There are many religions worldwide, and people believe many different things around the world. Nonetheless, each person has a unique way of living and showing what they believe, and that’s something beautiful.
To listen to the entire article, click on the button
Regardless of that, others need to be respectful to other people and their traditions if they don’t want others to disrespect them. People who follow Judaism do different things than the ones who follow Catholicism.
If you’ve seen any Torah reading in your life, you may have noticed the worshippers use a silver Torah pointer. That’s not something they do because just so since everything has a meaning here. Are you interested in knowing more about the matter? This is the page for you.
Keep reading to learn everything about silver Torah pointers, what they are, and why people use them. Knowing this may give you a deeper understanding of Jewish rituals and their way of living.
What Is a Yad?
The Yad is the ritual tool people use to follow the text they are reading in a Torah reading. This all comes from the parchment Torah scrolls, so it’s something you can only use if you are part of this ritual.
People also call yads a Torah pointer, so you can use the name you like best for the matter. Silver Torah pointers are like a long rod, and their top has a small hand with an index finger pointing forward, so that’s the part you use to follow the reading.
Why do people use a yad? Because it keeps the person reading the Torah from touching the actual scrolls. There are many reasons why people shouldn’t handle the scrolls during a reading, and one of them is that it’s not difficult to damage the scrolls.
Therefore, directly touching the scrolls with your hands while reading could even damage the lettering, which is something you don’t want to happen in the middle of a reading. People undergoing a Torah reading are never supposed to touch the scroll with their bare hands.
For our entire collection of Personalized Torah Pointers with Personalized Name Tag
What Are Torah Readings?
If you want to learn more about Sterling Silver Torah Pointers, you need to know what people use them for. Torah readings, as their name suggests, are a Jewish religious tradition that consists of publicly reading some passages from the Torah scroll.
This is similar to what people going to the Catholic church often do, but with a different book and a unique way of doing things.
Torah readings have to follow a specific chant and procedure, so it’s not something anyone can do. Nonetheless, you can attend a Torah reading if you are interested in it.
However, when people say you can’t touch the Torah during a reading, they mean you can’t handle the actual scroll of the content of it. The Torah is lifted before the ritual by the person undergoing the whole process, and that’s something they do with their bare hands.
This is not new, and people have been going through this process for hundreds of years, so it’s a strong custom that has passed through generations of Jews. As we mentioned before, this is something done publicly, so anyone invited to one can assist in a Torah reading if they feel like it.
How Are Silver Torah Pointers Made?
There are many ways to make Torah pointers, and people can use different materials. The reason for this is that there’s not a specific material needed for the process to be successful, so it doesn’t matter if the pointer is not always made of silver.
Regardless of that, most yads are made of silver, so you may see one made of that material if you attend a Torah reading. Regardless of that, some people cover the Yad with fabric, so it’s also not uncommon to see that happening.
At Nadav Art, the process of making the Torah Pointers is held in our little workshop in the center of Jerusalem. The main artist, Avi Nadav, and his talented craftsmen work hard to design and create beautiful pieces.
Can Everyone Read the Torah?
Considering silver Torah pointers are that important to Judaism, many people wonder if they could use one or if it’s something that only people approved by the Talmud can do. However, the Talmud states that anyone can read the Torah and can be called to do it in a synagogue.
There are some discrepancies on this matter, though. While the Talmud states that even minors and women can do it, most synagogues don’t let women do it since the Kevod Hatzibur shows that is against the dignity of the congregation.
Hence, many Modern Othodox congregations include all-female prayer groups for them to be permitted to read during Torah readings. Yet, they can only do it in those rituals. The current Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth also states women are not allowed to read the Torah if they are in a United Synagogue.
Nevertheless, people can’t directly touch the Torah scrolls regardless of whether they are women or men, so they all need to use a Torah pointer.
How to Use the Yad
Using the Yad is not that difficult, and anyone could easily manage it. The main purpose of the yad is to keep you from touching the Torah scrolls, so everything will be fine as long as you don’t do it.
You need to use silver yad for Torah in the same way you would use a regular pointer when explaining something to another person, for example.
Use the silver Torah pointer to show where you are reading while you do so. You can touch the scrolls directly with the yad, but make sure to not do it harshly since you could still damage the scrolls if you use more strength than needed.
For our entire collection of Silver Yad Torah Pointers
For our entire collection of Pewter Yad Torah Pointers
Where Does the Word “Yad” Come from?
As you could see, there are two different ways of calling the yad since you could also say they are Torah pointers. The meaning of the term “silver Torah pointer” is straightforward, so it’s not difficult to know what they are meant to do when you see one.
Regardless of that, not many know what the original term “yad” means. Nonetheless, there’s not a deep explanation on the matter since yad is simply the Arabic word for hand.
Special Designs for Style
Any kind of Yad for Torah can do, but why settle for boring, plain yads when you can do it in style? Here in Nadav Art we offer various designs and decorations for Yads. Prominent examples are the Colorful Silver Torah Pointer for modern art admirers or the Traditional Filigree Silver Torah Pointer for lovers of vintage art.
For our entire collection of Yad Torah Pointers
