HAVDALAH SPICE BOX

I will be to Israel like the dew, he shall blossom like the lily, he shall strike root like the Lebanon. His boughs shall spread out far, His beauty shall be like the olive tree, His fragrance like that of Lebanon."(Hosea 14:6-7) The Holy One Blessed be He said to Israel that all is from you, just as this lily blossoms and its center (lev) is directed upwards, so too when you do repentance before me, your hearts (levavchem) shall be directed upwards like this lily. In that same hour I shall bring redemption.(Midrash Tehillim, ed. Buber, Psalm 45) Details of flower & base: Copyright ?1998 by Avi Biran Cloves are stored in a round compartment which is located as a drawer inside the base, on which is written the verse from Hosea. The cloves fragrance rises through the verse which is sawed into the material. In the center of the lily are seven cloves which symbolize the six days of the week which surround the Shabbat. The base is covered with allspice grains which represent the whole of Israel, Klal Yisrael. All individual spice (all-spice) is gathered with all the others with the anticipation redemption. The lily is made of reddened copper and as though time has taken its toll on them, the leaves are made from oxidized green copper. I am using copper which was one of the main materials used in the making of the holy vessels in the Tabernacle, and afterwards in the Temple. Illustrating the concept of historical continuity, I am illustrating a vertical time line from the time Israel was gathered into a nation (the allspice grains) to his strong will power (hardened steel stem). This led him through the Tabernacle, the first and the second Temples (3 sets of green leaves) into the present pure prayer for future redemption and future building of the Temple (the reddened lily and the cloves fragrance that rise up to the sky). It is possible to separate the lily from the base in order to pass it around the participants in the havdalah ceremony. Sterling Silver, Copper, Steel, 4" x 4" x 10" $2,700

I will be to Israel like the dew, he shall blossom like