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12]
Description
18th century Amulet for newborn children, possibly specifically designed for first-born
males (the language suggests references to "pidyon haben," the ritual for the redemption
of a first-born son). Biblical Hebrew texts (Psalms 90 and 91; Genesis 49:18; Deuteronomy
7:15) arranged in circular pattern around the letters ( שדיshaday) framed at center by the
depictions of a crown, a floral motif and the text of the "priestly blessing" (Numbers
6:24-26). A square frame includes the names of four angels in each corner (Michael, ;מיכאל
Gavriel, ;גבריאלRafael, ;רפאלand Uriel, )אוריאל, along with amuletic texts, including
references to ‘Azriel and Shomriel ( ;)עזריאל שמריאלLilith, Adam and Eve (;)חוץ לילית אדם וחוה
Sanoy, Sansanoy, and Semangalof ()סנוי סנסנוי סמנגלף. Black ink on paper, sepia (possibly
pink at one time) wash at corners, The paper is yellow and white with a Hebrew inscription
in circular pattern around the center.
Text(s)
2. Psalms 46:8
:יי צבאות עמנו משגב לנו אלהי יעקב סלה
yy[adonay] tzvaot ‘imanu misgav lanu elohey yaaqov selah
“God [yhvh] is with us; the God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah”
3. Psalms 84:13
:יי צבאות אשרי אדם בוטח בך
yy[adonay] tzevaot ashrey adam boteach bach
“O God [yhvh], happy is the man that trusteth in Thee.”
4. Psalms 20:10
:'יי הושיע המלך יעננו ביום ק
yy[adonay] hoshiy’a hamelekh ya’anenu beyom K
“Save, God [yhvh]; let the King answer us in the day [that we call.]”
5. P
salms 32:7
:אתה סתר לי מצר תצרני רני פלט תסובבני סלה
Atah satar li metzer tatzereny reny pelet tesoveveny selah
“Thou art my hiding-place; Thou wilt preserve me from the adversary; {N} with songs of
deliverance Thou wilt compass me about. Selah”
6. P
salms 32:7 (backward)
:סלה תסובבני פלטרני תצרני מצר לי סתר אתה
Selah tesoveveny paltereny tatzereny metzer li satar atah
7. D
euteronomy 7:15
:והסיר יי ממך כל חלי וכל מדוי מצרים הרעים אשר ידעת לא ישימם בך ונתנם בכל שנאיך
Ve-hesir yy[adonay] mimekh kol choly ve-kol madvey mitzraim hara’im asher yad’at lo yasimam
bach ve-natnam bekol soneikha
"And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness; and He will put none of the evil
diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee, but will lay them upon all them that hate
thee."
8. P
salms 3:9
"Salvation belongeth unto the LORD; Thy blessing be upon Thy people. Selah"
8. Psalms 90:17
ויהי נועם יי אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשנה ידינו כוננוהו
Va-yehi no’am yy[adonay] eloheinu ‘aleinu ve-ma’aseh yadeinu konenah ‘aleinu ve-ma’asenah
yadeinu konenahu
“And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us;
establish Thou also upon us the work of our hands; yea, the work of our hands establish
Thou it”
9. Psalms 91
ישב בסתר עליון בצל שדי יתלונן אומר ליי מחסי ומצודתי אלהי אבטח בו כי הוא יצילך מפח יקוש מדבר הוות
באברתו יסך לך ותחת כנפיו תחסה צנה וסחרה אמתו לא תירא מפחד לילה מחץ יעוף יומם מדבר באפל יהלך
מקטב ישוד צהרים יפל מצדך אלף ורבבה מימנך אליך לא יגש רק בעיניך תביט ושלמת רשעים תראה כי אתה יי
מחסי עליון שמת מעונך לא תאנה אליך רעה ונגע לא יקרב באהלך כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך על כפים
ישאונך פן תגוף באבן רגלך על שחל ופתן תדרך תרמוס כפיר ותנין כי בי חשק ואפלטהו אשגבהו כי ידע שמי
:יקראני ואענהו עמו אנכי בצרה אחלצהו ואכבדהו ארך ימים אשביעהו ואראהו בישועתי
Yoshev beseter ‘elyon be-tzel shadai yitlonen omar le’yy[adonay] machasy u-metzudaty elohay
evtach bo ky hu yatzilcha mi-pach yeqush midever havot be-evrato yasakh lach ve-tachat
knafav techaseh tzina ve-socherah eimito lo tira mi-pachad layla mechetz ya’uf yomam midever
ba-ofel yehaluch miqetev yeshud tzaharaim yipol metzidcha elef ve-revava meyeminecha
eleycha lo yigash rak be’eyneycha tabit ve-shilumat resha’ym tireh ki atah yy[adonay] machasy
‘eliyon samta me’oncha lo teuneh eleicha ra’ah ve-neg’a lo yikrav be-ohalecha ki malachv
yetzaveh lach leishmarcha bekhol darkheicha ‘al kapaym ysuncha pen tigof be-even raglecha
‘al shachal va-peten tidroch tirmos kfir ve-tanin ki bi chashak ve-afaltehu esgavehu ki yad’a
shmy ykra’any ve-a’anehu imo anochy betzara echaltzehu ve-achabdehu orech yamim
ashbi’ahu ve-erehu beyeshu’aty:
“O thou that dwellest in the covert of the Most High, and abidest in the shadow of the
Almighty; I will say of the LORD, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust,
That He will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He
will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge; His truth is a
shield and a buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that
flieth by day; Of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor of the destruction that wasteth
at noonday. A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; it shall not
come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the recompense of the
wicked. For thou hast made the LORD who is my refuge, even the Most High, thy
habitation. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. For
He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee
upon their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion
and asp; the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath
set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath
known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I
will rescue him, and bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him, and make him to
behold My salvation.”
Yaer yy[adonay] panav eleicha ve-yechunekha: yisa yy[adonay] panav eleicha ve-yasem lekha
shalom… yevarkhekha yy[adonay] ve-yshmerekha
12a. G
enesis 49:18
[ִיתי יְהוָה ְ לק"י קי"ל יל"ק ] ִלישׁוּ ָע
ִ ִקוּ,ת ָך
Laki kil yalek
[li-yeshu’atekha qiviti yhvh]
“I wait for Thy salvation, O God”
Links
IDEA: http://magnesalm.org/notebook_ext.asp?item=158349&site=magnes
Flickr: w
ww.flickr.com/photos/magnesmuseum/15277366128