An Elaborate Painted Shiviti [Morocco] 1894

Ink, gouache and shell gold on paper. Matted and framed

(22 x 17 in.; 560 x 430 mm)

Literature:  Esther Juhasz, "The Amuletic Menorah: The Menorah and Psalm 67" in Nancy Benovitz, ed., In the Light of the Menorah: Story of a Symbol, Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1999.

Usually hung on the Eastern wall or in front of the cantor's lectern, shiviti plaques often included the image of a stylized menorah.  This example depicts three menorahs, the central one inscribed with the verses from Psalm 67, the left menorah encompasses the text of the Ana Bekoach, a liturgical hymn whose initial letters form the 42 letter name of God and the right menorah features the biblical verses of Psalm 121.  The custom of gazing upon Psalm 67 in the form of the menorah was encouraged by great mystics such as Rabbi David Abudraham as far back as 14th century Spain. Further, Rabbi Luria, (the Ari  z”l), introduced the recitation of Psalm 67 at certain times during the Morning Prayer service.  This plaque, created by Moses Ibn Hamo, is dedicated to two venerated Moroccan Jewish leaders, Rabbi David Halevy, from the Dra’a region (60 miles northeast of Marrakech) and Rabbi Amram Ibn Diwan, an 18th-century rabbi whose tomb in Ouazzane, Morocco is the site of an annual pilgrimage.

Literature:  Esther Juhasz, "The Amuletic Menorah: The Menorah and Psalm 67" in Nancy Benovitz, ed., In the Light of the Menorah: Story of a Symbol, Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1999.