Abuhav Synagogue

Abuhav Synagogue
Hebrew: בית הכנסת אבוהב
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
Rite
StatusActive
Location
LocationAbuhav Lane, Safed, Northern District
CountryIsrael
Location of the synagogue in the northeast of the Northern District
Coordinates32°58′8.62″N 35°29′29.02″E / 32.9690611°N 35.4913944°E / 32.9690611; 35.4913944
Architecture
TypeSynagogue architecture
FounderRabbi Isaac Abuhav
Completed15th century

The Abuhav Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת אבוהב) is a Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Safed, in the Northern Director of Israel. The synagogue was completed in the 15th century and named in honor of the Spanish kabbalist of the era, Rabbi Isaac Abuhav, and is located on the eponymous Abuhav Lane.[1] Its design is said to be based upon Kabbalah teachings.

History

According to tradition, Rabbi Yitzhak Abuhav, a Sephardic rabbi, designed the synagogue in Europe,[2] and his disciples erected the building in Safed when they arrived in the 1490s after the expulsion from Spain.[3][4][5] Another legend claims that the synagogue was transported miraculously from Spain to Safed.[6] There is some abiguity over the identity of Abuhav, as there were two potential candidates the legend could be referring to. The rabbi of Toledo, Spain possessed a Torah scroll that is now housed in its Torah ark.[7]

The synagogue was almost completely destroyed in the 1837 earthquake, only the southern wall containing the arks remained standing and exists today as a remnant of the original building.[5][8] Local tradition believed that the arks were spared from the damage due to their holiness.[1]

Design

The bimah has six steps representing the six working days of the week; the top level is seventh, representing the Shabbat. The Torah ark has three sections and contain Torah scrolls traditionally written by Abuhav himself and Rabbi Suleiman Ohana of Fes, Morocco.[9]

The synagogue is held up by four load-bearing pillars. The number was chosen to signify the four worldly elements in Kabbalah: fire, wind, water, and dust.[10] Similarly, the ceiling is painted with several Kabbalistic motifs.[11] The dome contains 10 windows to symbolize the Ten Commandments.[12]

  • Central engravings of plants resembling the tree of life and pomegranates atop the entrance to the synagogue
  • Chandelier in the central apse of the synagogue
  • Traditional circumcision bench in the synagogue; the crib is where the baby boy is placed, and the sandek would sit in the chair
  • Seforim (Hebrew prayer and study books) lining the shelves of the building
  • Assorted yarmulkes on a table in the synagogue for male entrants to wear

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Gold, Stephanie (1998). Israel Guide. Open Road Publishing. p. 331. ISBN 978-1-883323-75-2.
  2. ^ Mikhalson, Menaḥem (2006). Jewish Holy Sites and Tombs in Eretz Israel. Ministry of Defense. p. 157. ISBN 978-965-05-1301-6.
  3. ^ Grishaver, Josh Barkin; Lurie, Joel (July 1, 2008). Artzeinu: An Israel Encounter. Torah Aura Productions. p. 133.
  4. ^ Humphreys, Andrew; Tilbury, Neil (November 30, 1996). Israel and the Palestinian territories. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-86442-399-3. Retrieved December 29, 2011 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b "The Abuhav Synagogue". Jewish Virtual Library.
  6. ^ Davidson, Linda Kay; Gitlitz, David Martin (November 1, 2002). Pilgrimage: from the Ganges to Graceland: an encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 549. ISBN 978-1-57607-004-8. Retrieved December 29, 2011 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ The Land of Galilee. Eretz Magazine. 2006. p. 122.
  8. ^ "Abuhav Synagogue". Time Out Israel. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  9. ^ "The Abuhav Shul". Ascent of Safed. n.d. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  10. ^ Humphreys, Andrew; Tilbury, Neil (1996). Israel & the Palestinian Territories: A Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-86442-399-3.
  11. ^ Arkin, Yigal (2006). Banknotes and Coins of Israel: 1927-2006. Bank of Israel, Currency Department. p. 174. ISBN 978-965-90754-2-3.
  12. ^ Wheeler, Tony (1990). West Asia on a Shoestring. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 511. ISBN 978-0-86442-057-2.

Media related to Abuhav synagogue at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.