Obj. ID: 19397
Sacred and Ritual Objects  Torah case, Iraq, 1942

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 a 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 interspersed with beads. ##The case is opened by two silver hook clasps. There are two pairs of hinges at the back. The inner face is covered by adhesive plastic. There are two round insert holes for the rods. The onion shaped crown is composed of a main section, a crest and an apex.## The main section is covered by silver sheets where the rhomboid pattern continues, separated by foliate stripes.## An undulating crest surmounts the crown. The crest is decorated alternately with a foliate pattern. A wide ring encircles its center, which bears an 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 plaques made of silver, in the shape of the crown are attached to the inner face. Under them are two more dedicatory plaques, painted on mirrors. These plaques consist of an arched, six-line frame surrounded by identical stylized flowers, in shades of pink. 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 וס!ת שבו עשה אותו הר' הנכבד שלמה% עזרא גחטאז היו' ה' יאריך ימיו אכיר' התשב'. ! This case and the Torah Scroll(abbrev.) inside it are done by the honored rabbi (abbrev.) Shlomo Ezra Gahtaz, may the Lord sustain him and grant him favour (int.),may the Lord grant him a long life...(?) The inscription continues on the lower borders from the front of the case: !על מנת בכל מקום שירצה בעלי הסת' )הספר תורה( להוציאו ולהניחו למקומות אחרים הרשות בידם וב'בכח' )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 representatives! The dedicatory inscription in the inner side of the crown has six lines, painted in solid letters and reads from the right: וזאת##התורה אשר##שם משה לפני##בני ישראל: ##תיק זה וסת' שבו ## עשה אותו הר' Deut. 4:44##followed by: !This case## and the Torah inside it##has been made by the rabbi (abbrev)#Continues on the left side of the crown: שלמה## עזרא גחטאז##היו יאריך ##ימיו בטוב ויזכה##בביאת הגוא א'##שנת התשב' !Shlomo## Ezra Gahtaz## may the Lord sustain him and grant him favour (int.), may the Lord lengthen his life with goodness and may he be worthy## (to see) the coming of the redeemer...(?)## the year 5702 (=1942). ! On the inner juncture of the crown and the case is painted, half on the right half, half on the left half: (Deut. 33:4) !תורה צוה לנו משה##מורשה קהלת יעקב!