This document contains a piyyut (liturgical hymn) composed in honor of the circumcision ceremony. The three illustrations show the prophet Elijah ascending to heaven in a fiery chariot, an angel halting Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, and at bottom, Elijah heralding Messiah’s arrival. 

The Prophet Elijah holds a special place in the rite of circumcision. According to rabbinic interpretation, Elijah complained that the Jews had forsaken the commandment of circumcision; therefore, God required Elijah to attend every circumcision ceremony to witness the Jews’ adherence to the Law. In his honor, an empty chair, known as Elijah’s Chair, is placed next to the sandak (the person holding the child during the ceremony). The numerous holes on the edges of this parchment indicate that it was hung on a wall to facilitate communal recitation.