Sacred instruments used for reading the Torah on display in 'The Guided Hand' exhibit at Atlanta's Breman Museum

In the Jewish religion, reading of the Torah is central to ritual, community gatherings and daily life.

Historically, the Torah has often been printed on delicate animal-skin paper, vulnerable to damage from the elements and from human handling. Thus, for thousands of years, the sacred texts have been accompanied by a special tool — the yad, an instrument used for pointing when reading small print in the scroll of the Torah.

Yads have been created in countless forms and styles, and the largest collection in America belongs to Clay Barr. Her prized collection is on tour now and currently on view in Atlanta at the Breman Museum in the exhibition “The Guiding Hand: The Barr Foundation Judaica Collection of Torah Pointers.”