Obj. ID: 407
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah case (Libya)

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

The body has ten facets. Faceted annulets encircles the upper and lower borders of the body,forming two friezes. Eleven knobs for hanging the Torah case wrapper encircle the upper border. Two silver plaques,bearing a dedicatory inscription are placed on both sides of the case's opening. The plaques are decorated in vegetal patern,above and below the inscription,which reads from right to left:

"וזאת התורה ## מפנינים יקרה ## ספר תורה נאה ## נחמד למראה ## חזו מפעלות ## אותיות גדולות ## שטים עומדים ## ווי העמודים"

"And this is the Law more precious than rubies fine book of the Lord nice looking they have seen the work of great letters wandering standing the hooks of the pillars"

It continues on the left side:

"מה טובו מה יופיו ## העור כי טוב ודיו ## אשר עשה ופעל ## הגבר הוקם על ## הר')ב( אברהם לגז"ל ## והיה אדירו ## אשר נתן ביום ## מתן תנו כבוד ## ל'ת)לשון תורה("

"For how great is his goodness and how great is his beauty. The leather which is good,and ink which was made and worked by the man who reared it up. The Rabbi Abraham Legze"l. And was it his mighty which he gave at the day of the gift 'Give Honour'. Language of the Torah"

A silver floral base for the clasps is attached under each plaque.

Three pairs of hinges are in the back of the case. The inner face is plain wood. The hollow bottom has rectangular hand holders. Two insert holes for the rods are at top of the case. The coronet is faceted. Each of the ten facets is decorated with symmetrical openwork of foliate pattern. An arched shape silver plaque is attached to the inner part of the coronet. It bears an inscription in filled square letters and reads from right to left:

"אנכי ה' ## לא יהיה לך ## לא תישא ## זכור את יום ## כבד את")שמ.כ:ב-יב(

"I am the Lord . Thou shalt have no . Thou shalt not take . Remember the day . Honour thy."(Ex.20;2-12) It continues on the left side:

"לא תרצח ## לא תנאף ## לא תגנוב ## לא תענה ## לא תחמוד")שמ.כ:יג-יז( "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet."(Ex.20;13-17)