Obj. ID: 23682
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah finials, Yemen, 1900?

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The finials evolved from knobs at the upper end of the staves (Atzei Chaim) on which the Torah scroll is wound. Since the shape of the spherical finial recalled that of a fruit, it was called a tappu'aḥ, "apple," among the Jews of Spain and in the Sephardi Diaspora, and a rimmon, "pomegranate," in all other communities.

The earliest known reference to Torah finials occurs in a document from 1159, found in the Cairo Genizah, from which we learn that by the 12th century finials were already being made of silver and had bells. Around the same time, Maimonides mentions finials in the Mishneh Torah (Hilkhot Sefer Torah 10:4). Despite the variations on the spherical shape which developed over the centuries and the addition of small bells around the main body of the finial, the spherical, fruit-like form was the basic model for the design of finials in Oriental and European communities.

A most significant variation appeared in 15th-century Spain, Italy, and Germany, where the shape of finials was influenced by that of various objects of church ritual, whose design often incorporated architectural motifs, The resulting tower-like structure, which seems to have appeared around the same time in different parts of Europe, became the main type of finial in 18th-century Germany and Italy, as well as Morocco, brought there by Jews expelled from Spain.

This pair is among the very finest existing torah finials from Yemen. The filigree work is exceptionally delicate, partly gilt and set with stones. The stems have applied silver and bear the inscription "Keter Torah". On the top part of the finials are fish form outlines. There exists a photograph from the great synagogue of Sana’a in which is pictured a magnificent Tik topped by a pair of such finials, or "Rimmonim" in Hebrew, that well may be this pair. There exist many Rimmonim in this general shape, but they are of cast brass. Such Rimmonim in silver of such superior workmanship are exceedingly rare and would have been made by the finest Jewish silversmiths of the capital, Sana’a. This metalwork was one of the main proFezsions of Yemenite Jews and they made the most delicate filigree jewelry and other objects for both Jews and Muslims.

Inscription: Keter Torah