#shiviti

[gliklofhameln]

Shiviti plate by Chava Wolpert Richard (American, b. Germany, 1933-2015). Made in New York, United States, 1959. Enamel on copper: hand-worked.

[ta-chazei]

שִׁוִּיתִי יְהוָה לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד כִּי מִימִינִי בַּל־אֶמּוֹט׃

I am ever mindful of the Yah’s presence; the Divine is at my right hand; I shall never be shaken. -Psalms 16:28

[gliklofhameln]

Micrographic Shiviti [Eretz Israel?] 1855

This delicate decorative plaque, known as a Shiviti, derives its name from the first word of the biblical verse “I have set the Lord before me always” (Psalms 16:8) which is prominently inscribed in the medallion at the top of the document. During the nineteenth century it became a common practice to hang these decorative plaques in synagogues and private homes to serve as a visual and textual reminder of the constant presence of God. The artist of this elegant shiviti has fashioned the decorative images employing the scribal art of micrography and imaginatively penned minute Hebrew words to form the central image of the menorah flanked by two cypress trees and topped by a magen david and two hands bearing mystical inscriptions. The shiviti is dedicated at bottom to “my beloved friend Nissan, the son of Israel Rofeh in the year 5615 (=1855).

[gliklofhameln]

Shiviti

Zelig Segal

Israeli, 1933-2015

Jerusalem, Israel, 1997-2004

Silver: pierced, ink on parchment; acrylic

Zelig Segal is among the most creative and thoughtful makers of Judaica working today. His shiviti plaque, a type of ceremonial object designed to be hung in the synagogue as a reminder of holiness, evokes the European papercut shivitis of past centuries, but in an entirely different medium and presentation.

[ta-chazei]

אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְחָנֵּ֥נוּ וִֽיבָרְכֵ֑נוּ יָ֤אֵ֥ר פָּנָ֖יו אִתָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃

May G-d be gracious to us and bless us; may G-d show us favour, selah. 

Psalm 67:2

[ta-chazei]

“We must analyze the expression ‎נשאתי את ידי‎, “I raised My hand (in an oath).” A prince was ‎engaged in a war against the enemies of his father, the ‎King’s kingdom. When the prince was victorious there ‎was great joy in the King’s palace. As a result of the ‎great joy, the King, who was normally not overly ‎generous, now displayed great generosity to everyone ‎who turned to him with a request. Suddenly, while all ‎these festivities were in progress, an enemy of the ‎king’s son shows up with a request to his father, the ‎king. The king is now faced with a dilemma. If the king ‎ignores the root cause of the joy and the festivities he ‎may G’d forbid also fulfill a request of his son’s arch ‎enemy; on the other hand, if the king keeps the source ‎of all the festivities in mind, i.e. his son’s victory in a ‎life and death struggle, i.e. that his son had just ‎vanquished this arch enemy of his, he will most ‎certainly not pay any heed to the request made by his ‎son’s enemy.‎It is written in Song of Songs 6,3 ‎אני לדודי ודודי לי‎, “I ‎am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;” in other ‎words: “my beloved yearns for me.”” Kedushat Levi, Vaera

[otir]

A new week, a new hope. Shavua Tov! A good week! May it bring you peace. May it bring you joy. #shavuatov #shiviti #psalms #tamid