Objects

Hanukkah lamp (hannukiyah)

Hanukkah is the eight-day Festival of Lights, commemorating the victory of Judah Maccabee's insurgents over the Syrian army in 165 BC. After the Temple in Jerusalem had been cleansed of pagan worship and the altar had been rededicated, only one vessel containing the ritual oil used to light the tabernacle was found. According to tradition, this ritual oil was sufficient, by a miracle, for eight days, until a new batch was produced (M. Siemieński, Księga świąt i obyczajów żydowskich, Warsaw 1993, pp. 73–74).

During Hanukkah, one more candle is lit each day in an eight-branched candelabrum called a hanukkiah, which is placed in the windows or in front of the doors of Jewish homes. The candles are lit by the eldest male in the family. During the holiday, one should not work or even study Torah. Fasting is also forbidden (A. Unterman, Żydzi. Wiara i życie, Łódź 1989, pp. 223–225).

The Hanukkah lamp from the collection of the Lublin Village Open Air Museum has the form of a trough with an openwork decorated backplate. The trough is divided into eight parts (oil was poured into each of them). An openwork decorated backplate is attached to it. At its bottom, on the arch, is an inscription in Hebrew: "L'hadlik ner Chanuka" ("To kindle the Chanukah lights"). In the centre of the decoration is an image of a stylised seven-branched candlestick (referring to the Tree of Life). On either side of the candlestick are antithetically placed two lions facing it. Above this is an open crown with an upraised centrepiece ending in a sleeve for a candle to light the burners (known as shammes).

The item was purchased for Lublin Open Air Village Museum in the "Desa" Works of Art and Antiques store in Przemyśl in 1985.

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Information about the object
Author / creator
unknown
Object type
handicrafts
lighting
Place of creation
Poland (Europe)
Technique
cast
Material
brass
Keywords
Copyright status
the object is not protected by copyright law
Owner
The Lublin Open Air Village Museum
Identification number
MWL/9491