Obj. ID: 51271
Sacred and Ritual Objects Biti Pessi Nolda Li, The Netherlands, 1830
The following description was prepared by William Gross:
From earliest times, man has tried to protect himself from misfortune by the use of objects which he considered holy or otherwise (e.g., magically) potent. Amulets and talismans are items generally worn around the neck or wrist, carried in a pocket or purse or hung on a wall. They are meant to protect or aid those who carried or wore them. The Hebrew word for amulet, kame‘a, has the root meaning "to bind". Jewish amulets are usually comprised of texts (either letters or graphic symbols) that are inscribed on some sort of material; some may also contain plant matter or precious stones. The texts of amulets usually include holy names that are believed to have the ability to affect reality, along with incantations summoning angels or other magical powers. For the most part, an amulet has a specific purpose: to ease childbirth, facilitate recovery from illness, improve one’s livelihood, and so on, but in the modern world many are also made for general protection.
Meir Meyers was a man living in the Netherlands in the 19th century, apparently a scribe if we are to judge by the quality of his work. This amulet was made for the protection of his daughter, Pessi. The central image is of the 67th psalm in the form of a menorah. Other texts are the priestly blessings and some Kabbalistic abbreviations. Such an amulet is a very individual creation and not at all common in Holland in particular or in Europe in general. In the Gross Family Collection is a second manuscript document by the same hand, 136.012.002.
Made For: Pessi Meyers