Asta Bidspirit | Magnificent Blue Velvet Torah Ark

Magnificent Blue Velvet Torah Ark Curtain (Parochet) (1970) – Donated by a ”Women's Society” in Honor of Shavuot - A large Torah ark curtain (parochet) of deep royal-blue velvet, originally embroidered and dedicated in the year 1970. The parochet was donated as a sacred gift by a traditional communal women's organization (”Chevra Nashim”) in memory of the souls of their relatives, and was dedicated especially in honor of the festival of the Giving of the Torah (Shavuot) of 1970. Design and iconographic elements: Upper section — a magnificent Torah crown: a monumental and prominent embroidery of an enormous royal crown (”Keter Torah”) decorated with motifs of gemstones and red and white pearls in rich threadwork. On either side of the crown are embroidered the large honorific letters Kaf and Tav. Center of the parochet — lions and the Tablets of the Law: a pair of roaring lions of valor worked in yellow and brown threads, holding the Tablets of the Law with rounded tops, upon which the opening words of the Ten Commandments are embroidered in clear, large letters (”I am the Lord…”, ”You shall not murder…”). The columns in a distinctive design: on either side of the parochet are embroidered Temple columns (Jachin and Boaz), whose upper portions are designed as half-crowns, with their bases embroidered in a diagonal-line texture. Abundant floral ornaments: in the lower section, beneath the dedicatory inscription, is embroidered a large and richly colorful floral wreath (flowers in orange, yellow, white, and pink tones) with long green stems and leaves twisting upward. The inscription and ornaments conclude with an embroidered rendering of a large bow in yellow and orange tones. Along the borders of the parochet is sewn a gilt decorative ribbon with a continuous geometric pattern, and at the bottom are traditional long fringes (fransen). In very good condition: the velvet fabric is strong, intact, clean, without holes, tears, or abrasion of the fabric, and is preserved in a deep and beautiful blue. The embroidery is entirely complete; the threads are dense, and the colors of the flowers and crown are vivid and very lustrous, with no significant unraveling.  200×135 cm. Over 1.8 kg.