Obj. ID: 51897
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Shemirah le-Yeled ule-Yoledet

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

From earliest times, man has tried to protect himself from misfortune by the use of objects which he considered holy or otherwise (e.g., magically) potent. Amulets and talismans are items generally worn around the neck or wrist, carried in a pocket or purse or hung on a wall. They are meant to protect or aid those who carried or wore them. The Hebrew word for amulet, kame‘a, has the root meaning "to bind". Jewish amulets are usually comprised of texts (either letters or graphic symbols) that are inscribed on some sort of material; some may also contain plant matter or precious stones. The texts of amulets usually include holy names that are believed to have the ability to affect reality, along with incantations summoning angels or other magical powers. For the most part, an amulet has a specific purpose: to ease childbirth, facilitate recovery from illness, improve one’s livelihood, and so on, but in the modern world many are also made for general protection.

There exist in the Gross family collection more amulets printed on paper from Morocco than from any other country. These were printed in several cities by various publishers, virtually all of them from the 20th century which was the time for the beginning of Hebrew printing in Morocco with few exceptions.  Many of these contained elements in common, mostly featuring the hamsa and were often printed on colored paper.

This birth amulet was printed by the firm of Joseph Lugassy. The amulet for the protection of Mother and child depicts the hamsa as a realistic image of a hand, as well as two crowns and two lions. one of the largest of the Jewish printers in Morocco during the 30's and 40's of the 20th century. Several of the amuletic formulas are specifically for protection from Lilith.  Included as well are the"Shir le-Ma'alot" (Psalm 121) prayer and the names of Patriarch couples. The text also mentions that the amulets is based on the tradition of the Ba'al Shem Tov. The page is almost identical to another by Lugassi, printed on red paper, Gross Number 027.011.102, differing primarily in size and type of border decoration, signifying a different time of printing.

The firm of Joseph Lugassy began as a bookstore in 1924. Many printed items were printed specifically for him, but it appears that he became a printer as well towards the end of the decade of the 1930's. In 1948 the Lugassy family made Aliyah to Israel and established a bookstore in Jerusalem, an institution continuing to this day. In Israel, as well printed items have appeared with the Lugassy firm as publishers.