When reading sometimes it is helpful to have something to guide us so we don’t skip a line of text.
Jews use something special to help them focus while reading the Torah called a yad or a Torah pointer to point to the lines of text. It is not considered necessary to use a yad, but it is helpful.
Yads or Torah pointers in general are often at least one foot in length and may come in various styles and are often made out of sliver and sometimes made out of gold. Traditionally Torah pointers may be highly decorated with detailed engravings or plain (Eisenstein, Judah David and Jacobs, Joseph “YAD”).
But a Torah pointer is never more valuable than what it is pointing to the Torah. It is good to have a Torah pointer to guide you to the correct text. It is more important to allow the Torah to point you in the right direction. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8
The Torah points us in the right direction if we allow it. We should trust God to guide us in every area of life. The Torah pointer may only reach about 12 inches in ahead but God’s guidance reaches into eternity. The Torah pointer maybe made of silver or gold but the words of God are worth more than the world itself.
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 But we shouldn’t keep the Torah to ourselves. Whenever we have the opportunity we should point others to God.
Reference:
Eisenstein, Judah David and Jacobs, Joseph “YAD” Jewish Encyclopedia received from http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/15047-yad
Picture originally found here
