Obj. ID: 39378  Torah Tik Covering, Cairo, 1932

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

In the Ashkenazi and Sephardi tradition the Torah Scroll is protected when not being read by a textile covering, often very beautifully embroidered. In the Mizrachi and Romaniote traditions, the Sefer Torah is generally not robed in a mantle, but rather housed in an ornamental wooden case which protects the scroll, called a "tik".

This textile was made to cover a small Torah Tik in the Ben Ezra synagogue, the famous house of worship in which the famous Cairo Genizah was located. There is another such covering in the Spertus museum in Chicago along with the tik itself. The center piece with the thick gold thread embroidered inscription is attached to two side pieces from an ornamented Ottoman harem towel. This is a good example of the use of secular objects being used in the making of ritual ones. The inscription is dedicatory in memory of Shlomo ben Avraham Suria.

Inscription: Dedicated to the Lord to the Holy Community of Ezra, May his virtue protect us, Amen, for the exaltation of the soul, May his light shine, of Shlomo ben Avraham Suria, who passed away on the 25th day of the month of Tamuz in the year 5692 [1932], May his soul be bound up in the bond of life