Obj. ID: 48392  Shiviti, Ukraine, 1811/1812

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

"Shiviti" sign. 1812; renewed in 1866.

Black / brown and red ink on parchment.

Impressive "Shiviti" used in the Synagogue. On its upper margins (in Aramaic): "Woe to the person who talks in the Synagogue". At the top: "Know before whom you are standing, before the King of Kings 'HaKadosh Baruch Hu'" and "Shiviti Hashem L'Negdi Tamid". In the center is an illustration of a "menorah" with verses from Psalms, supported by two lions, flanked by two flowers. All around are various letter combinations and Names of G-d. Written around the right, bottom and left margins: "Man worries about the loss of his money but does not worry about the loss of his days. His money does not help him and his days do not return". Acronym of "Turn away from evil and do good" and of "Only good to Israel forever". At the base of the "menorah" is the date the sign was manufactured, "5572", and at the sides, the name of the person who made it," Avraham Katz". Some of the letters and ornamentation have been damaged and restored in 1866 as written on the bottom margins: "Repaired and renewed by me Yidel Esheim in 5626". 33X34 cm. Two pieces, a few centimeters long, are missing and were restored by sewing in 1866. Two holes (apparently, one was used for hanging).

The Shiviti plaque takes its name from a phrase in the Psalms, "Shivit Adonai Lenegdi Tamid". "I will always hold the Lord before me."  During morning prayers the 67th psalm is read as a part of the liturgy. The making of such visual pages to augment the reading started almost 500 years ago. It began because of a particular story or legend. The custom relates that if one gazes on the form of the Menorah while reciting the Psalm, or reads the psalm written in the form of a Menorah, the person is carried back to the Temple, standing before the golden Temple Menorah itself. To complete the illusion, some of the Temple implements were often illustrated. The mysticism of the idea is clear, and the Shiviti page is often filled with Kabbalistic abbreviations as well as the Menorah form. Sometimes, depending on the size and complexity of the image, other texts read during the time of prayer are also presented on the sheet.

Such pages appear as small sheets to be inserted into a prayer book and taken out when the psalm is recited or as large pages to be hung on the wall of the synagogue for the viewing by the whole congregation. The sheet was also used on the wall of a home or Sukkah. Later still, the Shiviti could be printed in the prayer book or painted on the wall of the synagogue. There are numerous examples of both the prayer book tradition and the wall plaque tradition in the Gross Family Collection.

This large and colorful parchment Shiviti most likely originates in the Galician area of Ukraine made by the Shochet Avraham Katz. It is from an early date, 1811/1812. The sheet carries a second date of 1864, the time at which it was renewed and repaired with the funds of one Yidel Eisheim. It is done is a very folkish manner and most likely originates from one of the smaller Jewish communities.