ATorah ark (also known as thehekhal,Hebrew:היכל, oraron qodesh,אֲרוֹן קׄדֶש) is an ornamental chamber in thesynagogue that houses theTorah scrolls.[1]
The ark is also known as theark of law, or in Hebrew theAron Kodesh (אָרוֹן קׄדֶש) oraron ha-Kodesh ('holy ark') inAshkenazi communities and as theHekhal ('sanctuary') amongSefardi communities. The nameAron Kodesh is a reference to theArk of the Covenant, which was stored in theHoly of Holies in the inner sanctuaries of both the ancientTabernacle and theTemple in Jerusalem. Similarly,Hekhál (הֵיכָל 'palace'; also writtenhechal,echal,heichal orEchal Kodesh—mainly among Balkan Sephardim) was used in the same time period to refer to the inner sanctuary. Thehekhal contained theMenorah,Altar of Incense andTable of the Showbread.
In some ancient synagogues, such as the fifth-century synagogue inSusya, the Torah scroll was not placed inside the synagogue at all, but in a room adjacent to it, signifying that the sacredness of the synagogue does not come from the ark but from its being a house of prayer. The Torah was brought into the synagogue for reading purposes.
In synagogues outside of Jerusalem, the ark is placed in a chamber that is in a recess in the wall, facingJerusalem, and worshipers face this direction when reciting prayers of the service such as theAmidah.
The ark is often closed with aparochet ("curtain") placed either outside the doors of the Holy Ark (Ashkenazi andMizrachi custom) or inside the doors of the ark (Spanish and Portuguese andMoroccan or Sephardic custom). The parochet is an ornate cloth that resembles the same cloth that was once on the golden Ark. Both the aron kodesh and parochet are usually inscribed with verses fromJudaic holy scripture. These inscriptions generally display the purity of the synagogue or the celebrated uniqueness of the scrolls placed within.[2]
Jewish law states the ark is the second holiest part of a synagogue after the Torah scrolls themselves. Customs call for the congregation when reciting key prayers (such asAvinu Malkeinu – "Our Father Our King", in many communities), to stand and face the ark, on fasting days, the Ten Days of Repentance betweenRosh Hashana andYom Kippur (also called the High Holidays), and for manypiyyutim (poems, songs, etc.) recited during High Holy Day services. Many who partake in these customs consider it respectful to stand as long as the ark is open and the Torah is being moved to the reading table (or podium). However, there is no actual obligation (law) to remain standing when the ark is open, but it is a universally accepted custom.[3] In addition to this custom is the custom to never turn ones back towards the ark even when leaving the sanctuary. Instead one must back out until they have left the vicinity of the ark, and only then can they turn their back (by theKotel which is considered as a synagogue itself, this custom also exists).[citation needed]
Originally, the scrolls were placed in moveable containers that were risen up. The more permanent placement of the ark was designed as the tribes settled and built temples. As early as 245 C.E. in the synagogue ofDura-Europos a slit within the holy wall (or wall facingJerusalem) was created for the ark.[5] In ancient times, the cloth wrapped scrolls are believed to have been placed flat within a low wooden box. Historical records or discoveries point to a variety of exterior designs becoming popular within the Jewish culture of the time. Archeologists found early Torah arks within theJewish catacombs in Rome decorated with Pompeian frescoes, paintings, and graffiti.
Throughout Europe, in theMiddle Ages, designs favored taller arks. In the 14th and 15th centuries,Spanish andGerman Jewish Hebrew texts depict a new design. These texts placed the scrolls inside the ark standing upright, decorated, and wrapped with the appropriate cloth and covers. ASephardic synagogue based in Amsterdam (c.1675) contains abaroque style ark, which takes up the entire width of the central hub of the building. The Sephardic synagogue based as far north as London (c. 1701) adopted the design as mainstream. In this period, most synagogues in Europe were designed with the reading table (or podium) in the center of the building. The ark was placed on the Eastern wall, so the congregation would be facing Jerusalem when praying.[5]
During the 18th century, German synagogues incorporated a baroque style design. Decorative features such aspilasters, columns, and vases became a standard practice. Wood and stone carvers in Eastern Europe began to employ unique local craft designs in synagogue architecture. Folk art and animals were popular design features added to arks created during this period. Early designs in the United States featured built-in arks in synagogues, such as the 1763Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, which was inspired by a trend of grandeur in architectural design. The United States Jewish community continued to favor the grand or classical design style until around 1840. In the mid-1800s theMoorish style synagogues influenced by the Oriental style became the latest fashion in synagogue design. The Oriental ark design included sliding doors and a curved forepart. The most notable features of this era included domes and arches that contained geometrical polychrome designs. Many synagogue styles from the 16th to the 19th century can be seen across American and throughout Europe. However, afterWorld War II, the ark design evolved into an art form. New experimental forms and materials were employed in the making of modern arks based on the unique interests of the community commissioning the ark.[6]
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![19th century Torah shrine from the Jewish Community of Solothurn, Jewish Museum of Switzerland[7]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTorah_ark_from_Solothurn.jpg)
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