Box for the Torah

A special box in which the Torah Scrolls, the most sacred object for Jews, are kept for protection.

This is a cylindrical wooden box covered in worn crimson velvet and decorated with shields and silver applications with Hebrew inscriptions and floral motifs. The silver rim at the top is shaped like a crown. Inside it contains a scroll of parchment with the Torah inscription. This piece is originally from Yemen.

This type of box is in turn kept in a special cabinet (Aron Kodesh). The Torah can also be covered with a very ornate cloth called a mappah. If there are no boxes or cloths available, the scrolls are placed face down to prevent them from being read.