Naftali Bezem's The Blooming Staff

I purchased this original painting by celebrated Israeli modern artist Naftali Bezem titled The Blooming Staff, based on the story in the Old Testament (Numbers 17) about how Aaron's staff was the only one of the dozen staves of the Twelve Tribes of Israel to bloom, signifying the Aaron was chosen by God to lead his people. I just love this painting and perhaps it is my most treasured artistic work in my collection , and I hang it proudly in my condo. I established a provenance for it, and included a copy of the solo exhibition catalog where the painting was premiered, printed email correspondence with the gallery concerning the painting, a biography of Naftali Bezem, and my own personal interpretation.

Here is my interpretation that I wrote:

I believe that the floating holy man wearing phylacteries suspended above the twelve staves is that of the artist—based on the figure’s eyes resembling the artist’s own eyes and length of beard he sported when this work was created in 2008. According to the Old Testament (Numbers 17), the division of the Israelites after Korah’s Rebellion was suppressed prompted God to command that the staves of the Twelve Tribes of Israel be placed before the tent of meeting, each with tribal leader’s name inscribed upon it. The staves were wielded by the leaders of the Twelve Tribes as a symbol of their authority over their own particular tribes. The staves also resemble those possessed by ancient shepherds when tending to their flocks of animals. Therefore, it is easy to see the significance of a political leader carrying one as a “herdsman” tending to his people. Aaron was the brother of Moses, and his name was inscribed on the staff of Levi when it was placed before the meeting tent. Aaron’s staff bloomed forth, signifying from God his role as the Israelites’ leader and ending further division at that time. The twelve staves in the painting stand upright in their wooden holder, not lying on the ground, demonstrating they are meant to support something or someone. It appears that the artist or Jewish holy man is being supported by the entirety of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Thus, his people’s history, cultural heritage, and religious beliefs support him today. He has the power of his people—past and present—as well as their collective history, effortlessly uplifting and supporting him. While the figure in The Blooming Staff is the only individual depicted, he is not solitary as the staves represent all Jews who came before him. He is solitary only in the sense of his own personal religious devotion and relationship with God. One does not need to be a Jew to see the significance of this, nor do I believe it is applicable only to those professing the Jewish faith. Indeed, whatever we believe, whatever idea we place our faith, is not confined to the individual only, but is a shared experience of others who came before him who embraced that same faith or belief. We today are supported by our past.