How are sacred texts used in Judaism?
For many Jews, the sacred texts are very special, so a great deal of respect is shown towards them.
In the synagogueBuilding for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly., the Torah is kept in the arkThe cabinet in the synagogue where the Torah scroll is kept. and each scroll is decorated with a mantle and ornaments. In the synagogue, the Torah scroll is carried in a procession so all are aware of its importance and can act respectfully towards God's laws.
The text of the unrolled scrolls is not touched with hands, but a yadHand-held pointer used in reading the Torah. is used instead to follow the words, so that no words will be smudged or damaged. Writing Torah scrolls with ink on parchment is a painstaking process, as it must be written correctly with no mistakes. If mistakes are made, the page is disposed of respectfully. The Torah is written in HebrewThe ancient language of the Jewish people. The language of the Torah, the Temple and the modern state of Israel.. Sacred texts are used in ceremonies, celebrations, festivals, worship and for prayer.
Question
Explain the importance of the Torah to Jews.
The Torah refers to the first five books of Moses. Judaism teaches that God dictated the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai after their exodus from Egyptian slavery. The belief is that the Torah shows how God wants Jews to live. It contains 613 commandments and the faith refers to the ten best known of these as the ten statements. The Torah is an important Jewish sacred text, which is one section of the Tenakh, along with the Nevi鈥檌m and the Ketuvim. The Torah contains many Jewish laws as well as providing guidance on how people can live a good Jewish life. Special respect is shown to the Torah, which is kept in a special cupboard known as the 鈥榓rk鈥 in the synagogue. A yad will be used to point to words in the Torah while it is being read.