Objects

Hanukkah lamp (hanukkiah)

The hanukkiah from the collection of the District Museum in Tarnów is a type of standing and hanging lamp, as evidenced by a jump ring placed on the axis (for hanging) and two legs attached to the base (for standing), an elongated strip for eight candles or sleeves – vessels for oil. Made of brass, cast and patinated, with a bumper on the backplate, it was probably made in Poland. The backplate is in the form of an openwork, symmetrical structure, and the menorah stem is supported by two lions antithetically positioned on their hind legs. On the right side, at the height of the lion's head, there is the so-called shammes (Yiddish: "servant") in the shape of a turned bowl, used to light the other candles. In iconography, the lion symbolises the tribe of Judah, from which King David came and the Messiah will come.

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, 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 lamp was purchased for the District Museum in Tarnów in1982 from a private person and probably comes from the city. Its original origin is unknown.

Barbara Bułdys

czytaj więcej
Information about the object
Author / creator
unknown
Object type
handicrafts
Time of creation / dating
1st quarter of the 20th century
Place of creation
Poland (Europe)
Technique
forming
cast
patination
Material
brass
Keywords
Copyright status
the object is not protected by copyright law
Owner
Museum of Tarnów Land
Identification number
MT.IV.1890