|
The sacred writing of the Jews is called Torah,
the Law or Teaching. It is made up of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books contain the early history of the Jews,
from the creation of the world to the death of Moses. There are also a large number of
laws which cover every aspect of life, including food laws and
laws concerning festicals. In the synagogue the
Torah is always read from handwritten scrolls, which are kept
in a cupboard called the Holy Ark. The scrolls are beautifully
'dressed' in velvet covers with silver ornaments and little bells.
A scroll may be as long as 25 metres and represents a year's
work for a scribe. The Hebrew words are written using a
traditional pen or quill on parchment. |
