About Torah Guards

"Make your Sefer Torahs

Safer Torahs"

courtesy David Wiseman, Zaide Reuven's Esrog Farm Dallas, TX, www.esrogfarm.com

Shomrei Ha-Torah שומרי התורה

Torah Guards:
Insurance For Your Synagogue’s
Most Cherished Possessions

Is there a more important investment than your synagogue’s Torahs?

If you haven’t installed Torah Guards, you’re not protecting your Torah scrolls as you should. The edges of the scrolls are probably uneven, rolling is difficult and sloppy. The binding of the scroll to the rollers may be in jeopardy, and you may have small rips or tears on the edges. Some pictures of what commonly happens are shown here:

Examples of scrolls without guards:
note the damaged edges

Damage occurs while lifting and carrying the Torah, when the scrolls are suspended by the sinew connecting them to the dowels.

As time passes, the scrolls become uneven and rub on the wheels. The rubbing and uneven handling cause the rips, tears, and other damage. Eventually, the sinew becomes loose, and the Torah needs to be professionally repaired.

The design of Torah rollers is fundamentally flawed. The system is designed so that the rollers are off-center, in order that they roll into each other to neatly store the scroll. While the scroll is sewn to the rollers to accommodate this, when the Torah is lifted there is no support for the heavy scroll, and it begins to sag. The sag puts undue tension on the bindings, eventually leading to failure. While this is happening, the uneven rolling causes the edges to rub and fold, eventually causing damage.

The Solution:

Torah Guards provide the needed support to the Torah scroll as it is rolled and held in the air between readings and its return to the Ark. Torah Guards guide the Torah scroll as it is rolled, keeping it evenly balanced between the rollers. When lifted, Torah Guards give the scroll support so it does not hang unevenly between the rollers and the plates, preventing parchment deformation and potential damage.

New Torahs may come with guards installed, as shown on these websites:

The guards shown on these websites work exactly the same way, but cannot be
removed or installed without dismantling the rollers. They are not sold separately.

A source of guards to retrofit on your Torahs has not been available until now.

Installing Torah Guards on each of your Torahs is easy and will extend the life of your scrolls preventing damage to your expensive investments. No disassembly of the rollers is required. Torah Guards are mounted between the "odd" roller and the scroll, as shown in the diagram and photos below:

Scrolls with Torah Guards in place -

Mounted between the "odd" roller and the scroll, as shown here:

Note here how evenly the scrolls roll up, and the condition of the edges,

even with the worn spacers in place (for about 20 years)

Torah Guards will extend the life of the Torah scroll by helping to roll it

evenly and tightly, providing support to the scroll when being lifted or carried.

Diagram of the use of Torah Guards

Links:

www.woodmeister.org

Home of Tex - Mensch Art