Important Judaica

Important Judaica

A Small Torah Scroll, [Ashkenaz, late 19th century]

Lot Closed

June 27, 02:13 PM GMT

Estimate

7,000 - 10,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

In order to fulfill the biblical ordinance enjoining every Jew to write a Torah scroll, people of means who are not themselves expert in the laws attaching thereto sometimes sponsor a scribe to write one on their behalf. While most communal scrolls used in synagogues for ritual purposes are large and heavy, their privately owned cousins tend to be diminutive and portable. This allows their owners not only to store them more easily, but also to transport them from place to place. Naturally, the degree of proficiency required to produce a small scroll like that of the present lot is beyond the ability of all but the most skilled scribes. Torah scrolls of such minute dimensions are thus highly rare and greatly prized.


Physical Description

Scroll of 46 membranes (8 5/8 in. x approx. 73.31 ft.; 217 mm x approx. 22.435 m) made of parchment; written in Ashkenazic Beit yosef script in light brown ink with three to eight columns per membrane (membrane widths ranging from approx. 9 3/8 to 27 in.; 238 to 685 mm) (total: 264 columns) and forty-two lines per column; some later corrections intermittently throughout; horizontally and vertically ruled in hardpoint on the recto; prickings visible in upper and lower margins; justification of lines via dilation or contraction of letters (average justification: 6 x 2 3/8 in.; 151 x 60 mm). The Songs of the Sea (Ex. 15:1-19) and of Moses (Deut. 32:1-43) are laid out to look like brickwork (ariah al gabbei levenah and ariah al gabbei ariah, respectively); a variant of the custom of vavei ha-ammudim is observed (see the first column of membrane 24 [shenei ha-se‘irim]). Slight scattered staining; some letters darkened by a later scribe; sinews connecting membranes 4-5, 5-6, 21-22 beginning to loosen; minor dampstaining over text on membranes 24, 30-31, 40-41; creasing on membranes 27, 35; “8844” inscribed in pen on verso of membrane 27. Mounted on carved wooden rollers, left roller slightly discolored, disks of both rollers somewhat loose; left roller with Sofer On Site (Palm Beach, FL) sticker designating this Torah as “No 12002”; multicolor silk binder, slightly discolored and damaged by foliate metal clasp; matching multicolor silk mantle emblazoned with an enlarged golden letter shin and outfitted with both golden fringes and tsitsit at the bottom.

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