traditionanddebts

[traditionanddebts]

“Once upon a time in the 1980s, when I was a twenty-year-old graduate student full of arrogance and attitude, I worked in the Hebrew books and manuscripts division of the Judaica Department at Sotheby’s New York. My boss was the “Judaica expert,” the late, great Jay Weinstein, a man truly deserving of his title, which he bore with immense modesty and humour. My own title was also “expert” but, by way of contrast, it only exacerbated my supercilious arrogance when I found myself called to the front desk to meet a client… The client I was about to meet on the day I am describing had called a week before to tell me that he was in possession of “a very old Hebrew book.” I was not looking forward to the encounter, since auction experts know very well that the hoi polloi consider anything more than ten years old to be ancient and hence of untold value. Disabusing clients of this notion as it applies to their particular treasure is an often painful but necessary task… Mr. X, I was dismayed to find, embodied all my worst fears. Stooped, elderly, still in his coat, and eager — very eager. Authoritative and disdainful though I made myself, he was simply unimpressed by my “impressiveness.” With total focus and trembling hands, he reached into a plastic shopping bag and produced, wrapped in newspaper older than I was, his “treasure” — a book of Psalms, printed in Warsaw in 1920. I couldn’t believe this monumental waste of my precious time — a brand new book of Psalms would be worth more than this! I was exasperated by this schlepper, and I wanted to tell him so. I wanted to show him the real treasures — gold, silver, ancient, and precious illuminated manuscripts — that had been entrusted into my “expert” care. I wanted to show him the door as I told him with authoritative disdain, “That book is worth whatever you paid for it!” But at that moment, like the angel in the legend who moves Moses’ hand toward the glowing coal rather than the glittering crown, thus saving his life, some kindly spirit moved my tongue. And instead of that anticipated send-off, I faltered, “Um, what did you pay for this?” The old man drew himself up to his full 5 feet, 2 inches. “For this, I paid seven days’ Auschwitz bread,” he replied with a dignity that totally deflated my pose. It seems that the Nazis had caught him with the little Psalm book, and as a penalty for possessing it, imprisoned him without food — only water to drink — for an entire week. Like Moses touching the coal to his lips, I was struck dumb. “This,” I stammered, “is too valuable for us to sell.” And I stumbled out of the room, a changed young man, with a new appreciation of what is meant by the words precious, valuable, and treasured.”

— Marc Michael Epstein, Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts (via jewishhenna)

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Aim's predecessor was Emma Sen. Their message might cause trouble.

Sounds like AIM and MSN might ultimately lead to Discord.

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Here!! My Lyctor Harrow cosplay!! I’m so excited to have these pictures and release them into the world, please enjoy my hundreds of hours of beading and embroidery and decades of religious trauma bundled up into this tiny emo nun :0

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RIP Gideon Nav you would have loved I Don't Wanna Do Leg Day Sad Skeleton

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Sword w cellphone charms

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I don't know... it's probably been said before. But it's the fact that Gideon was originally supposed to be of the "two hundred dead daughters and sons" that she wasn't supposed to live. She wasn't supposed to live a life intrinsically connected to Harrow's, or ever leave the ninth. She was destined to die and become one with Harrow. All just to live long enough to die and become one with Harrow.

I'm drunk so maybe in the morning this won't make any sense, but if Gideon was always going to die. Was always going to become a catalyst of Harrows power. And there is a reflection of her importance to Harrow in the power she gives Harrow. Had she died as part of the 200 she wouldn't have done anything extraordinary at all. But she lived and loved Harrow and became the catalyst for lyctorhood. A power equal in everyway to her importance to Harrow.

I'm sure someone will get the vibes.

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slay the princess

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💀💀💀

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you have to let yourself be a weird woman or you will not survive

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Gideon every day in the Ninth House

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That feeling when you misplace your 15ft skeleton that's meant to be carrying around on a planet you're supposed to kill:

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Augustine and Mercymorn, griefly: we didn't want to become Lyctors. Our cavaliers killed themselves to force us to ascend, so you see we had no choice but to—

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, an ice pick already halfway through her temporal lobe: skill issue

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working on some silly tlt memes for my friend's bday and I liked how this one came out 🥲

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All I’m saying is the blood of eden might have a point

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muzzled camilla hect courtesy of blood of eden

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A Patreon request of Coronabeth and Judith as Miss Piggy and Kermit. This one really got a laugh out of me, and it was fantastic to draw.

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everyone wants to talk about gideon must feel about pyrrha's relationship, well I want to talk about how gideon must feel about john's relationship with harrow. like, you're trapped in the body of the girl you love and your long lost father is telling her how he wishes he were her dad, how if he had a daughter he would want it to be a girl like her. like, everyone loves harrow and no one loves you. fuck!!