The Kiddush Cup
Texto to the exhibition «Sowieso»
at Museum im Prediger
Schwäbisch-Gmünd, Germany
2019
Kiddush cup, Schwäbisch-Gmünd, c. 1840. With this exhibition, this cup has the good fortune and honor to return to its homeland, to its place of origin, after approximately 180 years. Unfortunately, this has never been possible for many others – Judaica, people, books
The presence of the cup among the objects of Judaica is due solely to the fact that it is the container in which wine is located. Wine was first mentioned in the Talmud in a lengthy discussion about the order of blessing over the fruits of the vine, and from that time the custom of drinking it after prayers remained. It was only under the influence of Hellenism that wine was used in religious services in the Temple of Jerusalem. Until then it was only poured onto the altars of the sanctuary as a libation ritual.
The fact that the (Kiddush) cup contained one of the most famous and popular drinks made it necessary to pay special attention to it. From the simplest to the most sophisticated materials and techniques were used, from the Far East to Western countries. The ceremonial cup is always on the Jewish table and ritual: on Shabbat, on festivals such as Passover, Rosh Hashanah1 and Sukkot2, and at the most important moments in the Jewish life cycle: at birth celebrations (Brit Milah3, in the case of a boy), in the Bar Mitzvah and at weddings.
Jewish law does not prescribe any specific requirements for kidush cups; the only requirements are that they be spotless, clean and of an appropriate size for the volume of wine. This allowed for variation in shape, style, material, size and decoration.
The most popular cups among Jews in Eastern Europe include those of Russian and Polish origin from the 19th and early 20th centuries. These small cups are usually made of silver and have an average height of 5.5 cm. They are shaped like a thimble and change depending on when they were made. The earlier ones are very well manufactured, with local urban or floral motifs, within a central stripe or geometric shape. The later ones, made in both Russia and Poland, are simpler with less artistic effort, which seems to be a response to larger quantities commissioned.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, southern Germany was an important area for the production of silver pieces used in Jewish rituals. A very common form was cups with spherical footrests. Another style, also from the southern areas, shows cups with shell-like shapes from the bottom halfway towards the edges.
The decoration of the cups is varied. They may include plant motifs, cityscapes, or Jewish symbols, or contain inscriptions in Hebrew (or in the local language), generally referring to blessings or even biblical passages, or when or for whom the cup was acquired or donated.
The tall, elegant goblets are very characteristic of Germany. They are usually bell-shaped, made of nobler materials and richly decorated, often with inscriptions. Within Jewish ritual they are used for the most important celebrations or for the eldest man in the family at the table. At Passover they are placed on the table for the Seder, the celebratory meal, for the prophet Elijah Hanawi. During the Seder, four blessings are pronounced over the wine, and the four cups used for this purpose may contain scenes or inscriptions relating to Passover.
The forms also vary greatly in terms of their functions. Shabbat-specific cups often bear the Hebrew inscription: “Remember Shabbat to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). For the Havdalah, the ceremony at the end of Shabbat that separates the holy Shabbat from the other days of the week, the Cup of Salvation (Kos Jeshuot) is used. This cup usually has the edges curved outwards so that when the wine is poured it overflows onto the plate on which the Havdalah candle is extinguished. Metaphorically, the overflow of wine means abundance.