It is the custom in some oriental Jewish communities to pass out individual portions of spice to the worshippers during the Havdallah ceremony. Taking this as a starting point, this spice box incorporates a number of symbolic and allusive elements. The six petals radiating from the ebony stem are the spice boxes to pass out to the worshippers during the Havdallah ceremony. They stand for the six days of the week whose focus is the Shabbat, represented by ebony – the queen of woods. The spice chamber on the stem is adorned with a lid reminiscent of the crown of the Shabbat queen. The number of silver studs topping the stem lid is 36 or twice Chai (18).
The spice box is constructed of ebony and paduak woods and silver. The base and stem are of ebony. The individual spice boxes made of paduak with ebony and silver lids are set into silver petals radiating from the stem. Spice is also held in a chamber at the top of the stem.
