Obj. ID: 20551
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah case, Tunisia, 1875-1900

The prismatic Torah case consists of a body and a coronet.

The case opens at 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 written on a parchment attached to the case. The Hebrew square-filled letters are embellished with scrolls and are inscribed in two friezes. The upper inscription is read clockwise, starting from the left side of the front facet:

חזו (ב)תורה/ הדורה בתיק נאה/ סגורה במו תגין/
עטורה ועם מפה/ המיופה ותפוחי כסף/
ופעמונים/
הלא היא/
[תורה]/
מפוארה בכתיבה/
תמה נכתב על ידי/
לב אומן וירא שמים/ ובפרשיות פתוחות/
וסתומות להרמב"ם והרא"ש."

The bottom dedication is partially illegible, and reads:

"[??]/ הקדישו השם הטוב/
החשוב המו"ן (המשכיל ונבון) ה"ר סאסי/
מימון יצ"ו (ישמרהו צורו ויחיהו) אשר נכספה/
נפשו לקיים מצ/וות [?]/[?]/[?]/[?]/[?]/ עד בוא הגואל כיר"א (כן יהי רצון אמן)."

"Observe the splendid Torah scroll, kept in a closed beautiful case. Crowned with crownlet (tags) and embellished with a cloth (mappah), and silver finials (Tapuhim, namely apples) and bells. Isn't it a magnificent [Torah], inscribed with a perfect script by a hearted artist (based on 'wise hearted man' Ex. 31:6) and God-fearing person. He wrote open and closed portions, according to Maimonides and Asher Ben Yehi'el (known by his acronym the ROSH, literally "the Head"). [??] It was dedicated by the one who has a good name, the important, well educated and wise Rabbi Sassy Maimon, May his Rock protect and sustain him, whose soul yearns for observing the laws… till the Redeemer would come, amen, may it be His will" (see: Torah cases, pp. XX).    

Five knobs are attached to the upper frieze to hold the wrapper.

The body is made of plain wood. Each facet is framed with a wooden strip, while the front facet is adorned with two circlets shaped as open flowers on which the hinges are set. Two small parchments attached to the front facet are inscribed with the owner's name: "Sassy Maimon, may the Lord protect and sustain him" and on the left: "Sassy Maimon."

The coronet is composed of twelve units, which continue the body's facets (figs. 1, 2). Each unit encloses an open-work lyre set on a pedestal.

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, while the top is blocked with a similar board with eleven trefoil openings.

Two holes for inserting the Torah staves appear at the bottom and top.