Obj. ID: 37256 Torah pointer, Emden, circa 1790
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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 eẓba, "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.
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.
One of the most beautiful Torah pointers in existence, this Yad is gilt and set with diamonds on the pointing hand and finger. It was finely crafted by the same silversmith who made the restoration work for the Emden tas of 1639, Gross Family Collection 051.001.019. It was clearly made to be dedicated along with the Torah shield and to be used with it. The elegance and richness of these two objects certainly indicate a wealthy donor, who, in this case, had no dedicatory inscription inscribed on either object.