A Torah Scroll - Why I Took This Photograph

This picture was taken by me years ago at a Barmitzvah (when a Jewish boy turns 13) at the Kotel (the Western Wall in Jerusalem.)

To me, the Torah represents the ultimate guide-book for a Jew. But more than that - it represents the guide-book for all humanity, because inside it one will find not just the history of the world - starting from what some would call the Big-Bang (managed and orchestrated by the Creator of all existence and which might otherwise be called the "Tzimtzum"), but also the most moral of values for all humanity to follow. The Jewish people have been given 613 main commandments to follow. When the Torah was given to the Jewish people - publicly with some 3 million people present - in addition to these commandments, 7 commandments were given to all of mankind. In fact, hidden inside those "small" 7 commandments - one will find the essence of all moral values in life. If the world would follow just these 7 commandments, all of society would be become moral in the widest sense of the word.

So here we are - the Barmitzvah boy is standing in front of that Torah scroll - written in Hebrew - the letters used in the creation of the world. The image is taken sideways with the boy - not in the picture - on the left side of the image.

He is about to make a blessing expressing his thanks at being able to read from this scroll - over 3300 years old (and counting). It is hand-written, and the scribe must know thousands of laws in order to write it just perfectly - because if one letter is written incorrectly, or there is one letter too much - or one that is missing - the entire Torah is flawed and may not be used!

The Barmitzvah boy stands ready to embark on his beginnings into "manhood" when he will now be obligated to fulfill all the commandments of the Torah - because this is his purpose in life. His essential purpose - combined with everything he will go through and everything he will become throughout his life...

Here, in front of him - just a small area of the Torah is open. The rest of it placed on the two scrolls on either side. He will need to learn it all throughout his life - but for today - he will read just a snippet of it - something which pertains to the current period of time that he is currently in - and that is read that week.

Hidden between those two "Atzei Chaim" - "Trees of Life" (the name given to the two rods and handles which hold the scroll and allow it to move from one side to the other) one will find every single secret of creation. Of Creation (sic.)

To the one who does not read Hebrew - it looks like blotches of pictures. To the one who can read, but does not understand - it just a collection of garbled sounds. To the one who understands the words - it is a story of sorts...

But to the one who looks deeper, he/she will see that herein lies the secrets of Creation - the secrets of the Soul. The revealed world and the hidden worlds. Herein lies our connection with all of Creation and the Creator Himself... Everyone of us...

This is the Torah. This is what I see in this photo.

Purchase this picture for yourself - print it to fill your wall. Contemplate what it may mean to you...