Dein Kursaya De’Eliyahu z"l Mal’ach Haberith [“This is the seat of Elijah, of blessed memory, angel of the covenant]

(CIRCUMCISION PLAQUE)

Italy

17th century

Italianate Hebrew calligraphy within border, surrounded by blue, red, and green floral motifs. Below the inscription there follow the initials of the words from Malachi 3;23, 24: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and aweful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." Gouache on paper.

This plaque would designate the traditional “Chair of Elijah" at a circumcision ceremony. “In those European cities where the ceremony took place in the synagogue, there was often a special chair, the so-called Chair of Elijah, suitably inscribed, for the ceremony. The child was placed onto the chair first and then transferred to the lap of the sandek. In some congregations the chair was wide, with two seats; the sandek placed the baby for a moment on the cushion beside him, and then took him onto his lap, leaving the empty seat for Elijah" (Abram Kanof, Jewish Ceremonial Art, p. 183)