Objects

The oval, copper, embossed and punched tray with a diameter reaching 50 cm is one of the few objects of this type preserved in museum collections in Poland. The semicircular collar was divided by transverse lines, indentations forming eighteen empty fields. The surface of the mirror is filled with a decoration made with a punch in the form of an oval floral tendril corresponding to the shape of the tray, which is formed by leaves and buds (?) of flowers spreading to both sides. In the center there is a Star of David made of a double line, with the Hebrew inscription: "sabbath" (composed of three letters: shin, bet, tav). The item bears numerous traces of use.

Probably, as with most ritual trays, this one was made in the eastern areas of the former Republic of Poland. Thanks to the inscription, it has a clearly defined purpose: it was used to serve meals during the Sabbath According to Jewish tradition, on Shabbat, i.e. from dusk on Friday evening until sunset on Saturday, it is obligatory to refrain from all work. For this reason, Jewish homes employed the so-called shabbos goy, i.e. a non-Jew who performed necessary work. The function was most often performed by poor Christian neighbours.

The item was purchased for the District Musuem in Tarnów in 2004 from a private person. No details are known about its origin or history.

Barbara Bułdys