100 Objects #45
Wooden rimonim
OVER THE years beautiful artwork has been produced to adorn the artefacts used in synagogues. Table cloths, Ark curtains and Torah covers are fashioned with care to show that the items we use in divine worship are not merely utilitarian, but also reflect our love of performing mitzvot.
We want our Sefer Torah to look as beautiful as possible, and for this reason we place them in attractively decorated boxes, as the Sephardim do, and adorn them with mantles, breast-plates and bells, as is the Ashkenazi custom.
The poles to which the parchment of a Sefer Torah is attached are called Atzei Chayim, which means “Trees of Life”. They extend beyond the parchment above and below to form handles and their main use is to assist in rolling the Torah to the place from which it is desired to read. After the mantle has been put on, the handles at the top are decorated with finials to which small bells are often attached. In Hebrew, these are known as rimonim.
Now, since rimon (the singular of rimonim) actually means “pomegranate” some words of explanation are clearly required.
The Torah tells us (Exodus 28) that around the hem of the high priest’s robe, bells and replicas of pomegranates had to be attached. This was so that, when he approached the Holy of Holies, he would be heard and he would not come in unexpectedly.
Since the Torah is the holiest article that Jews have, it is customary to stand when it is being carried. The ringing of the bells serves as a notification that a Sefer Torah is nearby and those present should stand.
If a pomegranate is left to completely dry out, it can be shaken like a rattle and will also make a noise. Perhaps this is why the “bells” on a Sefer Torah are called rimonim.
In the museum’s collection is a very unusual pair of rimonim that are made from wood instead of the more usual silver. While their provenance is not certain, it is thought they come from Tunisia. They are not an exact pair so probably do not belong together, although their similarity suggests that they come from the same place. They are a lovely example of the effort that a community made to beautify their religious appurtenances to the very best of their ability.