HUNGARIAN WOODEN MIZRACH.

20th century

Elegantly carved wooden shield with central Star-of-David and Hebrew ‘Mizrach’ with scrollwork border and arched pediment with two painted inserts: Portraits of Rabbis Akiva Eger and Moshe Sofer (the Chasam Sofer) with gold-lettered captions. On reverse, small window reveals manuscript Hebrew phrase on vellum: “Chodosh Asur Min HaTorah.” Hanging element on reverse.

Interestingly, subjects of portraits are father-in-law and son-in-law, with the Chasam Sofer (1762-1839) marrying R’ Eger’s (1761-1838) widowed daughter. The Talmudic term “Chodosh Asur Min HaTorah,” literally “New is forbidden by the Torah” was the Chasam’s Sofer motto in expressing his opposition to any philosophic, social or practical change to customary Orthodox practices, and thus successfully keeping the Reform movement and its associated beliefs out of Pressburg, the city he led for over three decades.