Ritual Objects in Ritual Contexts

The international conference »Ritual Objects in Ritual Contexts«, which was a cooperation between the Research Centre »Dynamics of Ritual Practices in Judaism in Pluralistic Contexts from Antiquity to the Present«, the commissioner for the UNESCO World Heritage application of the city of Erfurt, the Heidecksburg Rudolstadt, and the 27. Tage jüdischer Kultur in Thüringen, took place in Erfurt and Rudolstadt from November 6-8, 2019. Under investigation were ritual objects from both cities, which were examined in their historical and ritual contexts. - How do ritual objects provide information about contemporary rituals, where do they fit into the genesis of a ritual, and to what extent do they provide information about local and contemporary history? - Most of the conference presentations are now published in a revised form in this publication, after they have been thoroughly discussed, debated and - due to the conference theme - examined with the discussed object present by the conference participants, who came from different academic and geographical contexts. We also added a few articles relevant to the topic that were presented and discussed at earlier occasions. - In Erfurt, an important ensemble of medieval artefacts from the former Jewish community has been preserved, which is unique in its power to speak of Jewish culture in Central Europe. Some of the objects, such as the Jewish wedding ring from the Erfurt treasure or the Hebrew gravestones from the former Jewish cemetery, have only been rediscovered in recent decades, while others, such as the Erfurt Judeneid or the Torah scrolls, have long been known to researchers. All of them are exceptional testimonies to the medieval Jewish history, and at the same time played an important role in rituals and ceremonies of the Jewish community. Editorial Claudia D. Bergmann and Maria Stürzebecher - The Rudolstadt Judaica Collection is one of the most valuable cultural-historical holdings in the Thuringian State Museum

01 Editorial Claudia D. Bergmann and Maria Stürzebecher Pag. 8 02 Ritual Objects from Medieval Erfurtburg und München The Erfurt Judeneid between Pragmatism and Ritual: Some Aspects of Christian and Jewish Oath-Taking in Medieval Germany Andreas Lehnertz Pag. 12 Paleographic and Halakic Aspects of the Erfurt Torah Scrolls Mark Farnadi-Jerusálmi Pag. 32 The Erfurt Bronze Lamp: Jewish or Christian? Vera Henkelmann Pag. 42 Some Thoughts on the Petersberg »Menorah« and the History of Seven-Branched Lampstands in Medieval Europe Steven Fine Pag. 52 Filling Patterns with Lament: Medieval Jewish Husbands Mourning Michael Brocke Pag. 60 The Medieval Jewish Wedding Ring from the Erfurt Treasure: Ceremonial Object or Bride Price? Maria Stürzebecher Pag. 72 Amor Vincit Omnia: Medieval Jewish Love and Romance in Light of the Erfurt Girdle Ido Noy Pag. 80 The Silver Key from the Erfurt Treasure: Suggesting a Context Merav Schnitzer Pag. 94 03 Ritual Objects from the Jewish Congregation in Rudolstadt (nineteenth - twentieth century) Jewish Life in Rudolstadt: On the Cultural History of a Small Residence Town Lutz Unbehaun Pag. 104 From Dessau to Rudolstadt: Idea and Reality of Jewish Ritual Buildings around 1800 Simon Paulus Pag. 110 The Mikvaoth and the Cemetery of the Jewish Community in Rudolstadt Lars Krausse Pag. 118 The Five Torah Binders from Rudolstadt: And Yet Another One Naomi Feuchtwanger-Sarig Pag. 124 The Handwritten Notes in Books and Manuscripts of the Judaica Collection Rudolstadt Rebecca Ullrich Pag. 138 A Prayer Tablet for Simhath Torah in the Rudolstadt Judaica Collection: First Thoughts on an Ongoing Investigation of a Ritual Object Hermann SImon Pag. 148 A Mysterious Mizrach from Rudolstadt Judith Frishman Pag. 152 Prayers of the Jewish Community in Rudolstadt for the Local Gentile Rulers Martha Stellmacher Pag. 162 04 Ritual Objects in Ritual Contexts - Theoretical and Systematic Perspectives Multifaceted Relationships: Ritual Objects and Ritual Agents in