Mappah

Not very well known in Austria is the custom of attaching a Torah pennant to the Torah scroll. A pennant is made from circumcision cloths, which are sewn together and sometimes elaborately embroidered. On Bar Mitzvah, the pennant is given to the synagogue as a gift. The dedicatory inscription reads: "Nathan, son of Yizchak Katz Shalit was born under a good star on Wednesday, the 10th of Adar of the small calendar (i.e.: 9 March 1740). May the Lord make him grow up to Torah, to chuppah and to good deeds. Amen. Sela".
The embroideries show hare, duck, goose, squirrel, birds , cat , deer, buck and peacock, perhaps indicating the rural environment of the embroiderer. A particularly long snake, a unicorn and an unidentifiable large bird - possibly a stork - are reminiscent of fairy tales and fables.