HadjiEphraimBenguiat, the owner of the collection described here, . is a descendant of a prominent Spanish Jewish family which traces its origins back to the early eleventh century. The love for religious arts has been a family tradition and many of the objects in the collection are family heirlooms. To keep it alive in the minds of the people, it is divided into pQrikope^ according to the number of Sabbaths, the whole being divided during the synagogue service in a year. used.
The skins are tied together with the tendons of a clean animal, creating a scroll, and mounted on wooden rollers. Cover for the Torah scroll. Made of yellow silk, embroidered with flowers and Hebrew inscription in silver, gold and silk, . with silver lace fringes. Cover for the Torah scroll. Made of green silk, embroidered with flowers and Hebrew inscription in silk.
The inscription reads: "This sacred covering was made by Simha, wife of Levy Hai, of Butti-io [Italy], in the year, and was bought by Phineas Veneziani and brothers." Dimensions, length 8 feet li inches, breadth 7f inches.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 2
Report of the United States National Museum, 1899.—Adlerand CasanowicJ. Plate 7. .. 547 Torah scroll when not in use stand*- upright press. The Torah scroll, when not in use, stands*- an upright press or wall cabinet placed slightly above the floor of the nave, to which the stairs lead. Just as the Torah is the most sacred and precious object in the eyes of a Jew, so the cabinet that houses it is the most important part of the synagogue. The holy arkis is placed in the wall of the synagogue, towards which the faithful turn in the more solemn parts of the service, towards the wall facing Jerusalem, or next to it.
Before the Ark is a curtain of costly material, which is called pm^ocheth} after the curtain which in the Tabernacle and the Temple screened the Holy of Holies. Made in Smyrna, Asia Minor, of Ijluesy and richly embroidered in gold, with the inscription in Hebrew, silk and richly embroidered in gold, with the inscription in Hebrew. Made, probably in Asia Minor, of velvet silk with silver lace borders embroidered with flowers in silk, velvet silk with silver lace borders embroidered with flowers in silk.
When the time comes for the reading of the Torah, which is about the middle of the service, the scroll is removed from the Holy Ark and carried in procession, the congregation standing, towards the hhixi(from Greekfivi^a)oralmemer (corrupted from Arabiccd-'inh )l>(n\pulpit). This table or tables covered with precious cloth similar to the curtain of the Holy Ark.
548 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
Roll of the Book of Esther. — Parchment scroll inserted
Roll of the Book of Esther. — Written in columns of eight
EXPLANATION OF PLATE
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 9
Mainly for military purposes, such as the modern bugle, to give the Mainly for military purposes, such as the modern bugle, to give the signal not to go into battle, to announce a victory and to return the troops call. musical instrument. Currently, the shofar is mainly used during the penitential period, which begins on the 1st of the month of Ellul (August-September) and culminates on the Day of Atonement {ijodiMppuT^ on Tishri 10 (September-October). On the 1st of Tishri, the beginning of the civil year (rosK ha-shana), one of the most solemn Jewish festivals. feasts, and the “commemoration of the sounding of the trumpets,” thirty blasts, . among the Sephardim, seventy-two blow the shofar in the middle of the morning service, after reading the day's lesson. from the Torah, and before the “extra service” {mitsaf).
On the Day of Atonement the shofars are rung once, among the Sephardim four times, at the conclusion of the concluding service {neilah)^ and on the seventh day of tabernacles {IloshanaMahha) they sound in each of the seven circles. The Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah (the latest addition to the Jewish holiday cycle) is celebrated for eight days, beginning on the 25th of Kislew (December-January), commemorating the cleansing of the Temple and the restoration of service after the Liberation. of Jerusalem due to the suppression of Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, by the Maccabees in 164 BC. n. no. The establishment of this festival is connected with IMaccabeesiv, 47-59.. it is mentioned under the name of svKaivia {enJcainia)^ " consecration." The chief feature in the celebration of this festival is the lighting of lights in the synagogue, as well as in private houses, whence it is also called the "festival of lights."®.
NAT MUS 99 38
550 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
OBJECTS USED AT PRAYER
- Manuscript containing the Formulas used for the Abso- lution FROM Vows Hastily or Unconsciously Made, and Prayers
- The Old Testament in the Hebrew language and the
EXPLANATIO'N OF PLATE 10
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 11
OBJECTS OF JEWISH CEEEMONIAL. 551
552 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
OBJECTS OF JEWISH CEREMONIAL. 553
OBJECTS USED ON FESTAL OCCASIONS AT THE JEWISH HOME
554 REPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 14
The shape of large, thin, round crackers, the 'l^lees of misery'V a shape of large, thin, round crackers, the 'l^lees of misery'V a piece of roasted meat, usually the bone of a hinib, which represents the Passover hunl); bitter herbs, usually horseradish (marw), commemorating the bitterness of life that Israel suffered in Egyptian servitude; a roasted egg, in memory of the festive sacrifice (hagigah) brought in the temple; a mixture of almond, apples and syrup, which is the color of the brick day (JiarosetJi)^ commemorating... the labor of brick-making performed by the Israelites in Egypt'' and into which the bitter herbs are dipped before they are are consumed; .. a cup of salt water, into which are dipped the green herbs, representing the hyssop dipped in the blood of the Paschal Lamb.*. There is also wine and cups or glasses for everyone at the table, as everyone helping with the celebration is expected to consume four cups of wine. The family then sits down and performs the hagadah, i.e. i.e. a story is recited, consisting of an account of Israel's suffering at the hands of the Egyptians and their miraculous deliverance by God, accompanied by psalms and hymns.
At appropriate passages in the haggadah, the above articles are taken in, symbolic ceremonies are performed, and the evening meal is eaten. Two PILLOWS USED TO LIE ON AT THE PASSOVER MEAL, ORSeder.— Made of green silkan and richly embroidered in gold and silk, Seder.— Made of green silkan and richly embroidered in gold and silk, at Samacov, Bulgaria, in the sixteenth century. Ark and basin, used for washing at the Passover MEAL, OR Seder.-Brass repousse and chasedwork.
Mower height, 13 inches; diameter of base, 7 inches; pool height, -if inches;. rok{netilath yadayiiii) by sprinkling water, which the Jews observed before prayer and before eating, sometimes also before saying grace after eating. Passover Dish.— Used at the Passover meal or Seder to hold the inagot and other symbol])olic objects of the service. It was made by the Jews of Spain in the thirteenth century, glazed in Italy}^ in the sixteenth century.
556 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
Brass dish, used for holding the green herbs at the Pass-
Enameled saucer and silver spoon. — Used for the compound
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 21
Curtain for the booth or tent (sukkah) of the Feast of Tabernacles.— Made of linen and silk, with gold threads in the edge,
The Feast of Tabernacles takes place on the 15th of Tishri (September-October) and, according to Leviticus xxiii, 39-43, continues seven days, with an eighth day for the close of the feast, to which ... added the feast of "the jubilation of the law," thus it is extended to nine days. The Israelites through the desert where they live in booths. In ancient times the feast coincided with harvest time and was a thanksgiving feast.^. It was one of the most important and joyous of the three pilgrimage festivals. The most characteristic feature of the celebration of this festival is the accommodation in the stalls, . whence is derived its Hebrew name, SiiMoth, or more fully hag ha- suJckoth^ the feast of tabernacles.
It should be placed in the open air and covered with green branches and leaves, so that during the day it provides protection from the sun, but at night it exposes a small part of the sky and shows the stars. Another important ceremony associated with the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is the use of palm branches (lulah), connected with myrtle and willow branches, and a kind of lemon (ethrog) for which see the report of the U.
NAT MUS 99 39
558 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
EXPLANATION OF PLATE29
OBJECTS OF JEWISH CEKEMONIAL. 559
MISCELLANEOUS
560 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899
- Joseph and the wife of Potiphar. — As related in Genesis
- The passing of the Israelites through the Red Sea. — As
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 30
The prophet Elijah provided with food by ravens. — As
