Img. ID: 341370
The scroll closes with an empty cartouche narrowed at the top decorated with acanthus leaves. The final membrace of the parchment is trimmed at the top to match the height of the next sheet.
After the final cartouche, a benedictions sheet is stitched to the megillah. It includes the initial and final benedictions and piyutim for Purim that are surrounded by a composition of acanthus and floral motifs, the same as in the scroll itself. Similarly, the spaces between the columns of the text are decorated with the same motifs supplemented with hangings/candles and garlands. The initial words of the benedictions - ברוך - are enlarged and inscribed separately from the rest of the formulas.
Additionally, the name of Harbona at the end of שושנת יעקב is also enlarged, as is the title of the next poem - קוראי מגילה ("Korei Megillah") to be recited. The text of the latter piyut is not reproduced, but the inclusion of its time suggests the piyut being used in the liturgy. The Tetragrammaton is replaced by a ligature.
O | Ornamentation: | Foliate and floral ornaments
A | Acanthus Leaf
C | Candle
| (?)
The Book of Esther in Hebrew with initial and final benedictions and piyutim: portions from שושנת יעקב, and the name only of the piyut קוראי מגילה.
The scroll is formed of 10 sheets containing 27 columns of the text, followed by 2 columns with initial and final benedictions and a liturgical poem. Each column of the main text has 19 lines, except for col. 23 which has 11 lines divided into two half-columns.
The number of text columns per sheet varies: sheets nos. 2-8 contain 3 columns each, sheet no. 1 contains 4 columns, and sheets nos. 9 and 10 contain 2 columns (the last one includes additional texts related to the Megillah reading).
The text is inscribed in Hebrew square Italian script with tagin, in black ink, on the flesh side of the parchment membranes.
The letter ח (Es. 1:6) is written as a typical letter whereas all other letters ח are formed of two elements joined with a roof. The letter ת (Es. 9:29) is enlarged and bolded. Other large and small letters are included in col. 23.
Numerous letters in col. 22 are stretched to fill the space in the lines.
The ruling is made with a hardpoint.
The membranes in the scroll are stitched.
The last sheet (no. 10) is dedicated to the additional texts: the initial and final benedictions and a liturgical poem.
Benedictions: the initial words of the benedictions - ברוך - are enlarged and inscribed separately from the rest of the formulas. Additionally, the name of Harbona at the end of שושנת יעקב is also enlarged, as is the title of the next poem - קוראי מגילה ("Korei Megillah") to be recited. The Tetragrammaton is replaced by a ligature.
The former number of the manuscript is Ms 260. Šedinová in the article (see "Bibliography") uses the number 125281.
Olga Sixtova, O svitku / Form of the Scroll [katalog k výstavě konané v Galerii Roberta Guttmanna Židovského muzea v Praze od 22. června do 26. července 2006], Praha 2006, 30.
Jiřina Šedinová, From the Mss. Collections of the State Jewish Museum in Prague. The Scrolls of Esther, „Judaica Bohemiae” 1979, nr 15/2, 83-84.
The images of the scroll are available on https://collections.jewishmuseum.cz/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/221936 (accessed on 13.11.2020).