Previous Custom Work

This amulet was written for one of my rabbinic mentors, who is working on his first book. He said that one of his discoveries while writing was that once you write one book, you have ideas for another. So he told me that Ecclesiastes 12:12 was often on his mind. That verses contains the phrase "עֲשׂ֨וֹת סְפָרִ֤ים הַרְבֵּה֙ אֵ֣ין קֵ֔ץ" (the writing of many books has no end). I included that quote on the right side of the book shaped kamea I made, in a script stylized like Torah Beit Yosef script. On the left side, to balance out the slightly dispiriting tone of Ecclesiastes, we agreed to include a teaching from Pirkei Avot (Verses of the Fathers, one of the sections of Mishnah, a series of sayings and ethical teachings of the rabbis) 12:16, "לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה" (it is not incumbent upon you to finish the work, but you may not desist from it). This is written in a much simpler script. The kamea hangs on a sterling silver chain.

When Esav and Yaakov reuinte, Yaakov offers his brother gifts which Esav tries to refuse, but Yaakov insists that he accept them. Each tells his brother that he is a wealthy enough man and doesn’t need the thing (“No you take it, I insist.” “No, you sir, please.” etc.) Their language is really similar, Esav says ״יש לי רב״ “I have abundance” and Yaakov says ״כִּֽי־חַנַּ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכִ֣י יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹ֑ל״ “For God has been graceful to me and because I have everything” (Genesis 33:11). The difference is one word (other than Yaakov’s gratitude offered to God). What is the difference between רב abundance and כל everything? According to my mom, for who this kamea is written, having everything means feeling blessed and fulfilled with what you have, even if you have quantitatively less than someone else. The gratitude and contentment makes all the difference.

This kamea has the quote from Genesis 33:11 in white Beit Yosef style script on a blue and silver background. It hangs on a sterling silver chain.