Objects

The cylindrical flour and grain sieve with a membrane is made of parchment from a Torah scroll; for the history of the object, see the note to object MPOLIN-M720.

On the outside of the membrane fragments of Hebrew text can be seen (letters are worn out). The holes in the membrane are spaced at different distances from each other and are of different sizes, suggesting handmade workmanship. The sieve has uneven edges. The membrane is reinforced with strips glued to its bottom layer. The parchment was joined to the wood in the form of a roundabout and was additionally fixed with glue.

The use of matzevot as building material is relatively well known. It was revived in 2012, when Łukasz Baksik published an album/book called Macewy codziennego użytku [Matzevots of Everyday Use). Devastation, neglect and oblivion of Jewish cemeteries is also described by Krzysztof Bielawski in his book Zagłada cmentarzy żydowskich (Destruction of Jewish cemeteries), published in 2020.

On the other hand, the topic of using the Torah for everyday use is much less frequently discussed. During World War II, Torah scrolls were destroyed by Germans or Jews who were forced to do so. In order to realize the importance of the Torah for Jews, it is worth recalling the article Żydowskie studiowanie Tory (Jewish Torah Studies) by Stanisław Krajewski ("Verbum Vitae" 2005) stating that the Torah is the most sacred object that Judaism has. It defines what Judaism is. Studying the Torah is an obligation because it is the link between man and God; studying it is the same as praying. The Torah is kept in the synagogue with reverence and reverence (for more on the Torah see MPOLIN-M145).

Natalia Różańska