contents I The Torah Ark in Renaissance Poland II contents Jewish and Christian Perspectives Series Editorial Board David Golinkin – Alberdina Houtman Marcel Poorthuis – Joshua Schwartz Freek van der Steen Advisory Board Yehoyada Amir – David Berger – Shaye Cohen Judith Frishman – Martin Goodman Clemens Leonhard – Tobias Nicklas – Eyal Regev Gerard Rouwhorst – Seth Schwartz – Yossi Turner VOLUME 23 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/jcp contents III The Torah Ark in Renaissance Poland A Jewish Revival of Classical Antiquity By Ilia M. Rodov LEIDEN • BOSTON 2013 IV Bar-Ilan University after thecontents Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies University of Tilburg: Faculty of Catholic Theology, The Netherlands Protestant Theological University, The Netherlands Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Israel The editors gratefully acknowledge the fijinancial support of the Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies. Library of of Congress Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Cataloging-in-Publication Data Data Binder, Stephanie E. Rodov, Tertullian, Ilia M. on idolatry and Mishnah ‘Avodah zarah : questioning the parting of the ways between Christians The Torah and ark Jews in inRenaissance late antiquity Poland / by Stephanie : a Jewish E. Binder. revival of classical antiquity / by Ilia M. Rodov. p. pages cm. cm — (Jewish-- (Jewish and and Christian Christian perspectives perspectives series ; seriesv. 22) ; volume 23) Includes Includes bibliographicalbibliographical references references and and index. index. ISBN ISBN 978-90-04-24284-5 978-90-04-23478-9 (alk. (hardback paper) — :ISBN alk. paper)978-90-04-23548-9 -- ISBN 978-90-04-24440-5 (e-book) (e-book) 1.1. Tertullian, Torah arks--Poland. ca. 160–ca. 230. 2. De Jewish idololatria. art--Poland--16th 2. Idolatry. 3. Mishnah. century. Avodah 3. Jewish zarah—Criticism, art--Poland--17th century. 4.interpretation, Jewish art and etc. 4.symbolism--Poland. Christianity and other 5. religions—Judaism. Judaism--Liturgical 5. Judaism—Relations— objects--Poland. 6. Judaism--Relations- -Christianity.Christianity. I. Title. 7. Christianity and other religions--Judaism. I. Title. BR65.T349B56 2012 261.2’609015—dc23 BM657.T585R63 2013 296.4'61--dc23 2012031142 2012045779 ThisThis publicationpublication has has been been typeset typeset in the in multilingual the multilingual “Brill” typeface. “Brill” typeface. With over With5,100 charactersover 5,100 characters coveringcovering Latin, Latin, IPA, IPA, Greek, Greek, and and Cyrillic, Cyrillic, this this typeface typeface is especially is especially suitable suitable for use forin the use in the humanities. For humanities. more information, For more information, please see please www.brill.com/brill-typeface. see www.brill.com/brill-typeface. ISSNISSN 1388-20741388-2074 ISBN 978-90-04-23478-9 (hardback) ISBNISBN 978-90-04-23548-9978-90-04-24284-5 (e-book) (hardback) ISBN 978-90-04-24440-5 (e-book) Copyright 2012 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. CopyrightKoninklijke 2013 Brill byNV Koninklijkeincorporates Brillthe imprints NV, Leiden, Brill, GlobalThe Netherlands. Oriental, Hotei Publishing, KoninklijkeIDC Publishers Brill and NV Martinus incorporates Nijhofff the Publishers. imprints Brill, Global Oriental, Hotei Publishing, IDCAll rights Publishers reserved. and No Martinus part of this Nijhoff publication Publishers. may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, Allphotocopying, rights reserved. recording No partor otherwise, of this publication without prior may written be reproduced, permission from translated, the publisher. stored in aAuthorization retrieval system, to photocopy or transmitted items for internalin any form or personal or by anyuse is means, granted electronic, by Koninklijke mechanical, Brill NV photocopying,provided that the recording appropriate or feesotherwise, are paid without directly toprior The writtenCopyright permission Clearance Center,from the publisher. 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. AuthorizationFees are subject to to photocopy change. items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV providedThis book thatis printed the appropriate on acid-free paper.fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. This book is printed on acid-free paper. contents V Contents List of Figures and Plates. VII Note to the Reader. XVII Foreword . XIX Acknowledgements. XXIX 1. Medieval Synagogues in Cracow and Kazimierz . 1 The Jews in Medieval Cracow . 1 Patronage over Medieval Synagogues: Religious Duty, Collective Project, and Private Enterprise . 7 How Old Is the Old Synagogue in Kazimierz? . 14 The Last Two-Nave Synagogue . 22 2. The Renaissance Reaches Jewish Kazimierz . 29 In the Shadow of the Italian Renaissance . 29 Renaissance Influences on the Jews of Kazimierz and the Isserl Family. 34 The Establishment of the Isserls’ Synagogue . 43 The Expansion of the Isserls’ Synagogue . 49 3. The Isserls’ Torah Ark: Decontructing the Bricolage . 55 Restoring the Original Structure. 55 Relics Adopted?. 57 A Relic Rejected? The Sixteenth-Century Censure of Synagogue Sculptures. 61 Imitating the New Style. 73 Creating the New Style . 75 4. The Isserls’ Torah Ark: Recontructing the Unity. 81 Triumphal Gate: An Architectural Model from Padua to Kazimierz. 82 Imitation of the Temple . 90 The Crown of the Torah . 94 The Shield of the Messiah . 99 The Tree of Life . 108 A Message Encrypted. .113 VI contents 5. Developments of the Isserls’ Model in Kazimierz . 115 The Old Synagogue: A Renaissance Renovation of a Gothic Building . 116 The New Torah Ark in the Old Synagogue. .124 The High Synagogue: An Italian Jewish Patron in Kazimierz?. 128 The Torah Ark in the High Synagogue: Refitting the Puzzle’s Pieces. .131 The Kupah: A Collective Patronage over the Synagogue. .137 The Torah Ark in the Kupah Synagogue: A “Folk Renaissance” in the Baroque Age. .139 6. From Kazimierz to Pińczów and Szydłów. .143 The Jews of Pińczów under the Protestants and Catholics. .144 The Pińczów Synagogue: A Protestant Influence or a Bequest?. .148 Szydłów: A Synagogue in a Royal Town . 157 The Masonry Workshop in Pińczów . 162 7. Revivals of Ancient Art in the Design of Late-Sixteenth- to Mid- Seventeenth-Century Arks . 165 The Triangular Pediment . 165 Obelisks and Pyramids . 173 The Seven-Branched Candelabrum. .183 Afterword. .205 Illustration Credits and Sources . 207 Bibliography . 209 Index of Names . 233 Index of Places . 239 Figures and Plates . .after page 240 list of figures and plates VII LIST OF FIGURES AND PLATES All figures and plates are placed in separate sections in the back of this volume. Figures 1. Toledo, Samuel Ha-Levi Abulafia’s synagogue (El Tránsito). Prayer hall, ca. 1357 and later alterations. 2. Toledo, Samuel Ha-Levi Abulafia’s synagogue (El Tránsito). Dedica- tory inscription to left of Torah ark, ca. 1357. 3. John Strożecki, “Cracow and Its Vicinities” in Hartmann Schedel, Liber Cronicarum (Nuremberg, 1493). 4. Worms, synagogue. Prayer hall, 1174/75, and later reconstructions. Photograph, before 1938. 5. Prague, Altneuschul. Southern nave of prayer hall, looking eastward, late-13th century. 6. Albrecht Altdorfer, “Prayer Hall of the Synagogue in Regensburg be- fore Its Destruction.” Engraving, 1519. 7. Abraham Neu, “Interior of the Worms Synagogue.” Lithograph, before 1842. 8. Heinrich Hoffmann, “Interior of the Worms Synagogue.” Watercolour, before 1842. 9. Carl Hertzog, “Interior of the Worms Synagogue.” Lithograph, ca. 1860. 10. Cracow, Wawel Cathedral. Franciscus Florentinus and Jörg Huber, Tomb of John Albrecht, 1501–05. 11. Cracow, Wawel Cathedral. Bartolommeo Berrecci, Sigismund Chapel: exterior, 1517–33. 12. Cracow, Wawel Cathedral, Sigismund Chapel. Bartolommeo Berrecci and his workshop, Chapel’s structure, wall decorations, royal throne and tomb of Sigismund I, 1524–31; Santi Gucci, Tomb of Queen Anna, tomb of Sigismund Augustus and alterations to tomb’s niche, 1574–75. 13. Moses Isserles (the Rema), Torat ha-Olah (Prague: Mordechai ha- Cohen, 1570), frontispiece. VIII list of figures and plates 14. Prague, Pinchas Synagogue: Ground plan (the building of the 1520s is marked in black). Drawing by R. Ječný. 15. Prague, Pinchas Synagogue: Ground plan (the extension of 1535 is marked in black). Drawing by R. Ječný. 16. Neuchâtel, former monastery church. Carved impost, ca. 1170. 17. Rūmī pattern engraved on ivory, Sicily, 11th or 12th century. 18. Worms, Cathedral. Lion sculpture in front of southern façade, 11th or 12th century. 19. Verona, San Zeno. Master Nicolao, Lion sculpture supporting portico, ca. 1135. 20. Lund, Cathedral. Former bishop’s chair and St. Mary’s altar, ca. 1080– 1145. 21. Book of Exodus (Prague: Gershom ha-Cohen, 1518), frontispiece. 22. Rome, Scola Catalana. Torah ark, 1522/23. Rome, Museo ebraico. 23. Cracow, Wawel Cathedral. Bartolommeo Berrecci and his workshop, Sigismund Chapel; detail: capital of pilaster to right of entrance arch, 1524–31. 24. Cracow, Wawel Cathedral. Bartolommeo Berrecci and his workshop, Sigismund Chapel; detail: coat of arms of Sigismund I on southern wall exterior, 1524–31. 25. David ben Solomon Vital, Crown of the Torah (Constantinople: Eliezer Soncino, 1536), frontispiece. 26. Book of Leviticus (Prague: Gershom ha-Cohen, 1530), frontispiece (de- tail). 27. Prayer Book (Prague: Gershom ha-Cohen and companions,