Plate 12. Flourishing Like the Plants of the Field

Rich colors illuminate this page, alluding to Ezekiel 16:10 which speaks of God enrobing the Israelites in embroidered garments. The floral design at each corner represents arba’ah kanfot ha’aretz, the four corners of the world, to which the Israelites were dispersed. The design is inspired by The Nuremberg Mahzor, an illuminated manuscript from 1330-1331. Just as Jacob’s descendants integrated quickly into Egypt and lived for some time in relative calm and prosperity, so did Jews settle and prosper in Germany for centuries. But just as the sweet blessings of Egypt gradually turned sour, so did the promise of acceptance and prosperity in Germany prove illusory.