1. Hall - 5. view

House blessing

House blessing painted on glass. Hungary, the end of 19th Century. Two worlds meet under the double gates depicted on this stained glass wall hanging. On both sides home decoration plaques can be seen, however, their combination in one picture is unusual. The right hand portal is a Mizrah plaque decorated with biblical quotations and various Jewish symbols. Its primary function is to mark East, the direction of Jerusalem, where prayers should be recited. In the left hand portal, however, a home blessing can be read in both Hungarian and German. House blessings were established in the baroque era, especially among the Christians. This duality and at the same time the three languages: Hungarian, German and Hebrew are memories of the social integration and linguistic assimilation of Hungarian Jews in the 19th century. The plaque also alludes to the Jewish home, which becomes a special sacred place through prayers recited at home, kosher food regulations and the observance of religious commandments.