Select manuscript from this collection: B26  K105 K110  S102  76/107

Country of Location:
Country of Location
Switzerland
Location:
Location
Zürich
Library / Collection:
Library / Collection
Braginsky Collection
Shelfmark:
Shelfmark
K109
Manuscript Title:
Manuscript Title
Ketubbah (כתובה), Cochin, 27 Adar 5660 (26 February 1900)
Caption:
Caption
Paper · 1 f. · 64.7 x 48.2 cm · Cochin · 1900
Language:
Language
Hebrew
Manuscript Summary:
Manuscript Summary
This contract celebrates the marriage of Moses, son of Judah, and Esther, daughter of Isaac, that took place in 1900 in Cochin, South India. According to the Indian caste system, the Jews of Cochin, very few of whom live there today, are divided into three groups: the Malabari (or black Jews) - whose namesake is the Indian coast of Malabar -, merchants who boast of their descent from King Solomon; the Paradesi (or white Jews) who arrived in Kerala during the colonial period; and the Meshuhrarim, originally slaves of Jewish merchants, who converted and were freed. The Jewish community of Cochin distinguished itself in numerous artistic fields, especially in the production of ketubbot. Based on its division into two sections, the present contract is typical of Indian production: the upper part of the document is taken up by lengthy blessings and biblical verses, written in square letters, while the lower part contains the actual wedding contract, written in a semi-cursive script. The decoration, consisting of elegant leafy branches in gold (and in yellow for some leaves), simultaneously frames and highlights the texts with its lustrous and shimmering effects. (rou)
DOI (Digital Object Identifier):
DOI (Digital Object Identifier
10.5076/e-codices-bc-k-0109 (http://dx.doi.org/10.5076/e-codices-bc-k-0109)
Permanent link:
Permanent link
http://e-codices.unifr.ch./en/list/one/bc/k-0109
IIIF Manifest URL:
IIIF Manifest URL
IIIF Drag-n-drop http://e-codices.unifr.ch./metadata/iiif/bc-k-0109/manifest.json
How to quote:
How to quote
Zürich, Braginsky Collection, K109: Ketubbah (כתובה), Cochin, 27 Adar 5660 (26 February 1900) (http://e-codices.unifr.ch./en/list/one/bc/k-0109).
Online Since:
Online Since
06/18/2020
External resources:
External resources
Rights:
Rights
Images:
(Concerning all other rights see each manuscript description and our Terms of use)
Document Type:
Document Type
Document
Century:
Century
20th century
Dated:
Dated
1900
Decoration:
Decoration
Gold / Silver, Margin, Ornamental
Liturgica hebraica:
Liturgica hebraica
Ketubbah
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e-codices · 05/18/2020, 12:05:59

Unter den drei Hauptgruppen der Juden Indiens sind nach den «Bene Israel» und den «Baghdadi» diejenigen von Cochin in Südindien die kleinste. Sie zählt gegenwärtig weniger als 70 Mitglieder (gegenüber rund 2500 im Jahr 1948). Viele Legenden ranken sich um die biblischen Ursprünge der Gemeinde von Cochin. Im indischen Gesellschaftssystem gehören die Cochiner Juden drei verschiedenen Kasten an: Zuoberst stehen die Malabari oder «schwarze Juden» genannten Kaufleute, die sich angeblich schon zur Zeit König Salomons an der Malabarküste niedergelassen hatten, dann folgen die Pardesi oder «weissen Juden», die in der kolonialen Epoche vornehmlich aus Ägypten, Holland und Deutschland gekommen waren, und zuunterst befinden sich die Meschuchrarim («die Freigelassenen»), die Nachkommen von zum Judentum konvertierten Sklaven jüdischer Kaufleute. Die Gemeinde in Cochin ist mit mancherlei aussergewöhnlichen Werken der jüdisch-religiösen Kunst hervorgetreten: mit üppig ausgestatteten Synagogen, zierlichen Toraschreinen und reich geschmückten Kästen zur Aufbewahrung der Tora. Die Ketubbot aus Cochin zeichnen sich durch ihre unverwechselbare Eleganz und die harmonische Verbindung östlicher und westlicher Einflüsse aus. Typisch für die indischen Ketubbot ist die Aufteilung des Vertragstextes auf zwei Schriftfelder. Das obere Feld enthält Segenssprüche und Bibelverse in Quadratschrift, ähnlich wie bei den mittelalterlichen Ketubbot aus der Kairoer Genisa und genauso wie bei jemenitischen Ketubbot. Im unteren Feld steht der eigentliche Vertragstext, und zwar üblicherweise in einer sefardischen Semikursive. Den Rahmen um die beiden Textfelder herum ziert – wie bei so vielen anderen Ketubbot aus Cochin – ein ansprechender, mit Bleistift, Gold und einigen gelben Pinselstrichen ausgeführter Blumen- und Blätterdekor.

Schöne Seiten. Jüdische Schriftkultur aus der Braginsky Collection, Hrsg. von Emile Schrijver und Falk Wiesemann, Zürich 2011, S. 226

e-codices · 05/18/2020, 12:00:51

Of the three major groups of Indian Jewry, which
include Bene Israel and Baghdadi Jews, the community in Cochin (South India) is the smallest, with fewer than seventy Jews remaining in the area today. Many legends are told about the biblical origins of the Cochini Jewish community. Following the Indian caste system, Cochini Jews are divided into three smaller groups: Malabari Jews, or “black Jews,” merchants who believe they arrived on the Malabar coast during the period of King Solomon; Pardesi (“foreigners” in some Indian languages), or “white Jews,” who came to Kerala in colonial times from countries such Egypt, Holland, and Germany; and Meshuhrarim (“released” in Hebrew), merchant
Jews’ slaves, who were converted to Judaism and later released.

In the past, the Cochini community excelled in many fields of Jewish art. Worthy of note are opulent Cochini synagogues, their attractive Torah arks, and rich Torah cases. Also outstanding is ketubbah decoration from Cochin, the leading center of this art form in India. The lavish and intricate decorative programs of the Cochini contracts often combine Eastern and Western designs in an original manner.

Typical of Indian ketubbot, the present contract is
divided into two sections: an upper one dedicated to a lengthy superscription and a lower one reserved for the ketubbah proper. The superscription, which always comprises the same set of blessings and biblical verses, has its sources in the medieval Cairo Genizah ketubbot; it is identical with the superscription of Yemeni ketubbot. This text is invariably written in square letters, while the ketubbah proper is generally penned in semi cursive script. Both sections are set in an attractive field of delicate floral motifs in bright tones of gold. A foliate garland frames the entire page, enclosing elongated branches delineated in pen and pencil, which contain some leaves painted yellow, while most are gold. A large gilt crown appears at the top center, which, as in ketubbot from Gibraltar (cat. no. 74), may signify both the British crown and the crown of the Torah.

A Journey through Jewish Worlds. Highlights from the Braginsky collection of Hebrew manuscripts and printed books, hrsg. E. M. Cohen, S. L. Mintz, E. G. L. Schrijver, Amsterdam, 2009, p. 218.

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Schöne Seiten. Jüdische Schriftkultur aus der Braginsky Collection, Hrsg. von Emile Schrijver und Falk Wiesemann, Zürich 2011, S. 226.

A Journey through Jewish Worlds. Highlights from the Braginsky collection of Hebrew manuscripts and printed books, hrsg. E. M. Cohen, S. L. Mintz, E. G. L. Schrijver, Amsterdam, 2009, p. 218.

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