Ark (synagogue)
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The Ark in a synagogue (Jewish house of worship) is known as the Aron Kodesh amongst Ashkenazim and as Hekhál amongst most Sefardim. It is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls (Sifrei Torah in Hebrew) built in all synagogues. In most cases, when possible, the Ark is located on the wall of the synagogue closest to Jerusalem, considered the holiest spot in the world by Judaism.
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[edit] Origin of the names
[edit] Aron Kodesh
Aron Kodesh comes from Hebrew אֲרוֹן קֹדשׁ [ărōn qōdeš] (i.e. aron kodesh), "Holy Ark". This name is a reference to the aron ha-qodesh, the Hebrew name for the Ark of the Covenant which was stored in the Holy of Holies in the ancient Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem.
[edit] Hekhál
Hekhál, also written hechal, echal or heichal — and sometimes also Echal Kodesh (mainly amongst Balkan Sephardim) comes from Hebrew הֵיכָל [hēkhāl] ‘palace’, a term which was also used in the time of the Temple in Jerusalem to refer to the inner sanctuary containing the Holy of Holies.
[edit] 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 Amida.
In 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 it being a house of prayer. The Torah was brought in to the synagogue for reading.
In connection with the Ark, there is usually 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).
