Obj. ID: 235
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah Case, Iraq, 1888

The wooden Torah^case consists of a body and a crown.

The cylindrical body is covered with blue velvet.

Silver bands,encircle the upper and the lower borders ,and the middle of the body. The upper band is bearing a dedicatory inscription.

The middle and the lower bands are decorated with a floral pattern. Silver cartouches decorated with a vase and flowers are nailed to the body.

They are arrayed in six cartouches in each half of the body. Four half cartouches are tied in to each of the bands facing inward.At the middle band the cartouches are tied on both sides. A lily-shaped crenellation intermittently with red plastic beads encircles the upper border.

The case has two hook clasps and two pairs of hinges at the back. The inner face of the body is covered with cotton. 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 and the same silver cartouches. The silver crest is undulating and consists of a conical lower part and a globular upper part.Five rings are attached to the globural part. The crest is decorated with vertical bands which bear a floral pattern and blanck bands intermittently.

It is surmounted by a bud like apex. The inner face of the crown is covered by a white paper covered by glass.It bears two inscriptions which are framed with apointed arches.They are flancked by two floral motives. The inscriptions are written in black filled letters.

The inscription on the right reads: "וזאת ##התורה אש')אשר( ##שם משה לפני ##בני ישרא)ל( אלה ## החקים והמשפ')והמשפטים(##והתו')והתורה( אשר נתן ה'." Deut 4:44 and part of Deut 4:45 followed by "And law which Lord gave."

The dedicatory inscription on the left reads: "תיק ##זה וס'ת )וספר תורה(שבו ##לעלוי נש')נשמת( המ'')המנוח( עזרא יחזקא)ל( ## נחום צא)ל(ח שמוא)ל( ## י"א שבט תרמ"ח." "This Torah case and the Torah scroll in it for the exaltation of the soul of the latest Ezra Ezechiel Nahum Zalah Samuel 11 Shevat year 5648 (12.1.1888)."

There are paper bands below the plaques, bearing an inscription, in black filled letters.

The inscription in the right read: "תיק זה וס"ת )וספר תורה( לעלוי המ' )המנוח( עזרא." "This Torah case and the Torah scroll for the exaltation of the soul of the latest Ezra."

The inscription continues on the left and reads: "יחזקא)ל( צא)ל(ח נחום נפ' )נפטר( יום ש'ק." "Ezecheil Zalah Nahum passed away at holy sabbath."

The dedicatory inscription on the upper band starts from the left encircling the body. It is chased in outline letters.## The inscription reads: "תיק זה וספר תורה שבו לעלוי נשמת המ')המנוח( עזרא יחזקאל נחום צאלח שמוא)ל(.ש')שנת( תרמ'ח." "This Torah case and the Torah scroll in it, for the exaltation of the soul of the latest Ezra Ezechiel Nahum Zalah Samuel.The year of 5648 (1888)."