Ostrich eggs in Shul?

Question

Kinyan L'Shabbos (published weekly by Hamodia) - July 18, 2012, page 11 has a fascinating article by Rabbi Avraham Y. Heschel regarding an ancient custom of displaying ostrich eggs in a Beis Knesses. Seemingly an ostrich, unlike other birds, does not sit on its eggs but keeps them warm simply by gazing at them from a distance. It mentions it in the name of HaRav Yaakov Emden Zatzal and explains that the reason is that they are meant to remind the Mispallelim of the awesome power of looking at something, and to inspire them to concentrate on Davening and not look in other directions.

It also mentions three reasons from the Sefer Midrash Talpios by Harav Eliyahu Hakohen, author of the Shevet Musar.

1. It is to remind us that in order for our Tefillos to be accepted, Kavanah is key. Therefore the eggs are present to remind the Mispallelim to ensure that nothing may interrupt our prayer and thus stand between us and Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Whom we are addressing personally.

2. The eggs symbolize the fact that the Eye of Hashem (so to speak) is at all times focused on Klal Yisrael. Nothing can possibly get in the way of this Hashgacha Pratis. Like the eggs that hatch only through the continuous surveillance of the mother ostrich. whose gaze must be continuous without distraction or interruption, or else the chicks will not survive. so we owe our survival solely to the constant Hashgacha of Hashem.

3. A Beis HaKnesses is a Mikdash Me'at, and placing the ostrich eggs there serve as a reminder of the fact that the Torah tells us (Devarim 11:12) that the "Eye of Hashem" is always watching Eretz Yisrael, and this in turn inspires us to Daven for the Geula and the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash.

This article from Bar Ilan University has more information regarding this Minhag.

Has anyone ever seen ostrich eggs in their Shul? If not why was this Minhag discontinued?

Answer 1

I actually have heard of this minhag before, although I have never seen an ostrich egg in a synagogue myself. It was a fairly common symbol in both Christianity and Islam, and so churches and mosques would frequently have ostrich eggs in them as well (see this book, for example). The symbolism is largely what has been mentioned above with regard to the (mistaken) belief that ostrich eggs are hatched through the power of observation... There is also some relationship to the "Cosmic Egg"/globe of the world.

In terms of Jewish practice, Simonsohn's book on Jews in Sicily records that ostrich eggs were stolen from the synagogue there in 1492 (he then, mistakenly, suggests that this is a uniquely Sicilian custom), and this source tantalizingly records that a Jew in Bulgaria (?) in 1578 explained to someone (?) that they hang ostrich eggs in synagogue to remind the shelihei tzibbur to think of nothing else but prayer, just as the ostrich does not turn its sight away form its eggs until they are hatched. Yaron Ben-Naeh's book on Jews in Ottoman Turkey records that ostrich eggs were hung in synagogues there as a symbol of Divine Providence. Tudor Parfitt's book on Jews in 20th century Yemen documents ostrich eggs in the synagogue there, while Harvey Goldberg notes that in Yemen, ostrich eggs also were part of the ceremonial decoration of a birthing mother's room (with a reconstructed picture, on the next page).

I would imagine that it was discontinued for social factors, largely that we don't decorate our synagogues in the same way that they did in the "Old World" and that an ostrich egg (especially since it holds little symbolism in most people's minds) would seem out-of-place, if not disrespectful. Although I am all for reviving the minhag!

Answer 2

The Etz Chaim Synagogue in Chania, Crete has ostrich eggs hanging from its main chandelier (can be seen here).

Answer 3

I have seen this in the Syrian Ades עדס shul in Nachla'aot, Jersusalem. Apparently, it was a custom in Syria to do this. It is hanging from the ceiling in the Ades shul.

Answer 4

Like Dave, I also did a little bit of internet searching. The only thing I could find out about religious symbolism was Christian symbolism. Also, it's generally (in most Christian symbology that I've found) seen as very negative - the ostrich is the symbol of the bad mother for not sitting on the eggs.

Speculation: Maybe it was discontinued when people realized it was based on Christian superstition (that is also not upheld by natural facts)?

In addition to the fact that ostriches do, in fact, incubate their own eggs (the female sharing responsibility with the male), it says in that sefer that the בת היענה lays the eggs and places them in a tall place. This is also not factually correct. It could be, then, that whatever bird is being talked about is a different bird than what we call the ostrich. Or not, because the rest of that paragraph makes no sense either.

My guess is that, Jewish or not, it's either symbolism based on incorrect fact that was disbanded when the true nature of ostriches was discovered, or that it was symbolism that was based on some other bird that is both misunderstood (thinking that the bird's behavior of staring at the eggs is critical for the eggs' survival) and whose identity was lost.

Answer 5

An earlier Jewish source is found in the writings of the Arizal in a sefer called Otzrot Chaim. In Shaar Hanekudim pereck aleph page 5 (amud aleph) [in the old editions]. The Arizal mentions the Bat Yana gazing at its egg to hatch it. The minhag of hanging it in shul though is not mentioned.

Answer 6

I have seen a shul with it! here is a picture https://i.stack.imgur.com/Z7BMJ.jpg