DESCRIPTION: This 22 color gold illuminated lithograph Muchnik is one of Muchnik's series of the Seven Fruits of Israel.

When you shall enter the Land that I give you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring an Omer from your first harvest to the Kohen (Priest). He shall wave the Omer before G-d to gain favor for you...Leviticus 23:10-11

Before any grain produce of the new crop of the year could be eaten, a measure of ground barley had to be brought to the Holy Temple as a meal offering. This was to symbolize that the prosperity of the field, despite the back breaking labor that was required to wrest it from the soil, was a gift from G-d and we thank Him for it. This offering is known as the Omer.

On the 2nd day of Passover the Omer was brought to the Holy Temple. Once it was brought all grain that has taken root prior to that time may be eaten. Later grain had to wait until the next year's "Omer" was brought. Although the Omer offering permitted all five species of grain for general use, grain of the new crop could not be used for Temple offerings until the Two Breads - offering, 50 days later which is described in Leviticus Chapter 23 verse 16-19.

The basket of barley in this lithograph refers to the the Omer and the stalks of wheat with the 2 Challa refer to the Two Bread Offering. On top is a miniature scene of Israel complete with the Holy Temple as this all took place in the days of the Holy Temple.

ARTIST INFORMATION: : Today's renaissance of the traditional Jewish lifestyle has been accompanied by the blossoming of a multi-faceted Chasidic art movement. Michoel Muchnik, among the foremost Chassidic artists, has gained prominence with his joyfully imaginative renderings in acrylics, watercolors, and original lithographs. He frequently combines his delicate use of color and fine line work into a story book motif. Even at its most mystical, a Muchnik painting is inexplicably familiar.

Born in Philadelphia in 1952, Muchnik received his artistic training at Rhode Island School of Design. He later studied at the Rabbinical College of America, in Morristown, New Jersey.

Muchnik has staged exhibits of his original paintings, bas-relief mosaics and lithographs throughout the world. His originals have been displayed at the Brooklyn Museum, the Goldman Arts Gallery in Washington, D.C., Yeshiva University Museum in New York, Dansforth Museum in Massachusetts, the Sydney Jewish Museum and the Sharei Tzedek Collection in Israel.