558 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899. 



iv. objects used on special occasions. 



43. Wrapper used on the occasion of carrying a child to 

 SYNAGOGUE. — Linen with embroidered inscription in Hebrew reading: 

 "Jacob, surnamed Kapel, son of Naphthali Siialita, surnamed Hirsli 

 Heller, born Wednesda.y, the loth of Shebat (January-February) 5604 

 (1844). May the Lord let him grow up to the study of the Torah, to 

 marriage and good works. Amen. Selah." Made in France. Length, 

 9 feet 4 inches; width, 6 inches. (Plate 28. U.S.N.M. No. 154605.) 



Among some Jews it is the custom when a child is brought for the 

 first time to the synagogue that the father takes it to the desk, where 

 the lesson from the Law is read during service, and presents a wrapper 

 for the Torah scroll. 



44. Marriage contract {kethvhah). — Written on parchment in the 

 so-called Rashi or Rabbinical script with gilded initials and decorated 

 borders. Height, 12 inches; width, 18i inches. Dated Haskeuy, 

 Constantinople, the 7th of Tishri (September-October) 5361 A. M. 

 (1601 A. D.). The contracting parties are Solomon Medinah and Mer- 

 cada, daughter of Moses Firmon. Marriage is usually preceded by an 

 engagement or betrothal, on which occasion it is customary among 

 some Jews to draw up a formal writ of agreement between the bride 

 and groom, whence the ceremony is called tenaim, "articles of agree- 

 ment." The marriage ceremony takes place under a canopy {hupj)ah) 

 of silk, or velvet about two yards square, supported by four poles. The 

 bride and bridegroom are led under it by their parents and friends. 

 The rabbi, or anyone competent to perform the ceremony, takes a cup 

 of wine, and after pronouncing an appropriate blessing, gives it to the 

 bride and bridegroom to taste. The bridegroom then places a ring on 

 the finger of the bride with the words: "Behold thou art wedded to 

 me by this ring, according to the law of Moses and Israel." This act, 

 which is called sanctification {hlddtishin) in itself makes the marriage 

 valid. Then the marriage contract is read. This is written in Aramaic 

 after an established form. It states that the bridegroom agrees to take 

 the bride as his lawful wife, and that he will keep, maintain, honor, 

 and cherish her, etc. , and also specifies the sum he settles upon her in 

 case of his death. After that the bridegroom crushes an empty glass 

 with his foot in remembrance of the destruction of Jerusalem.^ The 

 rabbi, or whosoever performs the ceremony, takes another cup of wine, 

 pronounces over it seven benedictions, and hands it again to the bride 

 and bridegroom, who taste it, and the ceremony is then' concluded. 



45. Marriage contract.— Written on parchment. The margins are 

 richly decorated; of the writing only a few traces are left, which, how- 

 ever, exhibit fine workmanship. Height, 20i inches; width, 18i inches.^ 



^Compare Psalms cxxxvii, 5. 



2 For an illustration of an old marriage contract, see Report of the U. S. National 

 Museum for 1896, p. 998. 



