Sefer Torah

A Sefer Torah (; plural: Sifrei Torah ; "Book(s) of Torah" or "Torah scroll(s)") is a handwritten copy of the Torah, the holiest book within Judaism. It must meet extremely strict standards of production. The Torah scroll is mainly used in the ritual of Torah reading during Jewish services. At other times, it is stored in the holiest spot within a synagogue, the Aron Kodesh ("Holy Ark"), which is usually an ornate curtained-off cabinet or section of the synagogue built along the wall that most closely faces Jerusalem, the direction Jews face when praying.