ner tamid Essay

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NER TAMID
Above and in front of the Ark the Ner Tamid burns, this is the everlasting or perpetual light. The Ner Tamid represents the lamp which burnt in the Temple in Jerusalem. Now you shall command the Children of Israel that they shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination, to kindle the lamp continually. In the Tent of Meeting, outside the Partition that is near the Testimonial-tablets, Aaron and his sons shall arrange it from evening until morning, before Hashem, an eternal decree for their generations, from the Children of Israel: Now you shall command the Children of Israel that they shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination, to kindle the lamp continually. (Exodus 27:20-1)

THE ARK
In every Jewish synagogue there is always an Ark. In Hebrew in is known as the Aaron Kodesh. It is a cupboard in which the Torah scrolls are kept; it contains the text of the Hebrew Bible and a desk from where the Torah scrolls are read. The wooden chest in which the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai is what the Ark is named after. When possible, the Ark is usually located on the Eastern wall of the synagogue, so that when one faces the Ark they are facing Jerusalem, which is the holy city, where the Holy Temple once was. As the synagogue faces Jerusalem, when Jews worship they all face the same direction and are therefore united together in prayer. The Ark is considered to be one of the holiest places in the synagogue. However, the actual Torah scrolls kept inside the Ark is the holiest. There is a curtain that covers the Ark, this is called the Parochet. Symbolically in represents the curtain that was in the Holy Temple. In Exodus 40:21 it states "He brought the ark into the Tabernacle and placed the screening dividing curtain so that it formed a protective covering before the Ark..."Only during special prayers and prayer services the Ark is opened when the Torah needs to be removed.
THE PAROCHET
The Parochet was not used to separate the rooms; a stone wall was made form that. A Rabbi named Shlomo Yitzchaki explained that it was a sign of humility and respect for the Holy Ark which was kept in the Holy of Holies. This is also true for the ark in the synagogue. The Ark has a door, but an extra curtain was added as a sign of humility and respect. This custom has been followed for thousands of years. You shall have a Partition of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and linen, twisted; a weaver’s craft, he shall make it (with a woven design of) cherubim. You shall place it upon four pillars of acacia wood,
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