Jerusalem (Israel), IM: B50.02.1945; 180/40
About the Ilan
Content Descriptionnone
Surfaces of the Ilan
Recto
About the Manuscript
Identifiers and Titles
IdentifierJerusalem (Israel), IM: B50.02.1945; 180/40
Primary Manuscript TitlesJerusalem, IM, B50.02.1945; 180/40
Alternative Manuscript TitlesJerusalem, IM, B50.02.1945; 180/40
Manuscript History
Origin
Date Information18th century
Creation PlacesThe Netherlands (The Netherlands)
Physical Description
MaterialParchment ๐Translucent or opaque material made from calf, sheep, or goat skin which has been limed, dehaired, scraped, and dried under tension to produce a thin, strong material for writing, bookbinding, or other uses. For finer quality calf parchment, use "vellum." The terms parchment and vellum sometimes have been and still are both confused and used interchangeably. ๐๏ธSearch for Ilanot with this Material
FormRotulus ๐A roll of parchment or paper unrolled vertically for reading. ๐๏ธSearch for Ilanot with this Form
Dimensions Description670 x 23
Content Description
SummaryThis parchment rotulus, dating to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century and preserved in the Israel Museum, is a sui generis masterpiece of kabbalistic visualization. Measuring 6.70 meters in length, the ilan presents a long sequence of complex geometric elements that recall modern grid paintings, exhibiting a unique graphic intensity and inscrutability that sets it apart from all other known examples of the genre. The scribe utilized Ashkenazi script for large captionsโparticularly those identifying vowel signsโand Sephardi script for his discursive annotations. Thematic motifs of the "Point" (nekudah) and "Thought" (mahashavah) serve as the central anchors of the ilan, which develops an iterative narrative focused on the esoteric significance of vowel signs, depicted as supporting structures for the emergence of the Tetragrammaton. While the content suggests primary inspiration from the "secret of the yod" (raza de-yod) in the Zohar Tetzaveh, the ilan is in fact a type of "visionary commentary" rather than a conventional diagrammatic mapping of established textual knowledge.
Further Information
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