06.05.2013 Views

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

etween synagogue and church 233<br />

Figure XI-3. Synagogue inscriptions of donors: a. Gaza; b. Gerasa; c. Ma#on; d. Susiya.<br />

was probably not regulated; they are set in various<br />

places in synagogues and churches.<br />

Synagogue inscriptions are mostly dedications.<br />

In some of the inscriptions the donors or benefactors<br />

are mentioned (Naveh 1978: nos. 33-35, 74,<br />

64; Weiss 2005: 202-208, 216-219). They usually<br />

begin with the Hebrew or Aramaic formula<br />

הבוטל רוכז or בוט ריכד to be remembered for good with<br />

the names of the donors following. The inscriptions<br />

include the donors’ names, occasionally<br />

their title or profession, the kind of the donation,<br />

and sometimes the sum. A blessing to the<br />

donors is at times added, and rarely the date. In<br />

the Greek inscriptions the reason for the donation<br />

might be included (Roth-Gerson 1987: 150-151).<br />

The donors have titles such as priests, rabbis and<br />

archisynagogos. Other inscriptions mention donors<br />

with titles such as lord and lady, and persons who<br />

have some tasks in the community (Naveh 1978:<br />

12). Some of the dedications were given not by<br />

local people but by donors from other towns or<br />

villages (Naveh 1978: no. 4, 21; Roth-Gerson<br />

1987: 163-180).<br />

Names of the donors on synagogues are mostly<br />

Hebrew. Greek and Latin names occur mainly in<br />

the Greek inscriptions. A few inscriptions mention<br />

the artists who probably made the mosaic or constructed<br />

the building (Hachlili 1988: 383-385).<br />

Some of the inscriptions include a blessing on the<br />

donors by the community (fig. XI-3) (Roth-Gerson<br />

1987: 158-160). Some of the Aramaic inscriptions<br />

mention donors who ‘made’, that is, ‘paid<br />

for’, the mosaics: Beth "Alpha; a strangely written<br />

inscription on the Ma#on pavement, probably by<br />

a mosaicist who did not know or understand the<br />

language; Na#aran above the menorah; Hammath<br />

Gader; ‘En Gedi (Naveh 1978: nos.35, 43, 57,<br />

58, 69); inscription 4 at Susiya (Gutman 1981:<br />

127-28; Naveh 1978: no.75).<br />

A significant reference השידק הרתא “holy<br />

place” is used in several Aramaic inscriptions to<br />

describe the synagogue, see Beth She"an, Hammath<br />

Tiberias, Na#aran, as well as on a polycandelon<br />

at Kefar Hananiah (Naveh 1978: Nos.<br />

16, 26, 46, 64); the same term appears also in<br />

Targums (Levine 1992: 221).<br />

Biblical names and explanatory sentences<br />

are rendered in the biblical scenes on the Beth<br />

"Alpha and Sepphoris pavements. Hebrew expressions<br />

such as, הלס ןמא, לארשי לע םולש, םולש<br />

Shalom; Shalom al Israel (taken from Psalms 125:<br />

5; 128: 6); Amen Sela occur on some inscriptions

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!