Torah Ark - Placement and Structure

Placement and Structure

The ark is usually placed on or near that wall of the sanctuary which is facing Jerusalem — in practice often on the East wall, even in many cases where this is not in the direction of Jerusalem, and in some cases also on a seemingly random wall which was seen as architecturally easiest when the synagogue was constructed. In those cases where the ark does not show the direction to Jerusalem, traditional Judaism instructs the worshipper to face the true direction towards Jerusalem in prayers like the Amidah.

In some ancient synagogues, such as the fifth-century synagogue in Susia, the Torah scroll was not placed inside the synagogue at all, but in a room adjacent to it, showing that the sacredness of the synagogue does not come from the ark but from its being a house of prayer. The Torah was brought in to the synagogue for reading.

Most arks feature a parokhet (curtain). The parokhet can be placed outside the doors of the ark (typical Ashkenazi and Mizrachi custom) or inside the doors of the ark (typical Spanish and Portuguese and Moroccan Sephardi custom).

Some arks are built around a steel safe, which protects the Torah scrolls from fire or theft. Typically, the safe features a combination lock.