Obj. ID: 11010
Sacred and Ritual Objects Torah case, Tunisia, 1905
The prismatic Torah case consists of a body and a coronet.
The case opens in the centre on the front facet, forming two halves joined at the back by a steady facet.
The body comprises twelve facets and is encircled, at its upper and lower edges, by two wooden stepped strips creating two friezes, which enclose a dedication made of inlaid Hebrew square filled letters in two friezes:
"'יובל/ שי' (מבוסס על ישעיה יח:ז; 'בעת ההיא יובל שי לה' צבאות...') זה ספר/ התורה בתיק/ נאה סגורה/ ספיר ויהלום/ לא יעריכוה/ ולא כלי פז/ תמורה (מבוסס על איוב כח:טז-יז) 'עוז/ והדר' ('לבושה'; משלי לא:כה) היא/ לעילוי נשמות שתיים הנה/ הבתולות/ העלובות// מרים/ ואסתר שמם/ נקרא ונקנה/ ממעשה ידיהם/ כי חגרו בעוז/ מתניהם (מבוסס על משלי לא:יז) להכין/ לחופה במהרה/ איכה (?) סיון תרסה/ עפר
שמי שחק/ כבודה ('כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה' תהלים מה:יד) 'לחזות (בנעם ה''; תהלים כז:ד)/ שמם יזכיר/ סה"ת (ספר התורה) הזאת/ תנצבה (תהא נשמתן צרורה בצרור החיים)."
"('In that time shall) the present be brought (unto the Lord)' (based on Isa. 18:7). This Torah scroll is kept in a closed beautiful case. (The beauty of Torah) cannot be valued with the precious onyx, or the sapphire, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold (based on Job 28:16-17). 'Strength and honour are her (the Torah) clothing' (Prov. 31:25). (The Torah was dedicated for) the exaltation of two souls of humble virgins: named Miriam and Esther. It was read and bought from their work, as they 'girdeth their loins with strength' (based on Prov. 31:17) to prepare rapidly their wedding day (Huppah), but (they did not accomplish their goal), and died in Sivan (5)665 (June-July, 1905). (Now they dwell in) earth and (are 'brought unto') heavens, as ('the king's daughter is all) glorious (within)' (based on Ps. 45:13). And they would ('dwell in the house of the Lord all the days), to behold (the beauty of the Lord'; based on Ps. 27:4). This Torah scroll would be a commemoration for their name, May their souls be bound in the bond of life" (see: Remarks: no. 1).
The coronet is composed of twelve units, which continue the body's facets (fig. 1). Each unit encloses an open-work lyre set on a stepped base.
The inner face of the Torah case is plain wood (fig. 1). Each half has a double shelf at its bottom and top. The bottom is blocked by a board with a rectangular hole for elevating the Torah, whereas the top is blocked with a similar board pierced with seven holes.
Two holes for inserting the Torah staves appear at the bottom and top.
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The inscription is a paraphrase of various verses compiled with midrashic interpretations. The verses "the present be brought" cited from Isaiah prophesy (18:7) is interpreted in most traditional literary sources as "the offering which all the nations would present to the Messiah in the Days to Come (Gen. Rabbah, 97:10). It may be assumed that the donors express their hope for the redemption of the souls of their beloved Miriam and Esther when the Messiah would come, as well as for their own redemption, since they donated a beautiful Torah, which is compared to precious stones.
The comparison to the significance of valuable stones, usually part of the High Priest's garments, is a recurring clause found in Tunisian dedicatory inscriptions, as for example, Sc.68-1, pp. xx.
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