Ten CommandmentsGermany, 18th century

Micrographic text: Song of Songs and verses from Exodus (19:1 - 20:14)

B (NS)Mc6

Omer Calendar (detail)Italy, ca. 1825 Micrographic text: Five Megillot (Esther, Ruth, Song

of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations) B (NS)Mc43 • Omer Calendar (detail)• Italy, ca. 1825 Micrographic text: Five

Megillot (Esther, Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations) B (NS)Mc43

• The Omer is the seven-week period between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot. The biblical command to enumerate these forty-nine days has led to the creation of many kinds of counting devices, including plaques that serve as Omer calendars. This elaborate example contains the blessing and the count for each day of the Omer as well as portions of the liturgical texts from all of the major Jewish holidays. The micrographic border illustration comprises the texts of all five of the biblical megillot. Another almost identical Omer calendar, executed by the same artist and dated 1823, can be found in the Ethnological Museum and Folklore Archives in Haifa.