Menorah

September 6th, 2009 | Collectibles, Menorah

New Judaica silver Jerusalem Hanukah lamp menorah rare

US $14,999.00

Sale

ASTOUNDING 199oz Sterling Silver Hanukkah Lamp Menorah

US $9,900.00

Sale

Collectables -> Religions, Spirituality -> Judaica

The Menorah is an ancient symbol of the Jewish faith, representing the faith and people for almost 3000 years. While even those of us who aren’t Jewish recognize this symbol when we see it, many don’t understand its significance. Menorahs are most commonly seen during the holidays and at Christmas, as a menorah is an important part of the Jewish holiday tradition of Hanukkah. But it’s not just Judaism’s equivalent of the Christmas tree, as is a common misconception. Detailed instructions for creating a menorah are chronicled in the Bible’s Book of Exodus, so the symbol itself isn’t just decoration, its creation was a religious command.

The Menorah is a candelabra with seven branches, used in Jerusalem in the Holy Temple. It burned olive oil in ancient times, and is supposed to represent the burning bush that Moses saw in the early Bible story. The original menorah is less widely seen today, because the modern menorah actually has 9 branches instead of seven—4 branches on each side of the higher middle branch, which was used to light all the others.

The reason for the change from the original guidelines in Exodus almost sounds like a superstitious one. While the original menorahs had 7 branches, the Jewish people decided not to reproduce them once the original temples were destroyed. Instead they used the 9 branch design. Some original reproductions are used today, though, because they’re not reproducing the original Menorahs exactly, as new models are electric rather than oil-burning models.

The menorah, far from just a symbol of the holiday season, is actually used to celebrate a miracle widely known by the Jewish people. When Judas Maccabee rededicated the Temple that had been destroyed in 165 BC, he and his followers went to light the menorah but could only find enough oil to burn it for one day. The story claims that the menorah actually burned for 8 days on that one day’s worth of oil. So Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is actually celebration of that religious miracle.

Today, some people display a menorah all year round rather than just during the end of the year and the holiday season. Collectible menorahs appeal to people for different reasons. For some it’s the religious symbolism of the item, for other it’s the beauty of the piece itself. Flea markets can be great places to find unique menorah styles, but online auctions offer a huge variety and you can shop from all over the world.

You can find menorahs in the shape of the Star of David, menorahs encrusted with rhinestones and other baubles, and menorahs in all sizes and colors. But true vintage menorahs are often made of silver or brass, and have little decoration you can see on first glance. A closer look will often reveal Hebrew inscriptions and maybe even intricate and detailed engraving work on the arms or the base meant to enhance the piece without taking the focus off the candlelight, which is meant to be the whole focus of the menorah.

Originally posted 2008-10-20 05:00:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related Posts

Woodwind Instruments Collectibles -> Cultures, Ethnicities -> Musical Instruments Collecting woodwind instruments is a great way to collect not only some of the finest art ever created but to infuse music into your collection as well. Instruments are fascinating and beautiful bits of artwork in themselves, but they represent our history of......
Casino Chips Collectables -> Casino -> Chips Casino chips, also known as casino tokens or checks, are the small round pieces that are similar to coins but only used as money inside casinos. They're usually made from molded plastic, clay or metal are are used at the table games inside a casino,......
1920 Flapper Dress Collectables -> Textiles, Linens The 1920 flapper dress is commonly referred to as just a flapper, but the word flapper actually refers to much more than the garment itself, it refers to the entire sensibility of the era in the 1920s. Flapper actually referred to the women themselves, with their......
Crystal Chandelier Collectibles -> Lamps, Lighting -> Ceiling Fixtures The crystal chandelier got its start in the 1600s in England, when the use of lead glass became common and even popular. Originally used in medieval abbeys and churches to light up the cavernous rooms, the chandelier started out as a wooden cross......
Cigar Bands Collectibles -> Tobacciana -> Cigar Cigar bands have a rich history, or more accurately, several histories. They've been attributed to the Russian queen Catherine the Great, and 19th century England, among other places. One story says that Catherine the Great ordered that her cigars be wrapped in silk to protect......

Related Websites

American Tattoos /caption] American tattoos have long been favorites among people living in the United States. These tattoo designs are great for showing patriotism, and can be quite visually stunning. Symbols of American patriotism can be incorporated into a wide variety of tattoo designs, so it is easy to get an American......
Forget Stock Analysis, I'm Using Pat Robertson's Annual Conversation with God OK, so I'm lying my arse off. But seeing that statement in a big, bold headline just makes you realize how dumb some people must be! For those not in the know, Pat Robertson recently came out with his economic predictions for 2009 based on his annual conference call with......
How to get free drinks and get treated like A VIP Everywhere You Go A few years back I hired a life coach and one of the keys he shared with me about meeting new people was to "be the mayor" everywhere you go. What does that entail exactly? Well, the mayor talks to everybody: men, women, bouncers, etc. When I first started......
This Just In: Dangerous staph germs have been uncovered at beaches on the west coast. Dangerous staph bacteria germs have been located in the sand as well as the water for the very first time in five different public beaches located along the coast in the state of Washington. Scientists are saying that this is probably not the only state that is battling this particular......
Religious Attacks Just before WWII, Adolph Hitler's Nazi party began making Jews the scapegoat for all of Germany's problems. By the end of the war millions of European Jews were murdered by the Nazis, simply because people bought into Hitler's twisted logic.Luckily for Americans, we have the First Amendment to our Constitution,......