Img. ID: 20410

A rectangular "Shiviti plaque" written in square Ashkenazic script. It depicts, at its center, a curtain opening to display the inscription: "שויתי##יהוה##אדני##יאהדונהי##לנגדי תמיד )תהלים טז:8(" "I have set## the Lord(four- and eight-letter name)## always before me... (Ps. 16:8)"##The curtain is flanked by rampant winged lions~ facing forward, and surmounted by a crown above which is the inscription: "כתר % מלכות" "Crown of Kingship"##Beneath the curtain is a floral design.##At the top of the plaque, in large, bold letters, is the inscription: "דע לפני מי אתה עומד לפני##מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא. )שילוב אבות ג:1, ד:22, ברכות כח ע"ב(" "Know before whom you are standing: before##the supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. (compilation of Mishnah, Avot 3:1, 4:22, B.T.Ber. 28b)" Throughout the plaque are rectangular frames containing inscribed verses. On the right side, directly below the top inscription, a square contains the following verses: במדבר ו:72-22 Numbers 6:22-27.##Below the top inscription, on the upper left side of the curtain, a rectangle contains the following verses: תהלים פט:35; קלה:12; עב:91-81 Ps. 89:53; 135:21; 72:18-19.##On the left side of the plaque, directly beneath the top inscription, a rectangle contains the verses of: "אנא בכח..." "Ana B'koah", whose initials spell out the 42-letter name of G-d. Beneath this, another rectangle contains the verses: תהלים קנ' Ps. 150 In the bottom right-hand corner of the plaque, a rectangle contains a text below which are the twelve combinations of the letters in the tetragrammaton. The first line of the text reads: "בני יששכר: ידוע מכתבי מה"ו )??( האריז"ל אשר בכל ראש חודש . . ." "The sons of Yissasshar: it is known from the writings of our rabbi and teacher (??initials) the Arizal, who, on the first day of each month. . . " The next four lines of text are illegible (in the photograph), and they are followed by the combinations of the letters of the tetragrammaton. Each combination is juxtaposed with the name of a Hebrew month on its right, and on its left with a four-word scriptural quotation whose initials or last letters spell out that particular combination, such that three columns are formed "ניסן/ יהוה/ ישמחו השמים ותגל הארץ. . . )דה"א טז:13(## "Nisan .\. part of Chron. I 16:31 (initials form combination) אייר/ יההו/ . . .יתהלל המתהלל השכל וידוע. . . )ירמ' ט:32( Iyar ./. part of Jer. 9:23 (initials form combination) סיון/ יוהה/ . . .יד?? )ידתיו?( ולצלע המשכן השנית. . . )שמות כו:91-02, לו:42-52( Sivan ./. part of Ex. 26:19-20, 36:24-25 (initials form combination) תמוז/ הוהי/ . . .זה איננו שוה לי. . . )אסתר ה:31( Tamuz ./. part of Esth. 5:13 (last letters form combination) אב/ הויה/ . . .הסכת ושמע ישראל היום. . . )דברים כז:9( Av ./. part of Deut. 27:9 (initials form combination) אלול/ ההוי/ וצדקה תהיה לנו כי. . . )דברים ו:52( Elul ./. part of Deut. 6:25 (last letters form combination) תשרי/ והיה/ ויראו אותה שרי פרעה. . . )בראשית יב:51( Tishrei ./. part of Gen. 12:15 (last letters form combination) חשון/ וההי/ . . .ודבש: היום הזה יהוה. . .)דברים כו:51-61( Heshvan ./. part of Deut. 26:15-16 (initials form combination) כסלו/ ויהה/ וירא יושב הארץ הכנעני. . .)בראשית נ:11( Kislev ./. part of Gen. 50:11 (initials form combination) טבת/ היהו/ . . .ליהוה אתי ונרוממה שמו. . .)תהלים לד:4( Tevet ./. part of Ps. 34:4 (last letters form combination) שבט/ היוה/ . . .המר ימירנו והיה הוא. . .)ויקרא כז:33( Shevat ./. part of Lev. 27:33 (initials form combination) אדר/ ההיו/ . . .עירה ולשרקה בני אתנו. . .)בראשית מט:11( Adar ./. part of Gen. 49:11 (last letters form combination) The last line reads: ואדר יכוץ בכללות י"ב צירופים דהוי"ה" . And Adar ./. "the twelve combinations of the tetragrammaton will be generally contracted (???)" At the center bottom of the plaque, a rectangle contains a prayer: "תפילה מסידור של ה' הקדוש סידור שערי שמים##הנני מוכן ומזומן לקבל עלי ??? אלהי עולם אשר טמיר ונעלם מכל חי מרוב##קדושתו ואני מאמין באמונה שלימה שהבורא ברוך הוא אחד יחיד ומיוחד. . ." "A prayer from the prayer book of holy God, the prayer book 'the gates of heaven'##Here I am prepared and ready to take upon myself ???? God of the world who is above and hidden from all living things due to the great amount of His holiness, and I believe with a complete faith that the creator, may He be blessed, the one, only and unique . . . The rest of the lengthy prayer is illegible in the photograph The bottom left-hand corner contains a picture of Rachel's(?) tomb. Above it is a seven-branched menorah~ surmounted by tables^of^the^covenant~, rampant lions~ facing backwards, and a crown surmounting the tablets. The colophon appears at the bottom of the page.