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Sefer Torah
The Sefer Torah is the single most holy object in Judaism and thus the pinnacle of the sofer's work is to fulfill the 613th commandment and write a Sefer Torah. Indeed Maimonides notes that 'it is positive commandment for every Jew to write for themselves a Sefer Torah'. Nowadays this mitsvah is sometimes fulfilled by Jews as at a siyyum by writing a letter (guided by the scribe) to help complete the Torah, but more often than not most Jews will never get the opportunity to participate in this holy task.

As well as writing afresh, a major scribal occupation is the reparation of scrolls that have become damaged or worn through use. The parchment, ink and seams are stronger than most people would think but they are not indestructible.  To be honest no mere website can do justice to the enormity of information surrounding the preparation and repair of a Sefer Torah, so the pages leading from this one are merely the tip of a very large iceberg.
Parts of the Sefer Torah

Y'riah (sheet)
Each individual sheet of k’laf that is sewed together to form the whole of the Sefer Torah is called a y'riah. In the first instance a y'riah must contain at least 3 amudim (columns) of text though many can contain as many as 8. The number of sheets joined together varies depending on the size of the k’laf but on average this will be about 50.  For more on the parchment itself see the section on k’laf.

Amud (column)
The number of lines in a column in a Sefer Torah can vary although nowadays virtually all scrolls will be written to the format of the standard Tikkun which gives 42 lines. However the Rambam's (Maimonides) own scroll was 51 lines and Sifrey Torah can be 60, 72 or 98 lines deep. The various explanations for the number of lines are as follows:
42 lines corresponding to the stops made by the Israelites journey between Sinai to the plains of Moab (Num. Chapter 33).
60 lines corresponding to sixty myriads of Israelites classified as being of military age (Num. 1:46)
72 lines corresponding to the number of elders (Num. 11:16) even though there are actually only 70!
98 lines corresponding to the number of curses and warnings (Deut. 27:28)
but even if the scribe differed from these it is not pasul (invalid). However a scribe must adhere to the rulings as regards p'tuchah (open) and s'tumah (closed) sections and any difference here does invalidate the work.

Above: This Sefer Torah was one belonging to the East London Synagogue and the photograph was taken many years ago whilst I was an art student (hence the black and white!) on the ornate bimah (platform) shortly before the synagogue was closed and vandalised. For more on the history of the East London Synagogue you can see my book 'The East London Synagogue - Outpost of Another World', Marc Michaels © 2008 (Paperback, epub and PDF).  Photo © Mordechai Pinchas.

Rimonim  (bells)
Adorning the top of the finials are the rimonim. The rimonim correspond to the hems of the special robe which was fringed with golden bells and blue and purple pomegranates (Ex. 28:31-35) however the bells are decorations on what are classed as kitray torah (crowns). The crown corresponds to the mitre or turban worn by the priests, and over that of the High Priest was a plate of pure gold bearing the word kadosh l'Hashem (Holy to the Lord).

Choshen Mishpat (breastplate of judgment)
From Ex. 28:15,17, the breastplate of the High Priest was inlaid with twelve precious or semi precious stones one for each of the 12 tribes set out in 4 rows of 3 and sometimes this design can be echoed on the modern choshen which most often resembles a shield.  A chain holds the breastplate to the scroll by means of the two finials at the top.

K'tonet (cover)/ Tik (casing)
The scroll is protected by a cover usually made from a hard wearing velvet and embroidered. The cover or mantle corresponds to the special robe worn over the coat by the High Priest alone that was died blue.  Traditionally designs have involved crowns, the sh'ney luchot ha'brit (two tablets of the covenant) of the lions of Judah with letters kaf and tav standing for Keter Torah (crown of the Torah) However many scrolls covers are now seen as works of art in themselves with more contemporary designs and colours other than blue!  See the section on k'tonet for more examples and some that I've designed.
A Sefardi or Yemenite scroll is encased in a tik which is a wooden casing which stands upright. Sefardim read it standing up which does give you a bit of a backache when you get down to the bottom of the column. Teymanim tends to lay it an angle.

Below: an image slider showing a range of Torah covers, casings and decorations from various synagogues I've been to where I've fixed or examined Sifrey Torah. Photos  © Mordechai Pinchas.

Gartle

Fastening the rolled scroll together is the gartle.  This can be a plain chord to an embroidered band.  Many - as the one shown on the left - now have a designed hook for speed as opposed to being tied. The swaddling cloth used at a boys brit can be often saved and fashioned into a gartle and then used to bind the torah on the day of his barmitsvah. 


Above left:  A gartle with a joining hook in the  shape of the tablets. Photo © Mordechai Pinchas.

Atsey Chayim

The handles of a Sefer Torah are known as atsey chayim (sing. ets chayim) the trees of life. This is taken from the verse in 'It (the Torah) is a tree of life to all who grasp it The handle itself breaks into various parts: The shaft (containing a number of holes by which the parchment is affixed with giddin. The discs, some of which can be singles or doubles (depending on the size of the Torah to allow for neat rolling) and decorated. The handle at the bottom The finials at the top, again often carved and sometimes partly made from ivory. 


Right:  A Torah disc decorated with ivory  with illustrations in the centre. Photo © Mordechai Pinchas.
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