful photos, excellent artwork

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  8. Happy Yom Kippur to you Dina and everyone you love. My thoughts of love are with you all on this very special day.

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  9. And I wanted to add - I just heard Dean blowing the ram's horn and wow, he's just amazing.

    Also your photos today are remarkable. The artwork displayed here is so fine and delicate, thanks for sharing!

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  10. Wow - beautiful, dazzling, elegant, royal! Such wonderful pieces of art and religion!

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  11. Grew up with the velvet....can still feel it on my lips...

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  12. What beautiful photos...I'm so glad to see them...

    I hope you had a meaningful and easy fast.

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