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.