Hyman Bloom’s Studio – Paintings and Drawings (1940-2005) By: Richard McBee Published: September 13th, 2013 , oil on canvas by Hyman Bloom.

“Hyman Bloom: Paintings and Drawings (1940 – 2005),” currently at White Box (the cutting edge international art space on Broome Street), is a rare opportunity to observe the creative process of one of the most important practitioners of 20th century Jewish Art in America. Totally dominating the pristine gallery space are 18 large oil paintings of rabbis each holding a large Torah scroll. It is as if the artist invited you into the most private recesses of his studio (which in reality he never would permit), put his arm around you and explained, “this is exactly how an artist makes paintings about being a modern Jew.” Considering the subject of the paintings and the nature of the venue, this is a shocking and gusty show. Jew with Torah (#2) (1990s), oil on canvas by Hyman Bloom. Courtesy White Box and Estate of Hyman Bloom. Jew with Torah (#2) (1990s), oil on canvas by Hyman Bloom. Courtesy White Box and Estate of Hyman Bloom. Bloom, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 96, was a highly respected and yet tragically under-valued star of the mid-century avant-garde. Born in Latvia in 1913, his traditional cheder education quickly fell by the wayside upon immigration to the United States and settlement in Boston in 1920. 

ELDER OF ZIYON: Isaac Newton's Hebrew handwriting

In 2007, I wrote this post:

The Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem has a collection of Isaac Newton's non-scientific writings, many of them theological.

In a manuscript where Newton discussed aspects of the Temple in Jerusalem, we can see here where he actually writes in Hebrew in addition to English and Latin:

At the time I used an image host that no longer exists, so my picture of Newton's Hebrew handwriting (in this case, while discussing Maimonides) was lost. (I cannot edit posts more than 5000 posts ago, due to a strange Blogger glitch, so I am missing many old images.)

So here again is Isaac Newton's writing:

His vowelization of the Talmudic phrase which is today pronounced as "Tah Sh'ma" as "Tay Shayma" is interesting too.

A sculptural mural depicting the Old City of Jerusalem by Artist Michoel Muchnik. (Credit: Eli Wohl/VIN News)

The story of a tablecloth

On Monday, at Sotheby's, the first part of a highly anticipated auction of Judaica - the Steinhardt Judaica Collection -  was held.

While there are exquisite pieces of all types, including a beautiful illustrated Mishneh Torah worth millions of dollars, today's auction included an unanticipated bidding war over a 19th century tablecloth.

The estimated price for this piece was between $20,000 and $30,000. It sold for an astonishing $137,000.

Here is what it looks like and the explanation:

This colorful Sabbath tablecloth embroidered with images of the holy sites of Israel is one of an exceptional group of decorative textiles created in the Holy Land in the nineteenth century. In the central panel, the artist has featured an idealized vision of the sacred sites of the Temple Mount; the Midrash Shlomo (Solomon’s school) Bet Ha-Mikdash (The Temple) and the Kotel ha-Maaravi (the Western Wall). Surrounding the central panel are ten pavilions each denoting a tomb of one of the famous men or sages of Israel. In addition, the well of Miriam is also depicted and a fanciful chained lion represents the tomb of Rabbi Solomon Luria (known by his acronym as Ha-Ari = the Lion). In the outside corners are depictions of the tombs of Rachel, Samuel, Hulda the prophetess and the Kings of the House of David. Several prayers recited on Friday evening at the start of the Sabbath meal, (including Shalom Aleichem) are decoratively inscribed in concentric circles.

Scholarly research has identified a total of only nine clothes created in this style; these include seven highly similar tablecloths:
1. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. First half of the nineteenth century (161/58)
2. The Jewish Museum, London. First half of the nineteenth century (no. 366)
3. The Jewish Museum, New York. First half of the nineteenth century (F1789)
4. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Dated 1850 (755-1900)
5. The Wolfson Museum Heichal Shlomo, Jerusalem. Dated 1906 (#2185)
6. The Wolfson Museum Heichal Shlomo, Jerusalem. Early twentieth century (#257)
7. The Jewish Museum of Greece, nineteenth century

and one related Torah Ark Curtain in the collection of the Jewish Museum, London (#53).

The present cloth is the only one of this group to be both signed by an artist, Nachman the son of Hillel the Yerushalmi, as well as dated, 1821. More importantly, it is both the earliest example of this genre as well as one of the earliest extant dated objects of Judaica to be created in Jerusalem in the modern period.

Why would a tablecloth sell for such an astonishing amount? 

Perhaps because this is simple yet powerful proof of the centrality of Jerusalem, and specifically the Temple Mount, to Jews - a truth that too many people nowadays downplay or ignore. The tablecloth also displays a small inkling of the richness of Jewish history in the Land of Israel, and it beautifully demonstrates how Jews and their land are inexorably linked.

Judaism in a Teapot - Spanish Inquisition Teapot

Closed.

Take off the top piece...

It's a dreidle!

Next piece...

A spice holder

Open

Closed.

The word on the bottom is 'spices' in Hebrew.

Next layer down.

The eternal flame.

Front View.

The inscription reads, "The light of god is man's soul."

But turn it to the side, and there's another secret!

A Megilla!

It's actually a complete, tiny, useable megilla that rolls out several feet. 

Contributor didn't roll it out because it's a pain to get back in.

Etrog holder.

The body of the teapot is designed to hold an etrog.

inscription.

The words say "pri etz hadar" a biblical reference to the etrog.

Inside!

Shabbat candlesticks

closeup

Under the candlesticks...

A seder plate!

The individual plates latch into notches on the side of the teapot.

Everything open.

But wait!

There's one more secret hidden on the bottom!

A Menorah!

With the shammas.

And all closed up again.

Rare Vilna Gaon's Gemara To Be Auctioned In Israel

A rare Gemara, with hundreds of hand written annotations by the Vilna Gaon, will be one of the items up for bid at Special Anniversary Auction Number 25 to take place at Jerusalem’s Kedem Auction House on July 3rd.

The opening bid for this rare volume of the Talmud Bavli, which encompasses the Mesechtas of Rosh Hashana, Taanis, Yoma, Succah, Megilah and Mesachta Shekalim (Yerushalmi) is $500,000.

The Gemara is one of the only known items bearing the handwriting of the Vilna Gaon in the world and the handwritten notations have been authenticated by Rabbi Dovid Kaminetzky, a noted expert in the research of the Vilna Gaon’s writings. It is listed in the auction catalog as being in good to fair condition, with signs of usage, minor moth damage and some staining, including drops of melted wax, which are consistent with the fact that the Vilna Gaon was known to learn in a darkened room, even during the daytime hours, by candlelight.

The Gemara, printed in Berlin in 1735, is described by Kedem’s website as the centerpiece of their auction and as “the most important and valuable non-fine art item ever offered for auction in Israel.”

The viewing for this item will take place on Sunday, July1st and Monday, July 2nd, from 12 noon until 8 PM, with auction h on Tuesday July3rd at 7 PM. Both the viewing and the auction will take place at Kedem Auction House office at the Hechal Shlomo Building, 58 Rechov King George.

Historic 'Baal Shem Tov' Siddur Sold At Sotheby’s For Over $500K

New York - A rare Siddur Tefilah me-ha-Arizal presumed to have been a personal prayer book of the founder of Chasidic Judaism, Reb Yisroel ben Eliezer, also known as the Baal Shem Tov, was one of the most coveted items sold yesterday in auction at Sotheby’s in New York City.

Considered to be the most important hand written Chasidic siddur still owned by a private collector, the two hundred and twenty three page siddur sold for a price of $572,500.

Emily Berland of Sotheby’s told VIN News that the siddur was sold to an unnamed private collector.

The hand written siddur, estimated to have been written in 1750 by Moses ben Joseph of Luboml and Rabbi Mordechai Twersky of Chernobyl,  is one of only several items that were known to have been used by the Baal Shem Tov in his life and contains extraordinary drawings including a unicorn, a winged shofar and a menorah comprised of the words of the 67th perek of Tehillim.  Additionally, the Nusach Ari siddur, which was passed down through the Chernobyl dynasty from father to son, has visible tear stains on the page of Yom Kippur viduy and a wine stain on the page featuring the Pesach Kiddush.