Shiviti Shmita
Dov Abramson and Elad Lifshitz, Shiviti Shmita, 2014
Print on Paper, 60×80 cm
Shiviti plaques, so called from the first Hebrew word of the verse, Shiviti, which means “I am ever mindful of the Lords’s presence” (Psalms16:8), are customarily hung in Synagogue’s to remind the congregants that the Lord is always present. The artists’ Shiviti plaque for Shmita is designed to remind people to divest themselves of anxieties and fears not under their control. In the center of the poster are the words “let it rest and lie fallow” (Exodus 23:11), the concise Biblical description of Shmita.
Surrounding the above phrase are sayings relating to rest, relaxation, the need to let go of worry and anxiety. The embedded symbols in the composition are of relaxed, open hands, agricultural imagery that remind us of the relevance and meaning of Shmita, and further images relating to the topic, hidden in the composition.
The poster is designed for worriers, to be hung in a place where the person feels anxious as a reminder that “The world is a narrow bridge, and the key is not to be afraid.”
Shiviti Shmita was created following a Beit Avi Chai seminar about art and Shmita.