Obj. ID: 37306
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah pointer, Ukraine, 1801/02

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The pointer used by the Torah reader to keep the place is known in European communities as the *yad, "hand," or the etẓba, "finger," and in Sephardi and Eastern communities as the moreh, "pointer," or kulmus, "quill," the former because of its function and the latter because of its shape. Halakhic sources also use the terms moreh or kulmus. The pointer was originally a narrow rod, tapered at the pointing end, usually with a hole at the other end through which a ring or chain could be passed to hang the pointer on the Torah scroll. An additional reason for using the pointer was to prevent the oily finger from touching the parchment and inked letter, something that would eventually cause severe deterioration.

The original form of the pointer was preserved in Eastern communities, the differences from one community to another being mainly in length and ornamentation. In certain communities, a hand with a pointing finger was added, and accordingly, the pointer came to be known as a yad, "hand," or eẓba, "finger." Pointers are made for the most part of silver or silver-plated brass, but in a few European communities, they used to be made of wood. In such cases, the pointers were carved in the local folk-art style.

Galician Torah pointers are typically formed using three main elements: the ball shape at the top where the chain is connected, the ball shape in the middle, and the cast hand with a large cuff at the pointing end. The appearance of this cuff was almost an exclusive Galician custom. Another characteristic of Galician ritual objects from silver is the use of pierced work, either cast or in sheet silver. Here that element is used on the central rod between the three main elements. On this object, all three main elements are used for inscriptions, including the modern inscription regarding the most recent repair.

Inscription:

On cuff: This was donated by the great Rabbi, the prominent and exalted, our teacher, the rabbi, Reb Yitzhak, son of the Rabbi Elyakum, the righteous, of blessed memory

On the top ball: (5)562 [1801/02, according to the minor reckoning

On middle ball: repaired in the year (5)751 [1991], according to the minor reckoning