Preservation of Biblical Hebrew Scrolls
When a Scroll or part of a Scroll can never be made kosher again I frame the sheets to preserve them. Otherwise the sheets would be put in a geniza and would never be seen again.
Contact:
Gary Zimmerman
at: garyzim7@att.net
Note:
The framed sheets can not be shipped. If you are in the East Texas area you can pick up the frame. At the end of the framed sheet section I have included many portions from various Scrolls that I did not frame. I did sew them to acid free backings to make it convenient for you to frame them. Kosher giddin (sinew) was used for the sewing.
There are two sections
1. Framed Manuscripts
2. Manuscript sewn to matting with kosher sinew
All frames are made with the highest standard: wooden, acid free mating, UV Protected glass. In the newer shadowbox style, the Scripture is sewn to a mat using kosher giddin (sinew).
The dating on each manuscript is determined in the following way. By the information of the seller to me, amount and type of iron gall ink degradation, manner of stitching, condition of each piece showing damage by usage or on purpose as in the Holocaust or Pogrom, re-inking on letters to make them kosher again, the number of times a re-inking has occurred. Many sellers arbitrarily add a date to a Scroll. Whenever possible I have used the advice and dating of professionals; e.g., Soferim, Rabbis, seminaries, Hebrew scholars. I have worked with Hebrew Scrolls for over 20 years and have personally located and purchased almost 100 Scrolls and or parts of Scrolls. I have located and purchased two complete sets of Scrolls that make up the 16 Scrolls of the Tanakh (Old Testament). When a Scroll or part of a Scroll can never be made kosher again I frame the sheets to preserve them. Otherwise the sheets would be put in a geniza and would never be seen again.
Framed
1 “Is anything too hard for the Lord” Written in Hungary on sheepskin – Genesis 15:21 to Genesis 19:8 –
Old Style 29” tall 33” wide –
$600.00
2 Day of Atonement Written in Iraq on deerskin – Leviticus 15:19 to Leviticus 17:10Shadowbox style 25” tall 27” wide
$828.00
3 Isaiah “The Eyes of the Blind Shall be Opened” Written in Poland in the 1800s
Isaiah 35:3 through Isaiah 38:6a
I tried to repair this Scroll of Isaiah which was missing four sheets so I contacted three Soferim friends and asked what it would cost to have the four sheets written so I would be able to sew them into the Scroll and make it complete. One Scribe in Jerusalem said it would be very expensive and I would need to send them the Scroll until the work was completed. My Sofer friend in London said about the same thing but gave a price of $13,000 with a price per sheet of $3,250. Another Sofer in Israel said it would be more expensive than writing new Scroll. After hearing that the Scroll would never be complete I prepared each sheet for framing in the shadow box effect.
Shadowbox style 28” tall 29” wide
$1,193.71
4 Isaiah “They Shall Mount Up with Wings as Eagles” Written in Poland in the 1800s
Isaiah 38:6b through Isaiah 44:8a
I tried to repair this Scroll of Isaiah which was missing four sheets so I contacted three Soferim friends and asked what it would cost to have the four sheets written. I said I would be able to sew them into the Scroll and make the Scroll complete. One Scribe in Jerusalem said it would be very expensive and I would need to send them the Scroll until the work was completed. My Sofer friend in London said about the same thing but gave a price of $13,000 with a price per sheet of $3,250. Another Sofer in Israel said it would be more expensive than writing new Scroll. After hearing that the Scroll would never be complete I prepared each sheet for framing in the shadow box effect.
$1,271.06
5 Isaiah “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” Written in Poland in the 1800s
Isaiah 44:8b through Isaiah 50:2b
I tried to repair this Scroll of Isaiah which was missing four sheets so I contacted three Soferim friends and asked what it would cost to have the four sheets written so I would be able to sew them into the Scroll and make it complete. One Scribe in Jerusalem said it would be very expensive and I would need to send them the Scroll until the work was completed. My Sofer friend in London said about the same thing but gave a price of $13,000 with a price per sheet of $3,250. Another Sofer in Israel said it would be more expensive than writing new Scroll. After hearing that the Scroll would never be complete I prepared each sheet for framing in the shadow box effect.
Shadowbox style 30 ½” tall 43” wide
$1,271.06
6 Lamentations Entire Scroll Written in Europe on sheepskin in the early part of the 20th Century. The Scroll shows very little iron gall ink degradation, but was damaged from mistreatment many years ago.
Lamentations 1:1 through Lamentations 5:22
Shadowbox style 27” tall 38 ½” wide
$1,337.94
7 “When the dew fell … the manna fell upon it” Written in the Baltic Sea Area on sheepskin this very old Scroll was written in the 1800s or earlier. The Scroll showed several stages of re-inking.
Numbers 10:1 to Numbers 11:32
Shadowbox style 36” tall 21 ½” wide
$494.38
8 Morocco
Genesis 50:8 through Exodus 8:22 (English) 8:18 (Hebrew)
Hebrew Midwives save Children (Perfect for groups rescuing babies from abortion. We have donated these portions to Rescue Clinics across America including Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs))
The burial of Jacob, Death of Joseph, Birth of Moses, the call of Moses, the Burning Bush, The Name of God “I Am that I Am” the Rod of Moses, Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, River turns to blood, Plague of frogs, plague of lice, Plague of flies
Written in Morocco on goatskin in the early part of the 20th Century. The Scroll shows very little iron gall ink degradation, but was damaged from mistreatment many years ago. This section came from a very small Torah Scroll whose Sofer was a master of calligraphy.
The section contains 7 amudim (columns) which starts in Genesis and ends in Exodus
Genesis 50:8 through Exodus 8:22 (English) 8:18 (Hebrew)
Shadowbox style 27” tall 38 ½” wide
$1,182.43
9 Song of Songs Entire Scroll – Written in Northeastern Europe on sheepskin before the 20th Century.
Shir Hasharim 1:1 through Shir Hasharim 8:14
The Scroll suffered great damage in the past, probably during the Holocaust.
Shadowbox style 30 ½” tall 40” wide
$1,345.94
Not Framed
Sewn to acid free mat with kosher sinew called Giddin. The mat is designed to be framed in a shadowbox exactly like the framed sheets. Each mat is cut to give a 2 ¾ inch border around the Manuscript.
1
Esther 3:8c through Esther 4:11a
The Scroll was written in Israel around 1960 on fine calf skin coated on the front side with log. This is a highly unusual Scroll because intentionally writing on log would soon make this very expensive Scroll pasul when the log began to flake as they all do that are painted with log on the back of the parchment. It might have been written for a one time use in a special Purim ceremony in Israel. It would not have been cost effective for any other reason.
Prepared for shadowbox effect. Sheet is sewn to mat with kosher giddin.
25” Tall 11” Wide mat
$150.00
2
Esther 9:22c through 10:3
The Scroll was written in Israel around 1960 on fine calf skin coated on the front side with log. This is a highly unusual Scroll because intentionally writing on log would soon make this very expensive Scroll pasul when the log began to flake as they all do that are painted with log on the back of the parchment. It might have been written for a one time use in a special Purim ceremony in Israel. It would not have been cost effective for any other reason.
Prepared for shadowbox effect. Sheet is sewn to mat with kosher giddin.
25 ¼” Tall 11 ½” Wide mat
$150.00
3
Esther 1:19b Through 2:14b
The Scroll was written in Israel around 1960 on fine calf skin coated on the front side with log. This is a highly unusual Scroll because intentionally writing on log would soon make this very expensive Scroll pasul when the log began to flake as they all do that are painted with log on the back of the parchment. It might have been written for a one time use in a special Purim ceremony in Israel. It would not have been cost effective for any other reason.
Prepared for shadowbox effect. Sheet is sewn to mat with kosher giddin.
24 ½” Tall 10 ½” Wide mat
$150.00
4
Isaiah sheet 3
Isaiah 13:9 through Isaiah 19:12a
The Original Sin of Lucifer Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, you who made the nations prostrate!
Written in Poland in the 1800s
I tried to repair this Scroll of Isaiah which was missing four sheets so I contacted three Soferim friends and asked what it would cost to have the four sheets written so I would be able to sew them into the Scroll and make it complete. One Scribe in Jerusalem said it would be very expensive and I would need to send them the Scroll until the work was completed. My Sofer friend in London said about the same thing but gave a price of $13,000 with a price per sheet of $3,250. Another Sofer in Israel said it would be more expensive than writing new Scroll. After hearing that the Scroll would never be complete I prepared each sheet for framing in the shadow box effect.
25 ½” Tall 30” Wide mat
Prepared for shadowbox effect. Sheet is sewn to mat with kosher giddin.
$960.00
5
Serpent of brass –
Numbers 20:14 through Numbers 22:1 – Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Written on deerskin in Iraq in the early 1900s The Scroll was written without tagin, the fine lines drawn over some Hebrew letters.
22” Tall 14” Wide mat
Prepared for shadowbox effect. Sheet is sewn to mat with kosher giddin.
$250.00
6
Isaiah Sheet 6
contains Isaiah 30:7 b through Isaiah 35:2 – Isaiah 34:4 “And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: …”
Written in Poland in the 1800s
I tried to repair this Scroll of Isaiah which was missing four sheets so I contacted three Soferim friends and asked what it would cost to have the four sheets written so I would be able to sew them into the Scroll and make it complete. One Scribe in Jerusalem said it would be very expensive and I would need to send them the Scroll until the work was completed. My Sofer friend in London said about the same thing but gave a price of $13,000 with a price per sheet of $3,250. Another Sofer in Israel said it would be more expensive than writing new Scroll. After hearing that the Scroll would never be complete I prepared each sheet for framing in the shadow box effect.
25 1/8th” Tall 30” Wide mat
Prepared for shadowbox effect. Sheet is sewn to mat with kosher giddin.
$900.00
7
Creation
