Torah ark

Torah Ark of the Szeged Synagogue

The Torah ark or ark in a synagogue is known in Hebrew as the Aron Kodesh by the Ashkenazim and as the Hekhál among most Sefardim; it is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls (Sifrei Torah in Hebrew).^[1] Most arks feature a parokhet (curtain) placed either outside the doors of the ark (Ashkenazi and Mizrachi custom) or inside the doors of the ark (Spanish and Portuguese and Moroccan Sephardi custom).

Origin of the names

Bnei Brak, Israel

Aron Kodesh comes from Hebrew אָרוֹן קׄדֶש‎ ʼārōn qōdeš (i.e. aron kodesh), Holy Ark. This name is a reference to the ’ārōn haqqōdeš, the Hebrew name for the Ark of the Covenant which was stored in the Holy of Holies in the inner sanctuary of both the ancient Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem. Similarly, Hekhál, also written hechal, echal or heichal — and sometimes also Echal Kodesh (mainly among Balkan Sephardim) comes from Hebrew הֵיכָל‎ [hēkhāl] ‘palace’, was used in the same time period to refer to the inner sanctuary. The hekhal contained the Menorah, Altar of Incense, and Table of the Showbread.

Placement

Modena, Italy (1505)

The ark is often placed on the wall of the sanctuary which is facing Jerusalem, however it is sometimes placed on the East wall or another wall for architectural reasons. In those cases where the ark does not show the direction to Jerusalem, traditional Judaism instructs the worshiper to face the true direction towards Jerusalem in prayers such as the Amidah.

In some ancient synagogues, such as the fifth-century synagogue in Susia, 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.

Gallery

• 
  Beth Jakov synagogue in Macedonia
• 
  Kotel, Jerusalem
• 
  Safed, Israel
• 
  Cedar, Jerusalem stone, and bronze Torah ark for Lincoln Square Synagogue, New York City (2013), by the artist David Ascalon.
• 
  Novi Sad, Serbia
• 
  Kraków, Poland
• 
  Pfaffenhoffen, Alsace
• 
  Ark based on a Chinese Buddhist design used by the Kaifeng Jews of China
• 
  Ark decorated for Shavuot, Encino, California, United States
• 
  Esnoga, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 
  Abuhav synagogue, Israel
• 
  Ark inside the Synagogue in Győr, Hungary.

See also

• Ark of the Covenant
• Bimah
• Three hares
• Church tabernacle

References

1. Wischnitzer, Rachel, and Bezalel Narkiss (2007). "Ark." Encyclopaedia Judaica. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. p. 463-464.

External links

• “Aron Kodesh” in Jewish Encyclopedia