Parochet – dar „Pobożnej Pani Sary” – jako przykład przekazu symbolicznego

Abstract

The author analyzes the symbolic meaning of the parochet, that is, a fabric that separates the prayer room from the place where the scrolls of the Torah were kept. This means that both the decor of the synagogue as well as all the interior elements were not accidental but they carried a deep symbolic and semantic charge. The parochet and the utensils accompanying Torah resembled the structure of a gate. This motif relates directly to the appearance of the Temple of Jerusalem, to which one would get through subsequent courtyards separated by gates. Lebet-Minakowska emphasizes that the curtains and fabrics hung up in the Temple of Jerusalem were not merely practical and decorative, but they were meant to convey symbolic content to the visitors. By analyzing the appearance of the parochets preserved in museum collections, their form and the decorations placed on them, the researcher argues that they also contain numerous symbolic and semantic contents.