Gravestone of Judah Loew and His Wife Pearl
1609 and 1610
Image
The gravestone of Judah Loew (known as the Maharal) and his wife, Pearl (1528–1610) is located in the Old Jewish Cemetery of the Jewish quarter in Prague. A prominent scholar and kabbalist, the Maharal is remembered for his commentary Gur Aryeh and is also known for his association with the legend of the Golem of Prague. The Maharal’s ornate tombstone is an example of the heavily decorated monuments that became more prevalent in this cemetery in the seventeenth century. A lion emblem on the gravestone may refer to the rabbi’s name, Judah, because of its connection with the tribe of Judah, whose symbol was a lion; his second name, Loew, is derived from the Yiddish word for “lion.”
Credits
MKPiekarska / Wikimedia, Loew-rabin-tombstone.jpg. Licensed under (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.
You may also like
In Defense of the Natural Response
When macabre reality gnaws at a person’s soul, it is hard to devote oneself to psychological investigation, even of very pressing subjects. The event also seemed cut off from life, entirely academic…
Nocturne
Natan turns to memories of her 1950s childhood on a kibbutz as inspiration for many of her works. She often uses everyday materials, such as netting and underwear, in her sculptures, as in this one…
Cain and Abel
Dost thou sleep, my brother Abel,
That thou art so wonderfully fair?
Never have I seen thee
As beautiful before.
Does the beauty lie in my ax,
Or is it, perhaps, in thee?
Before the day is done,
Spe…
You may also like
In Defense of the Natural Response
When macabre reality gnaws at a person’s soul, it is hard to devote oneself to psychological investigation, even of very pressing subjects. The event also seemed cut off from life, entirely academic…
Nocturne
Natan turns to memories of her 1950s childhood on a kibbutz as inspiration for many of her works. She often uses everyday materials, such as netting and underwear, in her sculptures, as in this one…
Cain and Abel
Dost thou sleep, my brother Abel,
That thou art so wonderfully fair?
Never have I seen thee
As beautiful before.
Does the beauty lie in my ax,
Or is it, perhaps, in thee?
Before the day is done,
Spe…