Scroll Elements Intellectual Property of John Marsing - www.MyHebrewBible.Com

Contents Introduction ...... 1 ...... 2 Tree of Life ...... 2 External Decorations ...... 2 Word Study H5608 Sephar ...... 3 Gen 15:5 KJV – look toward heaven, and tell saphar the stars ...... 3 Gen 15:5 HSB5 ...... 3 Gen 5:1 HSB “This is the book of the generations of Adam…” ...... 3 1Ki 3:8 “…a great people, that cannot be numbered…” ...... 4 The of the Torah ...... 4 Gevil ...... 4 - The Parchments of the Sefer Torah ...... 4 Gen 15:8-18 KJV - Covenant of the Pieces ...... 5 Mappah aka mitpahat ...... 6 Storage of the ...... 6 H4304 mitpachath vail ...... 7 H2946 taphach spanned, swaddled ...... 7 Isa 48:9-13 “…my right hand haths spanned tipecha the heavens” ...... 7 H2947 tepach handbreadth, breadth, coping hand ...... 7 Torah Facts ...... 8

Introduction This article is about the Torah Scroll (sefer Torah) and any deeper meanings that I think are note worthy. What I’m looking for are things like 1) Yeshua is the living word and 2) the Torah is our contract/covenant with YHVH.  Yeshua, the word of YHVH in the flesh, was hung on a tree/cross (see Tree of Life), Was given a crown like the Ram caught in the thicket.  Covenant of the Pieces, YHVH is making a contract/covenant/trust with Abram is like how you make a Torah scroll (see Gen 15:8-18)  Whenever the scroll is opened to be read it is laid on a piece of cloth called the mappah. This is like YHVH laid out the Torah Scroll for Abram and then told him “his-story” (see Gen 15:5)

10/19/2015 http://myhebrewbible.com/Article/329 1 of 8 Sefer Torah a b ; ספר תורה stored in the holiest spot within a synagogue, the Aron Kodesh ("Holy Ark"), which is usually an ornate curtained-off cabinet or section of the synagogue built along the wall that most closely faces Jerusalem, the direction Jews face when praying. The text of the Torah is printed and bound in book form known as a Chumash.

According to , a sefer Torah is a copy of the formal Hebrew text of the Five Books of Moses hand- written on gevil or klaf (forms of ) (see below) by using a quill (or other permitted writing utensil) dipped in ink. Producing a sefer Torah fulfills one of the 613 mitzvot (Judaism’s commandments). …

Tree of Life עץ חיים The calfskin or parchment on which the sacred Hebrew text is written is mounted into a wooden housing called Tree of Life. The housing has two rollers, each of which has two handles used for scrolling the text, four handles in all. Between the handles and the rollers are round plates or disks which are carved with images of holy places, engraved with dedications to the donor's parents or other loved ones, and decorated with gold or silver. Most modern Sifrei Torah are written with forty-two lines of text per column (Yemenite Jews use fifty). Very strict rules about the position and appearance of the Hebrew letters are observed. See for example the Mishna Berura on the subject.[2] Any of several Hebrew scripts may be used, most of which are fairly ornate and exacting. The fidelity of the Hebrew text of the Tanakh, and the Torah in particular, is considered paramount, down to the last letter: translations or transcriptions are frowned upon for formal service use, and transcribing is done with painstaking care. …

External Decorations A completed Sefer Torah is treated with great honor and respect. While not in use it is housed in the Ark (Aron Kodesh or Hekhal), which in its turn is usually veiled by an embroidered parokhet (curtain) as it should be according to Exodus 26:31-34. The scroll itself will often be girded with a strip of silk (see wimpel) and "robed" with a piece of protective fine fabric, called the "Mantle of the Law". It is decorated with an ornamental breastplate, scroll-handles (‘eẓ ḥayyim), and the principal ornament—the "Crown of the Law", which is made to fit over the upper ends of the rollers when the scroll is closed. Some scrolls have two crowns,

תורה ספרי :a Plural Sifrei Torah b Primary Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sefer_Torah

10/19/2015 http://myhebrewbible.com/Article/329 2 of 8 one for each upper end. The metalwork is often made of beaten silver, sometimes gilded. The gold and silver ornaments belonging to the scroll are collectively known as kele kodesh (sacred vessels), and somewhat resemble the ornaments of the Kohen Gadol (high priest). The scroll-handles, breastplate and crown often have little bells attached to them. A yad, or pointer, may also be hung from the scroll, since the Torah itself should never be touched with the bare finger. This ornamentation does not constitute worship of the Sefer Torah, but is intended to distinguish it as sacred and holy, as the living word of God. Special prayers are recited when the Sefer Torah is removed from the Aron (see Torah reading), and the text is chanted, rather than spoken, in a special melodic manner (see Cantillation and Niggun). Whenever the scroll is opened to be read it is laid on a piece of cloth called the mappah. When the Sefer Torah is carried through the synagogue, the members of the congregation may touch the edge of their tallit to the Sefer Torah and then kiss it as a sign of respect. In the Mizrachi and Romaniote traditions, the Sefer Torah is generally not robed in a mantle, but rather housed in an ornamental wooden case which protects the scroll, called a "tik". On the other hand, most Sephardi communities — those communities associated with the Spanish diaspora, such as Moroccan Jews, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews (with the exception of the Hamburg tradition[4]), and the Judaeo- Spanish (Ladino-speaking) communities of the Ottoman Empire — do not use tikim, but rather vestidos (mantles).

Word Study H5608 Sephar c

Gen 15:5 KJV – look toward heaven, and tell saphar the stars And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell saphar H5608 the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Gen 15:5 HSB5 וַּיֹוצ ֵ֨ א vai·yo·Tze And he brought him forth אֹתֹו o·To הַח֗ ּוצָ ה ha·Chu·tzah, abroad וַּיֹֹּ֙אמֶ רֹּ֙ vai·Yo·mer and said הַבֶ ט־ hab·bet- Look נָ ָ֣א na Now הַשָמַ֗ יְמָ ה hash·sha·May·mah, now toward heaven ּוסְ פֹרֹּ֙ u·se·For and tell הַכָ֣ ֹוכָב ִ֔ ים hak·Ko·cha·Vim, the stars אם־ 'im- if ּתּוכַַ֖ ל tu·Chal if thou be able ל סְ פֹר lis·Por to number אֹתָ ם 'o·Tam; וַּיָֹ֣ אמֶ ר vai·Yo·mer them and he said לִ֔ ֹו lo, כֹֹּ֥ ה koh unto him So י הְ יֶַ֖ה yih·Yeh become zar·'E·cha. shall thy seed זַרְ עֶֶָֽך׃

Gen 5:1 HSB “This is the book of the generations of Adam…” H121 H8435 tol·Dot of the generations H5612 Se·fer, [is] the book H2088 zeh This זֶ ָ֣ה ס פֶר ּתֹולְדַֹ֖ ת אָדָ ָ֑ם a·Dam; of Adam' בְי֗ ֹום H3117 be·Yom, In the day בְ רֹֹ֤ א H1254 be·Ro created אֱ ֹלה יםֹּ֙ H430 E·lo·Him that God אָדִָ֔ ם H120 'a·Dam, man ב דְמֹּ֥ ּות H1823 bid·Mut in the likeness אֱֹלה ַ֖ ים H430 E·lo·Him of God עָשָ ֹּ֥ ה H6213 .H853 o·To 'a·Sah made אֹתֶֽ ֹו׃

c See “Word Study H5608 saphar scribe, H5612 sepher books”, Article #327

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1Ki 3:8 “…a great people, that cannot be numbered…” d 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great rav people, that cannot be numbered yimmaneh nor counted yissafer H5608 for multitude mero.

The Parchments of the Torah

Gevil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gevil is animal hide that has been prepared as a writing material in Jewish scribal ( גוויל :Gevil or Gewil (Hebrew documents, in particular a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll).

A 200-year-old Yemenite Sefer Torah, on Gevil, from the Beith Keneseth Rambam in Jerusalem. The was from the Sharabi family … Definition of gevil Gevil is a form of skin made from the whole hide, after the hair is removed. The precise requirements for processing gevil are laid by the , Geonim and Rishonim. … Most of the (200 BCE), found in and around the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea, are written on gevil. … Klaf - The Parchments of the Sefer Torah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaf קלף Klaf or qelaf is the designation given a particular piece of skin. The Talmudic definition includes both the form of the skin and the way it is processed, in particular that it must be tanned. Since the innovative ruling of Rabbeinu Tam (12th century Tosafist) it is primarily used to refer to parchment or vellum. It is one of the materials upon which a Sofer writes certain Jewish liturgical and ritual documents.

d context: 1Ki 3:5-10 5 In Gibeon YHVH appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and Elohim said, Ask what I shall give thee. 6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great gaddol H1419 mercy chesed, according as he walkedd halach before thee in truth bEmet, and in righteousness uvitsdakah, and in uprightness veyishrat of heart levav with thee; and thou hast kept vattishmor for him this great kindness hachesed , that thou hast given him a son to sit d yoshev on his throne, as it is this day. 7 And now, O YHVH my God Elohai, thou hast made thy servant avdecha king himlachta instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know d yada not how to go out or come in. 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great rav people, that cannot be numbered yimmaneh nor counted yissafer H5608 for multitude mero. 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding shomea d H8085 heart to judge lishpot H8199 mishpat thy people, that I may discern lehavin H995 biyn between good and bad: for who is able to judge lishpot this thy so great d hakkaved a people? 10 And the speech pleased adonai, that Solomon had asked this thing.

10/19/2015 http://myhebrewbible.com/Article/329 4 of 8 Klaf is made of the specially prepared skin of a kosher animal - goat, cattle, or deer. Rabbinic literature addresses three forms of skin: Gevil, consisting of the full, un-split hide, klaf, and dukhsustus which are the two halves of the full hide. …

Gen 15:8-18 KJV - Covenant of the Piecese 8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer eglah H5697 of three years old, and a she goat ez H5795 of three years old, and a ram shalash H352 of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. (12) And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

e Figure from http://www.janicerentz.com/detail/covenantbetweenthepieces.html

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Mappah aka mitpahat Source: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0020_0_19950.html

Storage of the Torah Scroll

The length of cloth known in Hebrew as the mitpaḥat (plural mitpaḥot) is the earliest known means for storage of the Torah scroll. The mitpahḥat, also known in the sources as mappah, is mentioned in the Mishnah and in the Tosefta and later in the Jerusalem and Babylonian (Mishnah, Kel. 28:4, Meg. 4:1, Kil. 9:3; Tosef. BM 9:5; TJ, Ber. 6:4; TB, Meg. 26b, etc.). It is known from these sources that in ancient times woolen or linen mitpaḥot were used, sometimes with colorful stripes woven in; some were provided with bells. It is also known from Greek and Latin literature that in the ancient Middle East important scrolls were regularly wrapped in cloth. In time, the Jewish communities of the East Mediterranean Basin, as well as the Eastern communities, began to keep their Torah scrolls in special cases. Such cases were common in the classical world; they are referred to as theca in Greek or capsa in Latin. Archaeological finds from all parts of the Roman Empire attest to the shape of the case: a cylindrical or prism-shaped container used to carry various objects, including scrolls. Used in the Jewish world to carry Torah scrolls, such cases eventually became the main permanent receptacle for Torah scrolls in the communities of the East and the East Mediterranean Basin.

Source: http://marico.cc/4jesus/pieces.html

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H4304 mitpachath vail מטפחת From H2946; a wide cloak (for a woman): - vail, wimple. KJC Occurrences: 2. veil, 1 Rth_3:15, wimples, 1 Isa_3:22

H2946 taphach spanned, swaddled טפח A primitive root; to flatten out or extend (as a tent); figuratively to nurse a child (as promotive of growth); or perhaps a denominative from H2947, from dandling on the palms: - span, swaddle. KJC Occurrences: 2 spanned, 1 Isa_48:12-13 (2); swaddled, 1 Lam_2:22 LXX related word(s) : G4732 stereoo

Isa 48:9-13 “…my right hand haths spanned tipecha the heavens” 9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. 10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. 12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.f 13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned tipecha the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

H2947 tepach handbreadth, breadth, coping hand טפח From H2946; a spread of the hand, that is, a palm breadth (not “span” of the fingers); architecturally a corbel (as a supporting palm): - coping, hand-breadth. Total KJV Occurrences: 5 handbreadth, 2 2Ch_4:5, Psa_39:5 breadth, 1 1Ki_7:26 coping, 1 1Ki_7:9 hand, 1 1Ki_7:26

f See “I am the first and the last - ami rishon v’ani acharon” (Article #315)

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Torah Factsg  There are 304,805 letters in a Torah Scroll.  Each page has 42 lines.  It takes about a year to write  The Torah is made of many sheets of parchment that are sewn together to make one very long scroll.

g Source: http://www.chabad.org/library/howto/wizard_cdo/aid/351655/jewish/Torah-Scroll-Facts.htm

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