| Description | A small negative of a picture of the micrography portrait of Moses Gaster (see item GASTER/1/C/2). However, this image has an additional dedication written around Gaster's portrait. The date on top reads: 25 Tamuz 5663 = 20th July 1903.
The first section of writing on the right side of the image is a type of ode to Gaster referring to him directly as ‘Moshe, my rabbi, who loves and does good towards me…and his countenance is filled with rays of glory…appears as a righteous one and delivers!’ [This is an approximate translation starting from the 3rd word of the 8th line from the top right.]
The bottom section is a continuation of the ode.
There are some biblical and rabbinic turns of phrase and partial quotes used throughout both sections, e.g. at the end of the second line in the bottom paragraph it says: 'ישיב רוחו עד יבושת המים' - '…until the waters had dried up'. The last three words are a quote from Genesis chapter 8 verse 7.
The ode is signed off by: ‘מכבדו ואוהבו בכל נפשי וכספי’ = ‘The one who respects him and loves him with all my soul and money’. |