Obj. ID: 620
Sacred and Ritual Objects Torah shield of Hevra Kaddisha in Lakhovtsy, 1805
The silver Torah shield is rectangular and terminates with an arch. It consists of a plate.
The decoration is arranged simmetricaly on both sides of a central axis. In the center it depicts the Tables of the Covenant that bears the begining of the ten commandnents, iscribed intermittently on the right table and on the left table. The tables are flanked on the sides by a pattern of rhombus net and scroll, and they are supported by a rectangular plaque which is mounted on two cows connected by the rear part of the body. The plaque is inscribed with dedicatory inscription in square linear letters:
זה הטס שייך להחורה [חברה] קדישא דק"ק [קהילת קודש] לעחוויץ / שנת תקסה ל זה השירה פרות אמרו: מזמור שיר ליום חדש כי נפלאת עשה הושיעה לו ימינו וזרע קדשו [תהילים צ"ח א]
"This Torah shield belongs to the Hevra Qadisha (burial society) of the holy community of Lakhovits the year (5)565 (1805). This is the song that the cows said: O sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things his rihgt hand, and his holy arm" (Ps. 98:1).
The inscription is hidden by a protruding coronet of akanthus leaves. From the centre of the coronet emerges an arm with a deer and a stem of flowers that hides the Tablets of the Covenant. The central elements are flanked by two columns decorated with floral scrolls that twist around them. Each column is flanked by the pattern of a rhomboied net and leavs and on top of each column is a lion, satant and regardant. A wine scroll with clusters of grapes emerge from each column. On the central upper part, between the lion's heads, is a bascket of fruits mounted by two picking birds. A stem of leavs and flowers emerges from the bascket. All thiese motives are hidden by a protruding central crown decorated with leaves in differnent pattern. The shield is framed by a band of flowers and leaves and has an external separated frame of akanthus leaves.
Zohar, Bereshit, Haiei Sarah, explains that the cows bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Beth Shemesh were singing verse 1 from Psalms 98 (Vladimir Levin)
sub-set tree:
C | Columns
D | Deer
F | Flower
C | Coronet
H | Heraldic composition | Supporters | Two lions
G | Grapes
H | Heraldic composition | Central element | Crown (central element of heraldic composition)
H | Heraldic composition | Supporters | Two bulls
C | Columns | Columns with vine and clusters of grapes
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