Obj. ID: 37297
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah shield, Ukraine, 1810/11

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

Breastplates – ornamental metal plates or shields hung in front of the Torah scroll – are found in all Ashkenazi communities, as well as Italy and Turkey, but designed differently in each community. In most cases the breastplate is made of silver or silver-plated metal. In Italy the breastplate is shaped like a half-coronet and known as the Chatzi-keter, "half-crown." In Turkey, the breastplate is called a Tas, and assumes a variety of shapes – circular, triangular, oval, or even the Star of David. In Western, Central, and Eastern Europe the breastplate is called either Tas or Tziz; its function there is not merely ornamental: it designates which Torah scroll is to be used for the Torah reading on any particular occasion, with interchangeable plaques.

The most notable early breastplates, from 17th-century Germany and Holland, were either square or rectangular, but over time they became rounded and decorative, and bells or small dedicatory plaques were suspended from its lower edge. During this period, the design of breastplates was influenced by that of the Torah Ark and the parokhet (curtain) concealing it, featuring various architectural motifs, the menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), Moses and Aaron, lions, or Torah crowns.

Many of the silversmiths in Galicia and Ukraine were Jewish artisans. Most probably almost all the Jewish ritual objects with their origin in those areas were the product of their hand skills. Their familiarity with both the Jewish symbolism and the general decorative motifs common to the surrounding culture resulted in wonderful creations. This Torah shield is one such example. The central motif is a pair of rampant unicorns framing the Ten Commandments on the tablets of the law. Above, on the crown, is a lion. Linking all of these parts is a most intricate intertwining of classical scrolls and vegetal elements. This scroll motif is often found on many of the objects of Jewish life in the area, including decorated synagogue interiors, tombstones, paper cuts, and other ritual objects. There exist still two supports for a three-dimensional crown that once existed over the tablets of the law.

Inscription: Abbreviations for the Ten Commandments on the Tablets of the Law. Given by the Honorable Teacher Pesach, Son of the Honorable Rabbi Reb Yisrael Segal with His Humble Wife Keni.........., Daugher of Yosef, The Year (5)571( = 1810/11), According to the Minor Reckoning