Img. ID: 23927
527258.DOC
The prismatic Torah case consists of a body and a coronet.
The Torah case is divided into two vertical halves at the centre of its front facet, while the back facet is attached to each half by hinges. The case is comprised of twelve facets and is encircled at its upper and lower edges by two pairs of strips, creating two friezes. The outer strips are wider than the inner ones. Thirteen knobs for hanging the Torah wrapper are set above the upper frieze.
An arched dedicatory plaque is attached to the front facet, opening at its centre into two vertical sections. The plaque is inscribed with square linear letters, which reads (fig. 1):
לכבוד אלהא/ עילאה קדישא/ ולכבוד תורתו/ הקדושה נתקן הס"ת (ספר התורה)/ הק' (הקדוש) הזה ע"י (על ידי) הרה"ג (הרב הגדול)/ כמה"ר (כבוד מורנו הרב) ר' (רבי) מאיר/ רופא הי"ו (ה' יחיהו ויזכהו) באמצעות/ ר' (רבי) שושן הכהן הי"ו (ה' יחיהו ויזכהו) / בחדש אייר/ התשי"א ליצירה."
"(A donation) in honour of the Lord, the Holiest of all, and in honour of His sacred Torah. This holy Torah scroll was made by the great Rabbi, our honourable teacher and Rabbi R. Meir Rophe, may the Lord sustain him and grant him favour. (It was done) through the efforts of Rabbi Shushan HaCohen, may the Lord sustain him and grant him favour, (donated) in the month of Iyar, the year 5711 to the Creation (5/6.1951; see: Remarks no. 1)."
The openwork coronet is composed of twelve units which continue the body’s facets. Each unit is shaped as a scrolled harp mounted over an arched base.
The inner face of the Torah case is plain wood (fig. 2). Each half has a double shelf at the bottom and the top. A bar with nine holes blocks the space between the upper shelf and ceiling, while the lower space is blocked by a bar with a rectangular opening, to insert the hands, while raising the Torah.
Two holes for the Torah scroll staves appear at the bottom and top.