Obj. ID: 37260
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah pointer, Chefchaouen (Chechouan, Chaouen), 1898

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.

 This Yad was made in Chechouan, the city of the tomb of Amram ben Diwan, one of the prime places for "Hilulah", or pilgrimage. The use of the two birds on top is reminiscent of the birds found on Ketubot and Chanukah menorahs in the area.

Inscription: This holy (item) was donated to the Holy Congregation of Chechuoan, may he build his city, amen, by the synagogue activist Akivah Sanans(?), may his rock protect him, for the holiness of the Torah scroll in the synagogue........................ Here in Chechouan, .......................in the month of Tevet, the year (5)658 (= 1897/98), son of Nissim, may his rock protect him