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Pass the Peacock, Please

Sometimes, a decorative element of a the centuries, the peacock — which became Talk Lik
menorah might have a connection to Jewish a symbol of wealth and beauty, as well as
tradition, but the real reason it becomes dangerous pride — was a popular design A Short Glossary of Chanu
wildly popular is that it’s also in style in the motif in many cultures. But peacocks really If you’re considering becom
surrounding culture of the time. Peacock spread their wings, so to speak, during the glossary of eight terms — o
menorahs are a prime example. late 1800s and early 1900s, when economic sound like a pro:
prosperity in Europe and the United States
Peacocks are mentioned in Melachim I created a demand for luxury goods. The Cartouche: A decorative
10:22, where we are told Shlomo Hamelech exotic peacock fit the bill as a decorative the menorah’s backplate, w
received ships from Tarshish bearing pre- device. menorah in the Beis Hamik
cious cargo: gold, silver, ivory, apes — and
peacocks. The Midrash, when describing The peacock menorah in Mr. Hoffman’s Chasing: A technique wh
Shlomo’s throne, says that sitting on the collection is from late 19th-century Vienna. sinking the design element
fourth step leading up to the throne was a What makes his menorah unusual is the it’s hand-chased or done b
gold eagle facing a gold peacock. So we can oversized base under the receptacles for the
say the peacock has “yichus,” which perhaps oil. When I asked Mr. Hoffman if they had Filigree: Intricate ornam
explains why it turns up in ancient mosaics a use — were they perhaps containers to silver or gold.
excavated in Eretz Yisrael. hold additional oil — he said no. They are for
decorative purposes only. Finial: An object at the t
It turns up elsewhere, as well. Throughout of the article, you’ll know o
with two heads, while othe
GThoeesMMeondoerranh
Gilded or Gilt-Silver: As
What menorah does Mr. Hoffman use to kindle his Chanukah lights? If an item is gilded, it mean
“This one,” he says, pointing to a photo of a standing menorah with Parcel-gilt is a fancy way o

squared branches. Made in Germany during the 1920s or 1930s, the menorah Lion Rampant: You woul
is crafted in the Art Deco style. to the lion’s position: a pro
unsheathed, as if ready to
According to Britannica.com, the intention of Art Deco was to create a lion rampant regardant i
“a sleek and anti-traditional elegance that symbolized wealth and
sophistication.” The streamlined look was used to create designs for Repoussé: The opposite
everything from clothing to home furnishings to office buildings. (The back, creating a raised des
Empire State Building is a prime example.) And, of course, Chanukah
menorahs. Scrolling Foliage: Simila
intertwining of natural-loo
Candelabra-style menorahs, which were once primarily found in a plain piece of silver into
synagogues, were especially suited to the Art Deco treatment, and during
the 1900s the style became popular for home use too. 141

Another menorah in Mr. Hoffman’s collection from this era is one crafted
by artist Zeev Raban for the Bezalel Workshop in Eretz Yisrael. According
to Mr. Hoffman, only three other copies of this menorah exist, and he knows
the whereabouts of two of them. One is owned by the president of the
State of Israel. Another one is part of the collection of the North Carolina
Museum of Art (NCMA); in 2015 it was selected to be lit by then-president
Barack Obama during the White House’s annual Chanukah candle-lighting
ceremony.

162 MISHPACHA