The building itself was generally in the form of a theatre ; the door was always on the west, so that on entering the worshippers might at once face the front, which was turned towards Jerusalem, since the law is, that 'all the worshippers in Israel are to have their faces turned to that part of the world where Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Holy ot Holies are' (Berachoth, 3o a). This law, which is deduced from Kings viii. 29, Dan. vi. to, and the' allegorical interpretation of Song of Songs iv. 4, also obtained among the early Christians (Origen, Hom. v. in Num. Opp. ii. 284) and the Mohammedans (Kara's, Sara ii.) Hence all the windows were generally in the eastern wall, so that the worshippers might look towards the Holy City, in accordance with Dan. vi. to. Like the temple, the synagogue was frequently without a roof, as may be seen from the following remark of Epiphanius : There were anciently places of pmyer without the city, both among the Jews and tbe Samaritans . . . . there was a place of prayer at Sichem, now called Neapolis, without the city in the fields, in the form of a theatre, open to the air, and without covering, built by the Samaritans, who in all things imitated the Jews' (Contr. Hares. lib. iii. hares. 80). It was this, coupled with the fact that the Jews had no images, which gave rise to the satirical remark of Juvenal— ' Nil prxter nubes, et coeli numen adorant.' Sat. xiv. 98.
In some places there were temporary summer and winter synagogues ; they were pulled down and re-erected at the beginning of each season, so that the style of building might be according to the period of the year (Baba Bathra, 3 b).
At the wall opposite the entrance, or at the Jerusalem end, stood the wooden chest or ark (1-04n) containing the scrolls of the law. It stood on a raised base with several steps stellium, 7erusalem I), which the priests mounted when they pronounced the bene diction (Num. vi. 24-26) upon the congregation.
Hence the phrase prt5 n5y, which was retained after the destruction of the temple to describe the act of giving the benediction to the people by the priests (Rosh Ha-Shana, b ; Sabbath, b). It is necessary to bear in mind that the ancient name for this ark is %VI (comp. Iffishna Berachoth, v. 3. 4 ; Taanith, I. 2 ; Alegilla,iv. 4, al.), the name afterwards given to it (MN) being reserved for the ark of the covenant tables which was wanting in the second temple. There was a canopy (6tZ) spread over the ark, under which were kept the vestments used during the service (7erusalem iii.) In some places the ark or chest had two compartments, the upper one con taining the scrolls of the law, and the lower the synagogical garments of the officers of the com munity. The ark was not fastened to the wall but was free, so that it might easily be taken out side the door of the synagog-ue in case a death occurred in the place of worship, in order that the priests should be able to attend the service, or be removed into the streets when fasts and days of humiliation were kept (Alishna Taanith, [FAsTs]). In later times, however, a recess was
made in the wall, and the ark was kept there.
This recess was called the Sanctuary 6v1-1, trip). On certain occasions the ark was removed from the recess and placed on the rostrum filt:P1=thjaa) in the middle of the synagogue ( Tosiphia iii.; Maimonides, laa' Ha-Chezaka Hilchoth Lulab, vii. 23. [TABERNACLES, FEAST oF..] In the front of the ark was the desk of the leader of the divine worship ; and as the place of the ark was amphitheatral, the desk was sometiines lower and sometimes higher than the level of the room. IIence the interchangeable phrases he who de scends before the ark (nTn ,)th "rovi), and 'he who ascends before the ark' (rm,rin -1313.tro, used to designate the leader of divine worship in the synagogue (Mishna Taanith,11. 2 ; Berachoth, v. 4; Rosh Ha-Shana, iv. ; Megilla iv. 3, 5, 7, al.) The next important piece of' furniture was the rostrum or platform (11) ;it= = pc,a, tvD-11:), capable of containing several persons (Neh. viii. 4 ; ix. 4 ; Joseph. A/dig. iv. 8. 12). On this platform the lessons from the law and the prophets were read, discourses delivered, etc. (Mishna Sota viii. 8 ; Babylon Succa, 51 b ; Me gilla, 26 b CHAPHTARA1). There were no ar rangements made at first for laying down the law whilst reading, and the one upon whom it devolved to read a portion of the pericope had to hold the roll in his hand till the second one came up to read, and relieved him of it. Afterwards, how ever, there was a reading-desk (isi)t-4=-dvaXo-yEicw) on this platform, and the roll of the law was laid down during pauses, or when the Methurgeman (p-onn) = interpreter, was reciting in the verna cular of the country the portion read (9oma 68 b ; Megilla, 26 b ; Jerusalem Megilla, iii.) 'The reading-desk was covered with a cloth (/+:1741D), which varied in costliness according to the circum stances of the congregation (lifegilla, 26 b). When the edifice was large this platform was generally in the centre, as was the case in the synagogue at Alexandria (Stecca, 51 b).
There were also arm-chairs riro,nwrinp = ectadapat, = teXatrijpes), or seats of honour (rpeoroica'5.caplae), for the elders of the synagogue, the doctors of the law, etc. (Matt. xxiii. 2, 6 ; Mark xii. 39 ; Luke xi. 43 ; Succa, b ; Mai monides, Hilchoth Tephila x. 4). They were placed in the front of the aric containing the law, or at the Jerusalem end, in the uppermost part of the synagogue, and these distinguished persons sat with their faces to the people, whilst the congrega tion stood facing both tbese honourable ones and the ark (Tosiphta Megilla, iii.) In the synagogue at Alexandria there were seventy-one golden chairs, according to the number of the members of the Great Sanhedrim (Succa, 51 b [SANHEDRIA1]). In the synagogue of Bagdad the ascent to the holy ark was composed of ten marble steps, on the uppermost of which were the stalls set apart for the Prince of the Captivity and the other princes Df the house of David' (Benjamin of Tudela, The Itinerary,vol. p. ro5, ed. Ascher, London 184o).