Overview
- Brief Narrative
- A pair of batim from a set of tefillin owned by Nisson Bespaloff or another man in his extended family. The batim were brought to the United States when the owner immigrated in the 1930s or 1940s. Tefillin are small boxes containing prayers attached to leather straps and worn on the arm and the head by Orthodox Jewish males during morning prayers.
- Date
-
use:
1901-1946
- Geography
-
en route:
United States
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
- Markings
- a : batim, left and right sides, embossed : ש
Physical Details
- Language
- Hebrew
- Classification
-
Jewish Art and Symbolism
- Category
-
Jewish ceremonial objects
- Object Type
-
Tefillin (lcsh)
- Genre/Form
- Ceremonial objects.
- Physical Description
- Black-painted, head tefillin with a square, leather box (batim) constructed of 4 sections with an embossed Hebrew letter Shin on the left and right sides. The box is centered on a layered leather platform sewn together with gut from kosher animals (giddin). The platform has a triangular, notched back with an opening through which a knotted leather strap (retzu’ot), now missing, would be threaded. The box interior should be divided into 4 sections and hold 4 parchment scrolls (parshiyot) inscribed with Hebrew prayers. Some paint has worn off the edges of the batim, which is beginning to split in half.
Black-painted hand tefillin with a square, leather box (batim) with smooth sides. The box is centered on a square, layered leather platform sewn together with gut from kosher animals (giddin). The platform has a triangular, notched back with an opening through which a leather strap (retzu’ot), now missing, would be threaded. The box should hold a parchment scroll (parshiyot) inscribed with 4 Hebrew prayers. - Dimensions
- a: Height: 1.000 inches (2.54 cm) | Width: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm) | Depth: 1.500 inches (3.81 cm)
b: Height: 0.875 inches (2.223 cm) | Width: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm) | Depth: 1.500 inches (3.81 cm) - Materials
- a : leather, gut, paint, parchment
b : leather, gut, paint, parchment
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- There are no known restrictions on access to this material.
- Conditions on Use
- To the best of the Museum's knowledge, there are no known copyright restrictions on the material(s) in this collection, or the material is in the public domain. You do not require further permission from the Museum to use this material.
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Emigration and immigration.
- Geographic Name
- United States. Tallinn (Estonia) Paris (France) Russia
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The tefillin set was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Musem in 2017.
- Record last modified:
- 2023-03-13 10:48:24
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn740050
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Also in Bespaloff family collection
The collection consists of ceremonial objects, correspondence, and documents relating to the experiences of Nisson Bespaloff, his associates, and his extended family in Estonia, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States before, during, and after the Holocaust.
Date: 1901-1946
Bespaloff family papers
Document
Documents, identity papers, photographs, affidavits of support, and correspondence from the extended family and associates of Nisson Chrago (Shraga?) Bespaloff, originally of Tallinn, Estonia, related in part to efforts to assist his family and the family of his sister, Fanny Ettinger, immigrate to the United States via France during World War II. There is postwar paperwork relating to land restitution claims in the Baltic region. Also includes documents from pre-war France and pre-Revolutionary Russia, and a book, The Conquest of Acre Fortress. Postwar paperwork relating to land restitution claims in the Baltic region.
Embroidered yarmulke brought to the United States by Nisson Bespaloff or a family member
Object
A handmade black kippah, a skullcap worn by observant Jewish males, with a decorative, wire-wrapped thread embroidery design owned by Nisson Bespaloff or another man in his extended family. The kippah was brought to the United States when the owner immigrated in the 1930s or 1940s.
Embroidered pouch for tefillin brought to the United States by Nisson Bespaloff or a family member
Object
A faded green pouch for tefillin with a decorative embroidery design owned by Nisson Bespaloff or another man in his extended family. The pouch was brought to the United States when the owner immigrated in the 1930s or 1940s. Tefillin are small boxes containing prayers attached to leather straps and worn on the arm and the head by Orthodox Jewish males during morning prayers.
Embroidered pouch for a tallit brought to the United States by Nisson Bespaloff or a family member
Object
A dark blue pouch for a tallit with a decorative, wire-wrapped thread embroidery design owned by Nisson Bespaloff or another man in his extended family. The pouch was brought to the United States when the owner immigrated in the 1930s or 1940s. A tallit is a prayer shawl worn by observant Jewish men during morning services.
