The
Torah, the Jewish Bible, is the most
sacred of Jewish texts, the basis of
all celebrations that take place in the
synagogue. The text is handwritten on
parchment by a skilled scribe and no
illustrations and decorations are allowed.
While other ritual parchment scrolls are
wound around a single shaft, the Torah has
two, the
atzei chayim
or the tree(s) of life,
and is wound inward to the center. Over the
centuries, it became common to adorn the
Torah with precious fabrics and handcrafted
pieces to underscore its importance.
Torah
Yad
, XVIII century, Ferrara, silver, height approximately
30 cm, gift of the Uhrmacher family
Yad
, XVIII century, Ferrara, silver, height approximately
34.5 cm
Sefer Torah
, XVII century, Italy, manuscript on
parchment, height 34.5 cm
Mappah
, XVIII century,
Ferrara, pink silk with plant
motif embroidered in silver
Sefer Torah
, complete and
dressed, Italy, from the Collection
of the Jewish Museum of Ferrara.
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