4 Torah ornament
Galicia, 18th century
Silver, partially gold plated
From the collection of the Jewish Museum of Óbuda, 1950
The first known decorations of the Torah scrolls are the rimon pairs. Rimon in Hebrew means pomegranate, which is the symbol of abundance, and figuratively, of the Torah. The stems of this rimon pair from the Chevra Kadisha of Óbuda are surrounded by grape vine, and birds and lions can be seen in the crowns on its top. The lion symbolizes the tribe of Judah and Jerusalem, and the birds refer to a verse from the Book of Isaiah (Is. 31:5): “As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.” This little Torah ornament from Galicia was first exhibited at the Historical Exhibition of Metal Art in 1884, and then on the National Millennial Exhibition in 1896.