Old Torah Book

Old Torah Book

This image depicts an ancient, illuminated Jewish prayer book, open in the dark, highlighting its aged and worn condition. The massive tome, from the 13th century, features pages yellowed with time, marked by visible stains and wear, reflecting its long history. The Hebrew calligraphy is written in striking red and black ink, showcasing the meticulous craftsmanship of the period. This particular prayer book, originally from the synagogue of Worms, Germany, is historically significant as it contains the earliest known textual evidence of Yiddish, the language of Ashkenazi Jews from central and eastern Europe. The prayer book was used by cantors to lead festival prayers until the synagogue was destroyed during Kristallnacht in 1938, a night of widespread violence against Jewish communities in Nazi Germany. Remarkably, the manuscript survived due to the efforts of the city's archivist, who rescued it from a Gestapo office basement and concealed it in the tower of the city's cathedral, protecting it from Allied bombings. The book, a unique manuscript and a significant cultural artifact, was eventually given to Israel in 1957 as part of Holocaust reparation negotiations. Its open pages in the image convey a deep sense of history, survival, and the enduring legacy of the Jewish faith and culture.

Image ID#: 19048 / Category: Religion / Price: 499$

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alphabet ancient antique bible book cabala calligraphy culture faith hebrew holy israel jewish judaic judaism letter manuscript old page prayer praying religion retro script scroll spirituality synagogue text torah

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