Birkat Ha-Mazon prayer book (Wedding gift prayer book)

This little booklet, containing 27 parchment pages with prayers for women, with 10 colorfully painted illustrations, depicts – among others - the three special commandments of women. According to Jewish tradition, there are three positive, time-bound commandments that are compulsory for women: separating and burning a piece of dough from the bread as a commemoration of the Temple in Jerusalem; the monthly cleansing in the ritual bath; and the lighting of Shabbat candles. According to the 18th century commentator, the Gaon of Vilna, the acronyms of the names of these three commandments we receive the word “charm” (Hannah: hallah, niddah, and hadlakat ha-ner, respectively). The fulfillment of one of the obligations, namely a woman in a ritual bath (mikveh) can be seen as one of the illustrations of the prayer book.