Obj. ID: 6646
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah case, Iraq, 1907

The torah^case is made of wood and consists of a body and a crown.

The body is cylindrical and covered by silver sheets decorated with the floral pattern which is framed by foliate rhomboids. The upper and lower borders are encircled by friezes bearing a dedicatory inscription. The upper borders of the body are surmounted by a pierced lily-like crenellation. Beads are missing.

The case is opened by two silver hook clasps. There are two pairs of hinges at the back. The inner face is covered by adhesiv plastic. There are two round insert holes for the rods. The onion-shaped crown is composed of the main section, a crest, and an apex.

The main section is covered by silver sheets with the floral pattern which is framed by the foliate motif.

The undulating crest is mounted over the crown. The crest is decorated alternatly with foliate pattern. A wide ring encircles its center, which bears oval pattern. The crest is surmounted by a bud like apex. Ten chains encircle the center of the crest and are carrying slit drop-shaped bells.

Two iron Rimon mounts are fixed on the crown.

Two dedicatory plaques made of silver, in the shape of the crown are attached to the inner face Above them are two more dedicatory plaques. The dedicatory inscription on the body starts at the upper borders from the right of the body. It is repousse in outline letters and reads:

תיק זה וספר תורה שבו עשאו היקר הר' יעקוב רחמים % צאלח היו' )ה' יחיהו ויזכהו( על נש' ) על נשמת( המ' )המנוח( מנשה צאלח גבאי !

This case and the Torah Scroll inside it are done by the dear rabbi (int.) Jakob Rahamim Zalah, may the Lord sustain him and grant him favour (int.),for the soul (int.) of the late(int.) Menashe Zalah gabai.

The inscription continues on the lower borders from the front of the case:

על מנת בכל מקום שירצו בעלי הסת' )הספר תורה( להוציאו ולהניחו למקומות אחרים הרשות בידם וב'ב'כ' )ובידי באי כוחם( !

For the sake of the owners of the Torah who want to take it out and put it in other places, the permission is in their hands and their representetives!

The dedicatory inscription in the inner side of the crown has six lines, is repousse in outline letters and reads from the right:

וזאת##התורה אשר##שם משה לפני##בני ישראל: תיק## זה וסת' שבו ## עשה אותו Deut. 4:44##followed by:

!This case## and the Torah inside it##has been made by !

##Continues on the left side of the crown:

היק')היקר( הר')הרב(## יעקב רחמים## צאלח היו')ה' יחיהו ויזכהו( על## נש')נשמת( המ')המנוח( מנשה## רחמים צאלח## גבאי נע')נוחו עדן( תרסז !

The dear (int.) the rabbi(int.)## Jakob Rahamim## Zalah, may the Lord sustain him and grant him favour (int.),for## the soul of(int.) the late(int.) Menashe ## Rahamim Zalah##gabai, may he rest in Eden(int.) (5)667 (1907)!

The dedicatory inscription on the inner side of the crest starts from the right plate and continues in the same line to the left one. It is engraved in outline letters. The two last words are engraved in linear letters, and reads:

תיק כםף הזה קנו % בניו על נשמת אביו## באבאי בן יוסף כהן% יוסף בן שמואל כהן##עם רבי בן יוסף כהן% נ!ע )נוחו עדן(: על נשמת שמואל: ##על נשמת שמחה בת יוסף תי% בן יהודה ז!ל מנו)ח(תו בגנעדן !

This siver Torah case has been bought% by his sons for the soul of their father## Babai son of Joseph Cohen% Joseph son of Samuel Cohen## with rabbi son of Joseph Cohen% , may he rest in Eden(int):, on the soul of Samuel: For the soul of Simhah daughter of Joseph% son of Judah of blessed memory(int.) may he rest in the garden of Eden !