546 BEPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899. 



of scroll, 7 inches; of rollers, 14 inches. (Plate 1, fig. 1, and Plate 7. 

 U.S.N.M., No. 154606.) 



The Pentateuch, called hj the Jews Torah, i. e., the Law (properly 

 instruction), is considered by them the most important and sacred por- 

 tion of the Scriptures. In order to keep it alive in the minds of the 

 people, it is divided into pQricopes^ according to the number of Sab- 

 baths, the whole to be read through during service in the synagogue 

 within a year. ^ For this purpose a manuscript copy of the Penta- 

 teuch is used. The copy is written by a professional scribe (sofer) on 

 parchment made of the skin of a clean animal (one whose flesh may be 

 eaten), in Hebrew, without A^owel points, accents, or verse divisions, 

 in certain stated columns. The sheets are fastened together with 

 sinews of a clean animal so as to form a scroll, and mounted on 

 wooden rollers. When not in use the scroll is covered with a robe of 

 costly stuff and, when the congregation can afford it, adorned with 

 silver or gold bells and breastplate. ^ 



2. Wrapper for theTorah scroll. — Made of yellow silk, embroid- 

 ered with flowers and Hebrew inscription in silver, gold, and silk, 

 with silver lace fringes. The inscription reads: "And it brought forth 

 buds, and ))loomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.* Embroidered as 

 a hol}^ work by the hands of Magdalene Bassan in the year 5496 " 

 (1736). Measurements, 11 feet 1 inch long, 6i inches wide. (Plate i>, 

 fig. 1. U.S.N.M. No. 154603.) 



3. Wrapper for the Torah scroll. — Made of green silk, embroid- 

 ered with flowers and Hebrew inscription in silk. The inscription 

 reads: "This holy cover was made by Simha, wife of Levy Hai, of 

 Butti-io [Italy], in the year 6457 [1697], and was purchased by Phineas 

 Veneziani and brothers." Measurements, 8 feet li inches long, 7f 

 inches wide. (Plate 2, fig. 2. U.S.N.M. No. 154604.) 



4. Silver band (fragment). — Inscribed in Hebrew: "David, King 

 of Israel, lives and is established forever." Perhaps part of an orna- 

 ment of the Torah scroll. Measurements, 7f inches long, f inch wide. 

 (U.S.N.M. No. 1291.) 



5. Veil of the Holy Ark {Parochet/i). — Made in Padua, in 1736, 

 of 3^ellow silk and richly embroidered in silver, gold, and silk, with 

 flowers, and the first words of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) 

 borne upon clouds — the symbol of the Deity. Measurements, 6 feet 

 3 inches long, 5 feet 2 inches wide. (Plate 3, U.S.N.M. No. 154602.) 



'Such a weekly pericope is called by the German Jews (Ashkenaziiu) sUIm, or 

 "order;" by the Portuguese Jews (Sefardim) parasha, division, section. This latter 

 term is applied by the Ashkenazim to the shorter divisions into which the sidra is 

 divided. 



^Many modern Jewish congregations have adopted a triennial cycle, which was 

 also known in ancient times. 



•'•Compare Report of the U. S. National Museum for 1896, p. 993, and Plate 15. 



■* Numbers xvii, 23. 



