Obj. ID: 53878
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Birth Amulet (le-Nekevah), Westheim bei Hammelburg, circa 1750

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

This amulet is one of a pair that is among the most elaborate printed amulets known and among the relatively few printed amulets known from the 18th century. Its companion piece, a similar printed amulet for a male child, 027.011.004, is also presented in this exhibition. The text in the middle is surrounded by a baroque-designed decorative frame.  This decorative scheme features depictions of both Adam and Eve and a scene of a woman lighting the traditional Shabbat lamp above a table set for the Sabbath Eve meal. Below the main texts is a cartouche containing the three obligations of the Jewish female: niddah (the relative isolation of the woman during the ritually impure time of her period), challah (the baking of special bread for the sabbath and holidays), hadlakah (the ritual kindling of lights for the sabbath and holidays). The texts are in both Hebrew and Yiddish and include the traditional "shir le-ma'alot" prayer, supplication to Eliyahu Hanavi, specific formulas against Lilith and the mention of Sanoi, Sansanoi and Samgalaf, the three angels whose invocation protects the birthing mother and new child against Lilith.