torah-dedication_larsonsKen and Barbara Larson had no idea that God was calling them to donate Torah scrolls to seminaries around the world when they said yes to Him. Originally, they said yes to a mission trip to Tajikistan. When that trip was cancelled, they realized that God had other plans. They kept saying yes, and to date, they’ve donated 27 Torahs to seminaries with a high view of Scripture.

“God asked us to say yes to Tajikistan,” Barbara said at the dedication ceremony. “We never got there. That was not part of God’s plan. But God had something so much bigger for us than we could ever imagine. We’re learning to say yes. And it’s amazing! Our challenge to you is to say yes to God. You may not go to the place that God prompted you for that first initial response, but it is amazing how God will lead you.”

The Larsons donated their first Torah to Bethel Seminary in 2014 for their 50th wedding anniversary. At that dedication, they realized that most seminaries did not have access to a Torah. As a result, the Larsons purchased a collection of Torahs to donate because they believe it’s important for students of the Word and faculty to read from original documents.

“The Torah is at the core of Jewish life,” Ken said. “ It’s at the roots of our faith. The first reference to Christ or a messianic being is in Genesis 3:15 when God promises to bring a Messiah. The plan of redemption…is all centered in the Torah.”

This Ashkenazi Torah originated from the central-eastern European regions and survived the Holocaust. This Torah scroll is 17 inches tall and 10 inches in diameter. Fully unrolled, it stretches approximately 100 feet and is composed of 50-60 calfskins.

In spite of the Torah’s history, the Larsons hope that this Torah will be studied and used by the community.

“It’s an amazing piece of history that has been preserved over the years,” Barbara said. “If you look at the Dead Sea Scrolls, the fragments are exactly the same writings as what your Torah will have. God has preserved His word.”

To illustrate their point, the couple closed the dedication ceremony by telling the story of Wtorah-dedication_scroll-closeilliam Randolph Hearst, an American newspaper publisher who built the nation’s largest newspaper chain and at o
ne point owned a quarter of the world’s art. Hearst saw a painting that he wanted and sent his employees to locate it. After much searching, the employees
reported that this prized piece of art was located in Hearst’s basement.

“Our goal is that this Torah will never be put away,” Barbara said. “We want it to be used, studied, loved, cherished and shared with the community.”

The Seminary’s Torah scroll will be displayed in the Special Collections section of the B.L. Fisher Library and will be incorporated into community life through chapel services and events relating to Jewish holidays. For example, Eta Beta Rho, the Seminary’s on-campus Hebrew honor society is coordinating its fall semester chapel with Simkhat Torah, which marks the end of the Jewish fall “high holy days.” The scrolls will also be featured in courses that study the Old Testament.