The Heavens opened and I saw visions of Hashem
Museum display: ‘Meggilat Yechezkel’ – rare meggilah, very beautiful, made of reddish gevil and written by an artistic scribe in high-quality ink that has remained well-preserved over the years, in [Sephardic] Assyrian script. The meggilah is rolled around a carved etz chayim and tied with matching gevil lace. [Iraq, c. early 20th century.] Stunning ritual item, extraordinarily rare.
Megillah text: Ma’aseh Merkavah from Sefer Yechezkel, describing the Heavenly army and Hashem’s chariot (traditionally read as the Shavuot haftarah ); the vision of the “Dry Bones” describing the speech of dead Yechezkel revived, and a lengthy prayer to be recited at Yechezkel’s grave site.
This meggilah was customarily read throughout the years on Shavuot and in the month of Elul during the traditional Ziarah ascent to Yechezkel HaNavi’s grave site in the El-Chibel village in Iraq – sacred to both Jews and Muslims. Histories of both peoples tell of miracles and wonders taking place there during the entire year, but especially at these times. Therefore, aside from the historic and museum value of this meggilah, there is also its segulah value, more precious than gold, as it is one of the original megillahs used to celebrate Eid el Ziarah – the traditional pilgrimage, when wonders and miracles took place at the grave site of the nation’s leader, Yechezkel HaNavi (refer to the expanded discussion in the Hebrew catalog text).
Aside from this meggilah, there is only a single meggilah like this known to have been offered at auction. Others are stored in the Sassoon family collection in Letchworth, England, all of which are listed in Ohel David by R’ Saliman David Sassoon, Part I, pp 558-564.
The Ziarah festival celebrated by Bavli Jews ascending to the grave site was celebrated already at the time of the geonim and for close to a thousand years. Ziarah is mentioned in travelogs by both Jews and non-Jews who visited Iraq, as these events left a major impression. Traveller ‘Binyamin II’ [Yisrael Ben Yosef Binyamin], who visited the grave in 1848, describes the pilgrimage progression: Several Torah scrolls are found in the holy ark of the synagogue [at the grave site]. One was written on special parchment called gevil . Local tradition maintains that it was written by Yechezkel HaNavi himself. On the eve of the first night of the festival, men would go to the synagogue and read from Sefer Yechezkel beginning an hour before daylight. Sometimes there were sales of items for up to a thousand piasters. The entire time, they would sing songs and praises aloud with pleasant voices and feelings of sanctity; it was absolutely beautiful to listen to. This would continue for three hours, and haftarahs would be read at this time. Throughout the entire time, women would arrive at the synagogue to hear zemirot and songs composed especially for this festival.
Written at the top of the meggilah: “Kadosh LaHashem in honor of our master, Yechezkel HaNavi …”
Provenance of the meggilah: Rabbi Salamon Eliyahu Debi, the last shammash of the Meir Tweig synagogue in Baghdad. His signature appears at the end of the meggilah.
[6] sheets, length: approximately 180 cm. Height: 7.5 cm. Including an etz chaim handle, approximately 20.5 cm.
Overall fine condition. Perforations from stitching in the bottom margins of one leaf.