Obj. ID: 14802
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah case, Iraq, 1883

The wooden Torah^case consists of a body and a crown.## The cylindrical body is covered with blue velvet. Silver plates, decorated with floral patterns, are arranged in vertical rows down the body. Silver friezes encircle the upper and lower borders. the upper border bears a dedicatory inscription, while the lower border is decorated with floral petterns. A lily-shaped crenellation, threaded with plastic beads, encircles the upper border. ##The case has two hook clasps and two pairs of hinges at the back. The case's inner face is covered with blue velvet. There are two round insert holes for the rods at the top of the case. The onion-shaped crown is composed of a main section, a crest and an apex.##The main section is covered with blue velvet to which silver plates, decorated with floral patterns, are attached. The undulating crest is covered with silver plates, decorated with a floral pattern. A bud-shaped apex surmounts the crest. Ten chains hang around the crest's centre carrying drop-shaped bells.## Two iron rimon mounts are fixed to the crown. The dedicatory inscription on the body begins at the upper border from the right hand side of the body. It is repousse in outline letters on a punched background, and reads: תיק זה וסת!)=וספר תורה( שעשאו אליהו חיים בתנא)=בתנאי?( בכל זמן שירצה % להוציאו בו בתה!כנ)=בית הכנסת( למקום אחר הרש)=הרשות( ביובידנאינ)=בידו וביד ?( !This Torah case and the Torah scroll (int.) inside it was made by Elijah Hayim, on the condition (?) that any time the owner wants to take it from the synagogue (int.) to another place, the permission (int.) is in his hand and in the hand of (?)! Two crown-shaped dedicatory plaques made of mirrors are attached to its inner face. Each plaque bears a dedicatory inscription, framed on either side by medallions and flowers. Every medallion bears an additional dedicatory inscription. The dedicatory inscription is written in filled letters on six lines. It reads: וזאת % התורה אשר % שם משה לפני % בני ישראל תיק % זה וסת)=וספר תורה( שבו % עשאו הר)=הרב( אליהו Deut.4:44 , followed by !This Torah case and the Torah scroll (int.) inside it was made by the rabbi Elijah! The inscription continues on the left plaque and reads: חיים % אברהם מרדכי % למנו)=למנוחת( אשתו % המ)=המרוחמת( רחל בת % דינה תנצבה)=תהי נשמתה צרורה בצרור החיים( % שנת תרמג !Chayim Abraham Mordecai, for the repose (int.) of his wife, who has found mercy, Rachel the daughter of Dinah, may her soul be bound up in the bond of life (int.), the year (5)643=(1883)! On either side there is a medallion bearing an additional dedicatory inscription. The medallion on the right-hand side bears the inscription: תיק % זה וס'ת')=וספר תורה( % שבו עשאו % ה!ר)=הרב( אליהו % חיים !This Torah case and the Torah scroll (int.) inside it was made by the rabbi Elijah Chayim! The inscription continues on the left medallion: על % מינת בכל % עת להוציאו % ל!מ)=למקומות( אחרים % ה'ר'ש'ב'י')=הרשות בידו( !For the sake of the owner who may take it out at any time and put it in other places, the permission is in his hand! The medallion on the left-hand side bears the inscription: נפטרת % האשה רחל % ה! !The deceased woman Rachel, the fifth! The inscription continues on the left medallion: לחו!)=לחודש( % תמוז שנת % תרמב !Of the month of Tamuz, the year (5)642 (=1882)! Below the plaque there are yellow paper bands bearing an inscription in red filled letters. It reads from the right: תורה צוה לנו משה !Moses commanded us a law (Deut.33:4)! The inscription continues on the left: מורשה קהלת יעקב !Even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob (Deut. 33:4)!