Mazewa
A Mazewa (also Matzevah , Matzewa ; plural Mazewot ; Hebrew מצבות, מצבה 'Monument' , 'tombstone') is a Jewish tombstone . One year after the burial , it is set or unveiled in a special ceremony, Gilui Mazewa , and symbolizes the obligation not to forget the dead.
history
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The custom of marking a grave with a mark is traced back to Gen 35: 19-20 EU :
When visiting a grave - especially at the time of year - it is customary for relatives to place a small stone on the gravestone to indicate that the deceased has not been forgotten. Various origins are assumed for this custom. There is a widespread view that in historical times the graves made in the desert were secured with stones from the wind and foraging animals. One explanation relates to the later customary burial in grave caves; these were closed with large stones, which were wedged with such small stones.
Inscriptions
The inscription on the Mazewa is usually Hebrew, with an additional inscription in the respective national language often attached, for example on the back or on the base.
The inscription follows ancient Greek and Roman models and is typically divided into three parts. The introductory formula is uniform and reads Here is buried "פה נקבר", often only in two characters (פ 'נ') or (פ"נ)abbreviated. The middle part gives the name of the deceased, that of his father, in the case of married women the name of the husband, any titles or other designations, the last place of residence, the date of death and sometimes the different burial date. This information is often included in formulaic phrases about an exemplary lifestyle or similar, but there are also gravestones with longer individual biographical information. A blessing - mostly (according to the wish of the Abigajil , 1 Sam 25/29 EU ) "His / her soul be integrated into the bundle of life!",תהיה נפשו / נפשה צרורה בצרור החיים, abbreviated ת 'נ' צ 'ב' ה '- concludes the inscription. This wish for a blessing often appears as the only Hebrew part in a funerary inscription that is otherwise in the local language.
The first names on the gravestones are traditionally given in the Hebrew text as Jewish nicknames or nicknames, the father's name takes the place of the family name. The official names of younger gravestones are then given in the local language inscriptions on the back or on the base.
The dates are made according to the Jewish calendar , mostly according to the small count , i.e. H. omitting the thousand digit.
In spite of all traditions, the design of Jewish gravestones was of course also subject to the taste of the times to a certain extent. While early tombstones mostly only show characters, symbols and ornaments were added over time, especially in the pediment. While the symbols are similar in many places, the ornaments have regional characteristics, e.g. For example, the lion figures appearing frequently in the Jewish Association cemetery in Heinsheim or the flower motifs in the Jewish Association cemetery in Wiesloch . The use of the Hebrew script has also changed over time. In the 20th century it became more and more common to label the gravestones in the respective national language and only to depict the standardized formulas such as the introductory phrase and formulaic blessings in Hebrew. As a result, the Jewish nicknames were mostly omitted, so that often only the official names appear. The same applies to dates according to the Jewish calendar.
iconography
Often there are symbols that are intended to refer to the position and tasks of the deceased within the Jewish community, to his lifestyle or to personal names. Religious symbols predominated on historical gravestones up until the 19th century, and secular symbols were added in many regions. The distinction between symbols and ornaments is not always possible without any doubt, as the original symbolic language of the stones also had an impact on the design of common ornaments.
On the mazewa of a Kohen (priest) are shown as a symbol for the priest's blessing ( Num 6,22-27 EU ) spread hands with spread fingers .
Levite tombstones depict a jug or beaker as a symbol of the Levites' task of pouring water over the Kohen's hands before the priestly blessing.
Shofar horns stand symbolically for teachers and prayer leaders , circumcision tools (knife and clamp) for a buried mohel (circumciser).
The crown stands for the crown of the good name , as it is mentioned in the sayings of the fathers and is taken up in the usual inscription phrase "deceased in a good name".
A Hanukkah candlestick is mostly found on women's grave stones and refers to the lighting of the Sabbath candles as one of the three women's commandments. The depiction of Sabbath loaves also has a corresponding meaning. The Hanukkah candlestick is not to be confused with the seven-armed menorah .
The Star of David appears for the first time on Jewish gravestones in Prague , where it has been part of the Jewish flag since the 14th century. It is usually only found on tombstones in other places from the 20th century.
A book can stand for scholars and rabbis, but can also be found as a decorative ornament on tombstones of non-scholars and then expresses the hope of entering the book of life and not ending in the book of oblivion . An eye in the triangular halo ( Eye of Providence ) symbolizes the educated middle class, especially at the time of the Enlightenment.
Palm branches raised from heaven refer to Psalm 92:13 (“The righteous shall green like a palm tree”) and promise heavenly reward for a righteous life. Lilies and tulips, on the other hand, refer to the Song of Songs 2,1 + 2 and Hosea 14,6 and stand for beauty, fertility and wealth. Depictions of flowers, unless they are ornaments, can be found predominantly on women's grave paintings.
Interlocking hands and pairs of doves stand for the love of spouses that lasts beyond death, hearts stand for beloved children, but also for good and pious people. Bees (often misinterpreted as butterflies) and beehives represent hard-working and thrifty people. Broken columns, as they can also be found in Christianity, represent a life that was completed too early. Other common symbols that symbolize dwindling life include poppy seed capsules , hourglasses, and downward-facing torches.
literature
- Georg Herlitz , Bruno Kirschner (ed.): Jüdisches Lexikon . An encyclopedic manual of Jewish knowledge in 4 volumes. Jewish publishing house, Berlin 1927–1930; Volume 2, Col. 814 ff., 1253 ff .; Volume 3, Col. 1434.
- Karlheinz Müller, Simon Schwarzfuchs, Rami Reiner: The gravestones from the Jewish cemetery in Würzburg from the time before the Black Death (1147–1346). 3 volumes. Wikomm-Verlag, Stegaurach 2012, ISBN 978-3-86652-958-8 .
- Falk Wiesemann : Sepulcra judaica: Bibliography on Jewish cemeteries and on dying, burial and mourning among Jews from the Hellenistic period to the present. Klartext, Essen 2004; ISBN 3-89861-422-0 .
Web links
- Israel Schwierz: Evidence of the Jewish past in Thuringia. A documentation. (PDF; 24.9 MB) Retrieved September 16, 2012 (therein: Directory of Hebrew terms).
- Symbols on Jewish gravestones in Franconia. Axel Schröder, accessed January 12, 2012 .
- Jewish gravestones 1147–1346. Shalom Europa Museum. Retrieved January 12, 2012 .
Individual evidence
- ^ FriedhofSchwarzrheindorf ( Memento from 8 May 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Friedhof Schwarzrheindorf (Bonn-Beuel)
- ↑ Why small stones , detailed explanations