Description
The Torah mantle (me'il) clothes the Torah scroll according to Italian usage, enveloping it over the staves. In the communities of Italy, these mantles were sometimes made from precious silks and velvets, including reused fabrics drawn from garments or ceremonial cloth, transformed into cultic objects. Italian pieces bear embroidery of gold and silver thread, adorned with motifs of a crown, floral vases, and the Tablets of the Law. This object testifies to the textile refinement of the Italian communities and to the practice of dedicating luxurious materials to the service of the synagogue.
