The Carved Wooden Torah Arks of Eastern Europe

The carved wooden Torah arks found in eastern Europe from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries were magnificent structures, unparalleled in their beauty and mystical significance. The work of Jewish artisans, they dominated the synagogues of numerous towns both large and small throughout the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, inspiring worshippers with their monumental scale and intricate motifs.

Virtually none of these superb pieces survived the devastation of the two world wars. Bracha Yaniv’s pioneering work therefore breathes new life into a lost genre, making it accessible to scholars and students of Jewish art, Jewish heritage, and religious art more generally. Making use of hundreds of pre-war photographs housed in local archives, she develops a vivid portrait of the history and artistic development of these arks, the scope and depth of her meticulous research successfully compensating for the absence of physical remains. In this way she has succeeded in producing a richly illustrated and comprehensive overview of a classic Jewish religious art form.

Professor Yaniv’s analysis of the historical context in which these arks emerged includes a broad survey of the traditions that characterized the local workshops of Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine. She also provides a detailed analysis of the motifs carved into the Torah arks and explains their mystical significance, among them representations of Temple imagery and messianic themes—and even daring visual metaphors for God. Fourteen arks are discussed in particular detail, with full supporting documentation; appendices relating to the inscriptions on the arks and to the artisans’ names will further facilitate future research. This seminal work throws new light on long-forgotten traditions of Jewish craftsmanship and religious understanding.

Note on Transliteration
Introduction

Part 1 History, Culture, Function, and Design

1 The Emergence of the Torah Ark from Antiquity to the Seventeenth Century
2 Historical and Cultural Background
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth • The Rise of Hasidism and the Influence of Kabbalah
3 Construction and Design
Crafts, Artisans, and Workshops: The Lithuanian Workshop of Jacob ben Solomon of Rasainai • The Workshop of the Vase in a Niche • The Rococo-Style Workshop • The Belarussian Workshop • The Ukrainian Workshop
Constructing the Ark: Building • Materials and Techniques • Style and Design

Part 2 Form and Content

Introduction: The Architectural Structure of the Torah Ark

4 The Kingdom of God in the Little Sanctuary: The Throne of Glory • The Eagle as a Metaphor for God • The Three Crowns • Praise of God • Music in the Temple
5 The Temple: The Gateway to Heaven • The Ark and the Temple Appurtenances • The Seven-Branched Menorah • The Temple Rituals: Avodat hakodesh
6 Messianic Expectations
Personal Redemption: The Leviathan and the Ox • National Redemption

Part 3 Appendices

I Fourteen Torah Arks: Comprehensive Description, Technical Data, and Supporting Documentation
Kamyanka-Buzka • Vyzhuonos • Zabłudów • Druya • Zelva • Lukiv • Hrodna • Nowe Miasto nad Pilica • Saukenai • Przedbórz • Valkininkai • Kepno • Vowpa • Unidentified
II Biblical Quotations and Liturgical Phrases Adorning the Arks
III Carpenters and Woodcarvers of Arks
IV Alphabetical List of the Arks Comprising the Visual Database for this Study

List of Illustrations
List of Archives, Libraries, and Collections
Bibliography
Index