SK
Matzah cover

Matzah cover

This rectangular cotton cover was used to cover the matzah, unleavened bread eaten during the feast of Pesach (Passover). Three matzah pieces laid in the cover in three layers symbolize the three classes of Jews (Kohanim, Levites and Israelites), the three forefathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and the three measures of white flour which Sarah used to bake bread to offer to God’s messengers. The cover bears the following Hebrew inscription: “This is the bread of affliction our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt.” It represents the opening words of the Haggadah, describing the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Pesach commemorates and celebrates the regaining of freedom. In the central frame formed by the inscription, the Seder table and the cup for the Prophet Elijah are located. The other part of the cover bears the Star of David with the inscription “For Pesach.” A picture of four men – four sons – takes up the largest part of the cover. The commandment to tell to children the story of the Exodus from Egypt is mentioned four times in the Torah. Single passages from the Torah were personified by four different types of sons: the wise son (chacham) – Deut 6:20-25; the wicked son (rasha) – Exod 12:25-28; the simple son (tam) – Exod 13:14-16; and the one who doesn’t know enough to ask (she'eino yodea lishol) – Exod 13:1-10. The first Haggadah with them was published in Amsterdam in 1695. The Haggadah was illustrated by Abraham ben Jacob, who actually copied this picture from the Historische Chronica, published 1630 in Frankfurt with engravings by Matthaeus Merian, Sr. These prototypes of the sons’ character types were popular and often copied. [JŠ]

Western Slovakia, turn of the 19th and the 20th century
Cotton, red cotton thread, lace
Height: 45 cm, width: 154 cm
ŽM-D 1174 XV-791

WISCHNITZER-BERNSTEIN, Rahel: Von der Holbeinbibel zur Amsterdamer Haggadah. In: Monatsschrift für Geschichte und Wissenschaft des Judentums, 1931, no. 4, pp. 269-286.

Amsterdam Haggadah, detail

Amsterdam Haggadah, detail