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A
New Concept in
Ketubah Art
The commandment of hiddur mitzvah, which urges one to adorn and beautify
the implements of holiness, is the fundamental justification within Judaism
for the embellishment, through the ages, of the books, manuscripts, documents,
and ritual artifacts of Jewish life.
One of Judaism's most
joyous events is the celebration of a marrage. To mark the
event, a marrage contract, or ketubah, is drawn up, delineating
the obligations of each of the parties to the union. The
custom of decorating te ketubah, which flows quite naturally
from the concept of hiddur mitzvah, results in the creation
of a legal document that is a source of beauty and a visable
symbol of a jewish home.
The unique technique
of metal embossing developed by Gad is used in all the metal
ketubot. Each metal panel is embossed, polished and cut by
hand, thus making each ketubah a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Creases and imperfections are the nature of of the hand-made
process amd contribute to the folkcraft spirit of each ketubah.
The
Dead Sea Scrolls, buried in a cave for thousands of years
until discovered less than 60 years ago are the inspiration
for the calligraphy used in the ketubot by Gad Almaliah.
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Detail from
A'huvim
Ketubah
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