“For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land…a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates” (Deuteronomy 8:7-8).
In a whimsical and bright illustrative fashion, this Ketubah extrapolates the biblical pedestal on which Pomegranates reside and situates them in a contemporary context whereby scanned linen veils the background.
18 seeds, signifying Chai / Life float happily through the serene space of the figurative composition.
The two Pomegranates embrace one another analogous to the couple, whilst the “Eli” squared notion of the names of both bride and groom (talk about fate!) is scaled into a pattern language of an Eli / Eli design that moves along both axes whilst the Aleph remains an anchor between them (this is even more appropriate in consideration of it being the first letter of the alphabet).
Pomegranates were selected as the key motif of this design as they are a favourite fruit of the couple. Furthermore Pomegranates reverberate throughout the Torah as a recurring symbol.
They are one of the seven spices of Eretz Yisrael, and this connection to Israel references the importance of the Holy Land to Bride and Groom, through their family, tradition and history.
Pomegranates are heralded as symbols of fertility, whilst the Kabbalists recited that there were 613 seeds in each pomegranate equal to the 613 mitzvot Hashem commanded of the Chosen People.
Pomegranates are also a signifier of Chaggim and in turn, happy occasions.
Photographs of the wedding courtesy of Corey Wright Photography http://www.coreywright.com.au/
