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Scroll

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A roll of parchment, papyrus, or other material used for writing a sacred text, such as the Torah in Judaism.

Detailed Definition
Scrolls were the ancient form of books and are the physical vessels for many foundational religious scriptures. The Torah scroll is treated with the utmost reverence in Judaism. In poetry, the scroll symbolizes sacred knowledge, revelation, and the unfolding of divine will or destiny. It can represent the book of life, where deeds are recorded, or the sealed mysteries of God that are revealed at the end of time. The act of unrolling a scroll is a powerful image for the gradual revelation of truth.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Jewish poetry, Scroll (Torah) is living word: “Silver pointers—Scroll unrolls God’s covenant”; In Isaiah’s vision, Scroll contains hope: “Comfort, comfort—Scroll for exiles”; In contemporary verse, Scroll is memory: “Family letters—Scroll of migration and resilience”; Poets treat Scroll as sacred object: “Handle with care—Scroll breathes with ancestors’ breath.”
Additional Notes
Scrolls—Torah, Isaiah’s prophecy—embody sacred word as physical object; unrolling them is ritual act of revelation; in poetry, scrolls symbolize memory, covenant, and the weight of tradition; their linear form contrasts with digital immediacy, reminding readers that wisdom unfolds slowly, hand over hand, in communal reading.
Also Known As
Torah Scroll Megillah Codex
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