GEAR ALTAR—Place  of  offerings  to  God.  The  table  in  the  Jewish  home  is often seen as a substitute for the altar and many customs are derived from this identification. ARK—The  enclosed  structure,  freestanding  or  built  into  the  wall  of the synagogue, which houses the scrolls of the laws. The ark is placed on  the  eastern  wall  of  the  synagogue—toward  Jerusalem—so  that worshipers will face the Torah and the Temple area in prayer. Whenever a Torah scroll is taken out for the reading of the law,  the ark  becomes  the  focus  of  a  dramatic  ceremony.  Adorned  with  silver crown, breastplate, and finial, the  scroll  is  carried  in  a  procession  to the reading desk, amid song and praise, as the congregation stands in respect. During the reading of special prayers, worshipers also rise as a mark of respect and stand while the ark remains open. BIBLE—The common English designation for the Hebrew scriptures. BIHAM—An  elevated  platform  with  a  reader’s  desk  or  table  from which   the   reading   of   the   law   and  other   liturgical   functions   are conducted in the synagogue. CANDLES—Lighting the Sabbath candles before sunset on Friday or on the eve of the festivals is primarily done in the home. At least two candles must be used. At  weddings,  it  is  customary  for  fathers  of  the  bride  and  groom  to accompany the groom down the  aisle or to the chupa  each  holding  a lighted  candle.  The  two  mothers  then  accompany  the  bride,  also holding lighted candles. A more general practice is lighting candles in rituals  connected  with the dead, lamps and lights being symbolic of man’s soul. Candles are lit when a person dies, in the house of a bereaved family throughout the  7  days  of  mourning,  on  the  anniversary  of  the  death  of  a  close relative, and on those days when memorial  prayers  for  the  dead  are recited in synagogue. It is also  customary  for  a  memorial  light  to  be kept burning throughout the Day of Atonement. CANDLESTICKS—see MENORAH. ETERNAL   LIGHT—A   perpetually   burning   lamp   used   in   Jewish worship. The eternal light is electrified with a bulb whose encasement and pendant chains are often elaborate. FIVE    SCROLLS—The    biblical    books:    Song    of    Songs,    Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. HALLOT—Special loaf of bread for Sabbaths and festivals HANUKKAH  LAMP—Also  known  as  a  Hanukkah  menorah;  an eight-branched candelabrum ritually lit in celebration of Hanukkah. KIDDUSH CUPS—A special or unique benediction cup. MAGEN  DAVID—The  shield  of  David,  a  hexagram  or  six-pointed star formed by two superimposed equilateral triangles. This star of David has become a distinctive Jewish symbol. MENORAH—Candelabrum, with seven branches. MEZUZAH—Meaning   doorpost,   the   Mezuzah   contains   a   small scroll   of   parchment   containing   selected   biblical   passages.   The Mezuzah is traditionally affixed to the right-hand doorposts of the Jewish home, synagogues, and public dwellings. PENTATEUCH—The   Torah   or   first   five   books   of   the   Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. SHOFAR—A kind of trumpet producing distinctive notes and blown ritually during the penitential season. STAR OF DAVID—See Magen David SUKKAH—The booth erected for the Sukkot festival. SYNAGOGUE—The  central  religious  institution  of  Judaism,  the center  for  public  prayer  and  for   other  religious and   community activities. TABLES  OF  THE  COVENANT—A  two   stone  tablet received  by Moses  from  God  on  Mount  Sinai  containing  the  written  law  or commandments. TORAH—See Pentateuch. TORAH  ORNAMENTS—To  honor  and  protect  the  Torah,  Jewish communities decorate the Scrolls of the Laws. The scroll has a cloth mantle  and  a  metal  breastplate  hung  over  the  cloth  mantle.  The rollers to which the parchment scroll is attached are made of wood and are often topped with metal finials. Torah scrolls are  adorned by a keter,  a crown that fits over the two rollers. UNLEAVENED  BREAD—Also  known  as  matsah,  this  bread  is made without leavening agents to be used during Passover. YAD—Pointer used to keep the place while reading from the Scroll of the Law. Figure 1-13A.—Essential gear for Jewish worship. GARMENTS AMULETS—Objects worn or kept close to one’s person as a protection against evil, natural and supernatural. Amulets are normally inscribed with blessings, names of God, names given to angels, the star of David, a menorah, the hand, and squares and rectangles. PRAYER SHAWL—See Tallit. TALLIT—A   four-cornered,   fringed   garment   worn   during   certain prayers. TEFILLIN—Two     small quadrangular black     leather boxes containing four biblical passages that male Jews from the age of 13 wear on the left arm and on the head during the weekday mourning service. YARMULKE—See covering the head. Figure 1-13B.—Essential garments for Jewish worship. 1-30