154 - Book of Esther. 5491 [1730–31]. , A rare example of a Megillah from the early 18th century

Book of Esther. 5491 [1730–31]. , A rare example of a Megillah from the early 18th century Book of Esther. 5491 [1730–31]. Manuscript on parchment consisting of 6 joined sheets (265 x 3740 mm) mounted on a carved light-colored wooden support, a cartouche with conch-shell decoration at the beginning bearing the date; text in Hebrew cursive script in the Ashkenazi or Italian style, arranged in 20 lines (with missing sections, small tears, wear, and signs of age). The opening of the scroll bears the date of birth of little Moshe, son of Baruch Yosef, and contains auspicious formulas and protective blessings typical of Jewish family documents of the period. The text concludes with the last verse of the Book of Esther, Chapter 10, verse 3, which translates into English as: “Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, powerful among the Jews and beloved by the multitude of his brothers; he sought the welfare of his people and spoke for the peace of all his kindred.” A rare example of a Megillah from the early 18th century