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Obj. ID: 15036
Sacred and Ritual Objects
  Shiviti plaque, 1900-1924?

© Center for Jewish Art, Photographer: Radovan, Zev, 1991
The rectangular "Shiviti" plaque consists of two horizontal parts. The upper part, at its center, has a verse in square filled letters which reads: "שויתי יהוה לנגדי")תהילים,טז:ח( "I have set the Lord before me"(Ps.16:8), The name of God is written in big letters, inside of which are the spelled out names of the letters: "י'ו'ד ה"א ו'א'ו ה"א" "Yud He Vav He" Above the first and last words there is a single circular "eye," and above the tetragrammaton is another eye with a chain design radiating from it on either side. The entire sentence is surmounted by an inscription in the shape of an arch, in square, filled-in letters, which reads: ". . . ליראה את השם הנכבד והנורא הזה את י"א )יהוה אלהיך(" )דברים כח:85( ". . . that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God." (Deut. 28:58) In the two upper corners of the plaque is a pale turquoise and yellow design of flowers in a vase. The lower section is divided from the upper one by a row of four stars of David in the colors orange, turquoise, grey and yellow. In the center of the row is the word: "תמיד" "Always" (this is the completion of the sentence in the upper part). This word is flanked on either side by a circular eye. Beneath the stars of David, on the right side is the eight-letter name of God: "יאהדונהי" and on the left, the eight-letter name: "אידהנויה" At the center of the lower part is a seven^branched^menorah~ composed of Ps. 67. The first line of the psalm is in an arch shape which surmounts the menorah and the word: "תמיד" The menorah is flanked on either side by the initials of "Ana B'koah," forming the 42-letter name of God. The initials are arranged in vertical rows, with the first half on the right side of the menorah, and the second on the left. Each of these rows is flanked on either side by "columns" composed of a geometric design in turquoise and yellow, with rectangular bases and capitals. Beneath the right row is a drawing of the oil jug, beneath which is the identifying inscription: "פך השמן" "Oil jug." Beneath the left row is a three-tiered stair, beneath which is the identifying inscription: "שלש מעלות לפני המנורה" "The three ascents before the menorah." The stem of the menorah is flanked on either side by a drawing of a flower? cactus?, beneath each of which is the identifying inscription: "ורד" "Rose." All of these drawings are in the colors turquoise and yellow. A frame of text in filled-in letters surrounds the lower part of the plaque. The frame is broken at the center bottom by the semi-circular base of the menorah~. The text of the frame reads, from the upper right corner to center bottom: ". . . דע את אלהי אביך ועבדהו בלבב שלם . . ." )דה"א כח:9( ". . .know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart . . ." (Chron. I 28:9) The text of the frame continues from the center bottom to the upper left: "דע לפני מי אתה עומד לפני מלך מ'ה'ה'ב'ה' )מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא(" )שילוב אבות ג א, ד כב, ברכות כח ע"ב( "Know before whom you are standing: before the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He (the last five words in initials)" (compilation of Mishnah, Avot 3:1, 4:22, B.T.Ber. 28b) A dedicatory inscription appears at the bottom of the plaque, and reads: "נדבת מר שמעון מכלוף הי"ו )ה' יחיהו וישמרהו( לעלוי נשמת אשתו מרים לבית טייר לבית כנסת אהבה ואחוה רמת השקמה" "The donation of Mr. Shimon Makhluf, may the Lord sustain and protect him (initials), for the exaltation of the soul of his wife Miriam, of the house of Tiar, to the synagogue Ahava Ve'ahava, Ramat Hashikma" The last two words of the inscription are in smaller letters.
Summary and Remarks
Remarks

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Name/Title
Shiviti plaque | Unknown
Object Detail
Monument Setting
Unknown
Date
1900-1924?
Synagogue active dates
Reconstruction dates
Artist/ Maker
Unknown
Origin
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
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Congregation
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Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
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Languages of inscription
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Documented by CJA
Surveyed by CJA
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Architectural Significance type
Historical significance: Event/Period
Historical significance: Collective Memory/Folklore
Historical significance: Person
Architectural Significance: Style
Architectural Significance: Artistic Decoration
Urban significance
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0
Ornamentation
Custom
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Computer Reconstruction
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The following information on this monument will be completed:
Unknown |