- Sefer Torah
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Seph. /se"ferdd taw rddah"/; Ashk. /say"feuhrdd toh"rddeuh, toy"rddeuh/; Eng. /say"feuhr tohr"euh, tawr"euh/, pl. Sifrei Torah Seph. /see frdday" taw rddah"/; Ashk. /si"frdday toh"rddeuh, toy"rddeuh/, Eng. Sefer Torahs. Hebrew.See Sepher Torah.
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(Hebrew; "Book of the Law")In Judaism, the Pentateuch (see Torah), when written in Hebrew by a qualified calligrapher on vellum or parchment and enshrined in the Ark of the Law in a synagogue.It is used for public readings during services on the Sabbath, Mondays, Thursdays, and religious festivals. Sephardic Jews often enclose it in a wooden or metal case; Ashkenazi Jews cover it with an ornate mantle of cloth decorated with ritual ornaments. Its scrolls are handled according to prescribed ritual that reflects the esteem in which the scrolls are held.* * *
▪ Judaismalso spelled Sepher Torah(Hebrew: “Book of the Law”), in Judaism, the first five books of the Old Testament written in Hebrew by a qualified calligrapher (sofer) on vellum or parchment and enshrined in the ark of the Law (aron ha-qodesh) in synagogues. The Sefer Torah is used for public readings during services on Sabbaths, Mondays, Thursdays, and religious festivals. While Sephardic (Sephardi) (Spanish-rite) Jews often enclose the Sefer Torah in a case of wood or metal, Ashkenazi (German-rite) Jews generally cover it with an ornate mantle of cloth, with ritual ornaments attached. In Sephardic congregations the Sefer Torah is displayed to the congregation before the reading of the Law, but among Ashkenazim this occurs only after the daily reading has been completed. Torah scrolls are removed and returned to the ark with a solemnity that reflects deep reverence for the Word of God.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
