Obj. ID: 43614
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Gematriah Mezuzah, Israel/Eretz Israel

Each Gematria Mezuzah by Archie Granot is a unique papercut. Gematria is the computation of the numerical and mystical value of the Hebrew letters, in differing combinations of words or phrases, to underscore points of Jewish thought. The Gematria for both the word mezuzah and the Holy Name Ado-nai is 65. Inspired by this, the Gematria Mezuzah is handcrafted in sixty-five layers of paper and is dominated by the ornamental Shin - the first Hebrew letter of the most sacred of the names of G-d. 

Archie Granot's interest in Gematria also led him to contemplate the meaning of the number seven in Jewish tradition. Its significance goes back to the dawning of time when G-d created the world in six days, and rested on the Sabbath. In reflecting upon this, Archie Granot has created a set of seven mezuzot and, when viewed together, the continuity of the design has the effect of a large papercut. One Mezuza set is in the Cantor Jacob and Dr. Belle Rosenbaum Mezuzah Collection at the Great Synagogue, Jerusalem, Israel. Another set is in the collection of the Erstes Deutsches Scherenschnittmuseum in Vreden, Germany.