Bidspirit auction | ”A Treasure Beneath the Earth”

”A Treasure Beneath the Earth” – A Relic from the Warsaw Ghetto: Megillat Esther with a Silver Case - Historical Relic from the Warsaw Ghetto: A Megillat Esther and an Exquisite Silver Case Background: This megillah belonged to a wealthy Jewish family in Poland and was used by them for several years. During the horrors of World War II, when the family was forced to leave their home, they buried the megillah in the ground within the Warsaw Ghetto, hoping to retrieve it after the war and continue reading from it. After the war, the mother—who was the only surviving family member—encountered a Jewish American officer. She asked him to return to the ghetto, which was under Soviet control, to search for the hidden megillah. She provided him with the exact location of the hiding place, and after a short time, he returned with the priceless treasure—the Megillat Esther and its silver case. Unfortunately, moisture from the soil had seeped into the case, damaging one of the scroll's sheets and fading parts of the text. For many years, the mother safeguarded the megillah as a cherished memento. Later, she reunited with her sister, who had survived and built a family, and gifted her the megillah. The scroll eventually made its way to the Land of Israel, where it was preserved by the sister. After her passing, it was inherited by her son, who resides in Ra’anana. A Profound Survivor’s Relic This hauntingly powerful artifact serves as a silent witness to the unimaginable suffering of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. A fragment of history, it symbolizes the resilience of faith even in the darkest times. The Megillah: Megillat Esther, ink on parchment. 14 lines per column, written in Ashkenazi ”Beit Yosef” script with elegant tagin (decorative crowns on letters) in the upper lines. Parchment height: 15 cm. The megillah was buried underground and suffered water damage. In the middle of the first sheet, the parchment shrank due to moisture exposure, affecting an entire column. Condition: Moderate to poor. Faded ink, broken letters. Sold as non-kosher. The Case: Made of silver, stamped five times with the maker’s mark on various parts: the body of the case, the clasp, the scroll handle pivot, and two discs on the crown. Origin: Russia, late 19th–early 20th century. Height: 41 cm. Condition: Very good.