Obj. ID: 35770 Kiddush cup made of Shekel ha-Kodesh, Ukraine, circa 1880
sub-set tree:
The following description was prepared by William Gross:
Among some Hassidic courts, it was a practice for the Rabbi to give a blessed silver coin to his Hassidim as an amulet. Such protection might be given for all manner of life events, from healing from an illness to success in travel and the amulet was carried on the body of the recipient. This custom was particularly popular among the Ryzhiner Hassidim and these coins were called "Shmirot". To such coins were attributed extraordinary power and value and they were treasured with great care and love.
After the specific event for which they had originally be given, such a coin or coins were used in the making of other objects, which maintained the special aura of the Rabbi. Such a coin would be melted in other silver with the amuletic valued being spread evenly to all the silver. Then a ritual object would be fashioned by a silversmith and the special nature of the item would be inscribed on it, indicating in one of several ways that this object had been made from "Shmirot". Such objects in the Gross Family Collection include Kiddish cups, a Havdalah tray, a Shabbat salt holder, a Chanukkah Menorah, a Torah crown, a spice tower, and a fork and spoon. All are of considerable rarity.
This object is a Kiddish cup fashioned from such silver. On this cup, the inscription indicating Shmirot is found in the inscribed words "Ne'esa me-Shekel ha-Kodesh" (Made from the Holy Shekel). Such cups were used for blessing wine so that each use conferred again the power of protection granted by the Rabbi.
These cups were decorated, using both vegetal motifs and the figures of different animals. In this instance only vegetal motifs are used with two shields, in one of which is the inscription mentioned above and in the other is the name of the owner, Moshe Werner.
This cup is highly unusual as it is fashioned in a special form used by the follower of the Ryzhiner Rabbinical Court. This includes the three-leaf base, the branch style column, and the round fruit shape of the cup itself which has a cover. In this case, the cover is made in such a way as to serves as a spice container for the ceremony of Havdalah at the end of the Sabbath. To find a cup of "Shmirot" in this form of the Ryzhiner Rebbe's court with an integrated spice container is very unusual.
Inscription: Side 1: Moshe Werner Side 2: Made from the Holy Shekel