706 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. VOL. a 
stones. On the top two lions, suomi upon columns which are 
twined with garlands, uphold the ‘“ crown of the Law.” Under- 
neath the crown are the two tables of the Law, of cream-colored 
silk, with the Ten Commandments painted upon them. Under the 
tables is the inscription in Hebrew: “ The society for the study of the 
Talmud.” In the center, with the base reaching down to the bottom, 
is the candlestick (menorah) with the inscription: “ Made in the 
year 5522 (1762).” The whole is surrounded by a gold-lace border. 
Measurements, 2 feet 11 inches long, 25 inches wide. (Cat. No. 
948915, U.S.N.M.) 
Lent by Hadji Ephraim Benguiat. 
10. Heapprecr or tHE Hoty Arx.—Made of cream-colored silk, em- 
broidered in gold and silver with the “crown of the Law” and a 
prayer in Hebrew. Dated 5528 A. M.—1768 A. D. Measurements, 
114 inches high, 4 feet 3 inches long. (Cat. No. 3628 U.S.N.M.) 
Lent by Hadji Ephraim Benguiat. 
Tur Toran Scrotu.—The Pentateuch, called by the Jews Torah, 
1. e., the Law (properly instruction), 1s considered by them the most 
important and sacred portion of the Scriptures. In order to keep 
it alive in-the minds of the people, it is divided into pericopes “@ ac- 
cording to the number of Sabbaths, the whole to be read through 
during the service in the synagogue within a vear." For this purpose 
‘a manuscript copy of the Pentateuch is used. The copy is written by 
a professional scribe (sofev) on parchment made of the skin of a 
clean animal (one whose flesh may be eaten), in Hebrew, without 
vowel points, accents, or verse divisions, in certain stated columns. 
These sheets are fastened together with sinews of a clean animal so 
-as to form a scroll, and mounted on wooden rollers, called ‘“ tree of 
life” (etz hayim). When the time arrives for the reading of the 
Torah, which is about the middle of the service, the scroll is taken 
out of the Holy Ark and carried in procession, the congregation 
standing, to the b¢umah or almemar and is unrolled upon the table or 
desk. A pointer, terminating in the form of a hand and hence called 
yad (“hand”) guides the reader, preventing him from losing his 
place in the manuscript. This table or desk is covered with a costly 
cloth similar to the curtain of the Holy Ark. 
When the scroll is to be returned to the ark it is girded with a 
wrapper or band (mappah) and inclosed in a mantle, both being 
often of costly material and elaborately worked. Where the congre- 
4Such a weekly pericope is called by the German Jews (Ashkenazim) sidra, 
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. 
5’ Many modern Jewish congregations have Adopted a triennial cycle, which 
was also known in ancient times. 
