NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Star of David

The Star of David or Shield of David (Magen David in Hebrew, מָגֵן דָּוִד with nikkud or מגן דוד without, academically transcribed Māḡēn Dāwīḏ by Biblical Hebrew linguists, pronounced [maˈɡen daˈvid] in Modern Hebrew and Mogein Dovid [ˈmɔɡeɪn ˈdɔvid] or Mogen Dovid [ˈmɔɡen ˈdɔvid] in Ashkenazi Hebrew and Yiddish) is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism. It has been suggested that Pascals Mystic Hexagram be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links Star_of_David. ... Image File history File links Star_of_David. ... Image File history File links Leningrad_Codex_Carpet_page_e. ... Image File history File links Leningrad_Codex_Carpet_page_e. ... The Masoretic Text (MT) is the Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible (Tanakh). ... The Leningrad codex is the oldest surviving complete copy of the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible, dated 1008. ... Events Olof, king of Sweden, is baptized. ... In Hebrew orthography, Niqqud or Nikkud (Hebrew: , Standard Tiberian ; dots) is the system of diacritical signs used to represent vowels or distinguish between alternative pronunciations of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. ... Categories: Language stubs | Judaism-related stubs | Canaanite languages | Hebrew language ... The Modern Hebrew language is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. ... Ashkenazi Hebrew is the pronunciation system for Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew favored for liturgical use by Ashkenazi Jewish practice. ... Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ... Ashkenazi Jews praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

It is named after King David of ancient Israel; and its earliest known communal usage began in the Middle Ages, alongside the more ancient symbol of the menorah. Geometrically it is the hexagram. This page is about the Biblical king David. ... For the pre-history of the region, see Pre-history of the Southern Levant. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... In mathematics, a geometric progression (also known as a geometric sequence, and, inaccurately, as a geometric series; see below) is a sequence of numbers such that the quotient of any two successive members of the sequence is a constant called the common ratio of the sequence. ... It has been suggested that Pascals Mystic Hexagram be merged into this article or section. ...

With the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 the Star of David on the Flag of Israel has also become a symbol of Israel. The symbol is also associated with the Zionism movement. Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the countrys establishment. ... This article is about Zionism as a movement, not the History of Israel. ...

As a Jewish symbol

The earliest archaeological evidence for the Jewish use of the symbol comes from an inscription attributed to Joshua ben Asayahu in late 7th century BCE Sidon. ^[1] View of the new city the Sea Castle. ...

The exact origins of the symbol's relation to Jewish identity are unknown. Several theories were put forward. According to one hypothesis^{[citation needed]}, the Star of David comprises two of the three letters in the name David. In its Hebrew spelling (דוד), it contains only three characters, two of which are "D" (or "Dalet", in Hebrew). In ancient times, this letter was written in a form much like a triangle, similar to the Greek letter Delta (Δ), with which it shares a sound and the same (4th) position in their respective alphabets, as it does with Latin. The symbol may have been a simple family crest formed by flipping and juxtaposing the two most prominent letters in the name. Ashkenazi Jews praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur. ... Dalet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Look up Î”, Î´ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

A popular folk etymology has it that the Star of David is literally modeled after the shield of the young Israelite warrior David, who would later become King David. In order to save metal, the shield was not made of metal but of leather spanned across the simplest metal frame that would hold the round shield: two interlocking triangles. No reliable historical evidence for this etymology exists. Etymologies redirects here. ... â€œThe Twelve Tribesâ€ redirects here. ... This page is about the Biblical king David. ...

Use in Kabbalah

According to various Judaic sources, the Star or Shield of David signifies the number seven: that is, the six points plus the center. The earliest known Jewish text to mention the symbol is Eshkol Ha-Kofer by the Karaite Judah Hadassi, in the mid-12th century CE: Judah ben Elijah Hadassi (in Hebrew, Yehuda ben Eliyahu) was a Karaite Jewish scholar, controversialist, and liturgist who flourished at Constantinople in the middle of the twelfth century. ... Karaite Judaism is a Jewish denomination characterized by reliance on the Tanakh as the sole scripture, and rejection of the Oral Law (the Mishnah and the Talmuds) as halakha (Legally Binding, i. ... Judah ben Elijah Hadassi (in Hebrew, Yehuda ben Eliyahu) was a Karaite Jewish scholar, controversialist, and liturgist who flourished at Constantinople in the middle of the twelfth century. ...

The number seven has religious significance in Judaism, e.g., the six days of Creation plus the seventh day of rest, the six working days in the week plus Shabbat, the Seven Spirits of God, as well as the Menorah in the ancient Temple, whose seven oil lamps rest on three stems branching from each side of a central pole. Perhaps, the Star of David came to be used as a standard symbol in synagogues because its organization into 3+3+1 corresponds to the Temple's Menorah, which was the more traditional symbol for Judaism in ancient times. There are also six words in the Shema, the most important prayer in Judaism, and it is not uncommon to find the Shema written around a Star of David. sack of jerusalem on inside wall ot arch of titus in rome, italy This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... sack of jerusalem on inside wall ot arch of titus in rome, italy This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Arch of Titus This article deals with the main arch of Titus on the Via Sacra. ... This article is about the biblical text. ... For other uses, see Sabbath. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Shema Yisrael (שמע ישראל) are the first two words of a section of the Hebrew Bible that is used as a centerpiece of all morning and evening Jewish prayer services and closely echoes the monotheistic message of Judaism. ...

In Kabbalah, the Star of David symbolizes the six directions of space plus the center, under the influence of the description of space found in the Sefer Yetsira: Up, Down, East, West, South, North, and Center. Congruently, under the influence of the Zohar, it represents the Six Sefirot of the Male (Zeir Anpin) united with the Seventh Sefirot of the Female (Nekuva). This article is about traditional Jewish Kabbalah. ... Sefer Yetzirah (Hebrew, Book of Creation[1], ×¡×¤×¨ ×™×¦×™×¨×”) is the title of the earliest book on Jewish esotericism. ... The Zohar (Hebrew: ×–×”×¨ Splendor, radiance) is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

Some Kabbalistic amulets use the symbol to arrange the Ten Sefirot. However, reference to the symbol is nowhere in the [kabbalistic texts] themselves, such as the Zohar and the like. Therefore, its use as a sefirotic diagram in amulets is more likely a reinterpretation of a preexisting symbol. Sephirah, also Sefirah (Hebrew language סְפִירָה Enumeration); plural Sephiroth or Sefiroth סְפִירוֹת. ... The Zohar (Hebrew: ×–×”×¨ Splendor, radiance) is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. ...

Similarly, M. Costa wrote that M. Gudemann and other researchers in the 1920s claimed that Isaac Luria was influential in turning the Star of David into a national Jewish emblem by teaching that the elements of the plate for the Seder evening have to be placed in the order of the hexagram, but Gershom Scholem proved that Isaac Luria talked about parallel triangles one beneath the other and not about the hexagram. ^[4] The grave of Isaac Luria in Safed Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534 â€“ July 25, 1572) was a Jewish mystic in Safed. ... Seder is a Hebrew word meaning order, and can have any of the following meanings: Seder - readings of the Torah according to the ancient Palestinian triennial cycle. ... Gershom Scholem (born December 5, 1897 in Berlin, died February 21, 1982 in Jerusalem), also known as Gerhard Scholem, was a German-born Jewish philosopher and historian. ...

Shield form

The Shield of David is not mentioned in ancient rabbinic literature. A supposed Shield of David however has recently been noted on a Jewish tombstone at Taranto, in Southern Italy, which may date as early as the third century CE. Likewise, a stone bearing the Shield from the arch of a 3-4th century synagogue in the Galilee was found. ^[5] Rabbinic literature, in the broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of Judaisms rabbinic writing/s throughout history. ... Headstones in the Japanese Cemetry in Broome, Western Australia A cemetery in rural Spain A typical late 20th century headstone in the United States A headstone, tombstone or gravestone is a marker, normally carved from stone, placed over or next to the site of a burial. ... Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. ... (2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century - other centuries) Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east. ... BCE redirects here. ...

The earliest Jewish literary source which mentions the "Shield of David" is the Eshkol Ha-Kofer by Judah Hadassi from the middle of the 12th century CE, where seven Shields are used in an amulet for a mezuzah. It appears to have been in use as part of amulets before it was in use in formal Jewish contexts. A manuscript Tanakh dated 1307 and belonging to Rabbi Yosef bar Yehuda ben Marvas from Toledo, Spain, was decorated with a Shield of David. In the synagogues, perhaps, it was associated with the mezuzah. Originally, the hexagram may have been employed as an architectural ornament on synagogues, as it is, for example, on the cathedrals of Brandenburg and Stendal, and on the Marktkirche at Hanover. A pentagram in this form is found on the ancient synagogue at Tell Hum. Judah ben Elijah Hadassi (in Hebrew, Yehuda ben Eliyahu) was a Karaite Jewish scholar, controversialist, and liturgist who flourished at Constantinople in the middle of the twelfth century. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... BCE redirects here. ... Mezuzah (IPA: ) (Heb. ... A manuscript (Latin manu scriptus, written by hand), strictly speaking, is any written document that is put down by hand, in contrast to being printed or reproduced some other way. ... For the musical collective, see Tanakh (band). ... January 18 - German king Albrecht I makes his son Rudolf king of Bohemia. ... For other uses, see Toledo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cathedral (disambiguation). ... For the similarly spelled Brandenberg, see Brandenberg (Austria) or Brandenburg (disambiguation) Location Coordinates , , Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE4 Capital Potsdam Minister-President Matthias Platzeck (SPD) Governing parties SPD / CDU Votes in Bundesrat 4 (of 69) Basic statistics Area 29,479 kmÂ² (11,382... Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. ... Image of the Marktkirche in Hanover. ... , Hanover(i) (German: , IPA: ), on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany. ...

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1441, 706 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Star of David Guide for the Perplexed ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x1441, 706 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Star of David Guide for the Perplexed ... The Guide for the Perplexed (Hebrew:×ž×•×¨×” × ×‘×•×›×™×, translit. ... Commonly used image indicating one artists conception of Maimonidess appearance Maimonides (March 30, 1135 or 1138â€“December 13, 1204) was a Jewish rabbi, physician, and philosopher in Spain, Morocco and Egypt during the Middle Ages. ... For other uses, see Aristotle (disambiguation). ...

Shield with stars

In 1354, King of Bohemia Charles IV prescribed for the Jews of Prague a red flag with both David's shield and Solomon's seal, while the red flag with which the Jews met King Matthias of Hungary in the 15th century showed two pentagrams with two golden stars.^[6] The pentagram, therefore, may also have been used among the Jews. It occurs in a manuscript as early as the year 1073.^[7] Events End of reign of John VI Cantacuzenus, as Byzantine emperor. ... The Lands of the Bohemian Crown (Czech Země koruny české, Latin Corona regni Bohemiae) (e. ... Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... In Medieval Jewish, Islamic and Christian legends, the Seal of Solomon was a magical signet ring said to have been possessed by King Solomon (or Sulayman in the Islamic version), which variously gave him the power to command demons (or jinni), or to speak with animals. ... Matthias Corvinus as depicted in Chronica Hungarorum by Johannes de Thurocz Matthias Corvinus (Matthias the Just) (February 23, 1443 (?) â€“ April 6, 1490) was one of the greatest Kings of Hungary, ruling between 1458 and 1490. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Events Cardinal Hildebrand elevated to papacy as Pope Gregory VII, succeeding Pope Alexander II Emperor Shirakawa ascends the throne of Japan Rabbi Yitchaki Alfassi finishes writing the Rif, an important work of Jewish law. ...

In 1460, the Jews of Ofen (Budapest, Hungary) received King Mathios Kuruvenus with a red flag on which were two Shields of David and two stars. In the first Hebrew prayer book, printed in Prague in 1512, a large Shield of David appears on the cover. In the colophon is written: "Each man beneath his flag according to the house of their fathers... and he will merit to bestow a bountiful gift on anyone who grasps the Shield of David." In 1592, Mordechai Maizel was allowed to affix "a flag of King David, similar to that located on the Main Synagogue" on his synagogue in Prague. In 1648, the Jews of Prague were again allowed a flag, in acknowledgment of their part in defending the city against the Swedes. On a red background was a yellow Shield of David, in the center of which was a Swedish star.^[8] Events The first Portuguese navigators reach the coast of modern Sierra Leone. ... See Budapest (band) for the British melancholic post-grunge band. ... For other uses, see Budapest (disambiguation). ... Matthias Corvinus as depicted in Chronica Hungarorum by Carl van Vechten Matthias Corvinus (Matthias the Just) (b. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... For other uses, see Prayer (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... Year 1512 (MDXII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... In publishing, a colophon describes details of the production of a book. ... Year 1592 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The Star of David can be found on the tombstones of religious Jews going back hundreds of years in Europe, as it became accepted as the universal symbol of the Jewish people. Following Jewish emancipation after the French revolution, Jewish communities chose the Star of David to represent themselves, comparable to the cross used by most Christians. Image File history File links Synagogue Karlsruhe de: Die 1971 eingeweihte Synagoge hat den Grundriss eines Davidsterns. ... Image File history File links Synagogue Karlsruhe de: Die 1971 eingeweihte Synagoge hat den Grundriss eines Davidsterns. ... Karlsruhe (population 285,812 in 2006) is a city in the south west of Germany, in the Bundesland Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg, located near the French-German border. ... Image File history File links Bat_Zion_I_want_your_Old_New_Land_join_Jewish_regiment. ... Image File history File links Bat_Zion_I_want_your_Old_New_Land_join_Jewish_regiment. ... Zion (Hebrew: ×¦Ö´×™Ö¼×•Ö¹×Ÿ, tziyyon; Tiberian vocalization: tsiyyÃ´n; transliterated Zion or Sion) is a term that most often designates the Land of Israel and its capital Jerusalem. ... The Jewish Legion was the name for five battalions of Jewish volunteers established as the British Armys 38th through 42nd (Service) Battalions of the Royal Fusiliers. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Dates of Jewish emancipation. ... The French Revolution (1789â€“1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ...

Some Orthodox Jewish groups reject the use of the Jewish Star of David because of its association with magic. Neturei Karta and Satmar reject it because they associate it with Zionism. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonised in the Talmudic texts (Oral Torah) and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... Neturei Karta synagogue and study hall in Jerusalem Neturei Karta (Aramaic: , Guardians of the City) is a Haredi Jewish group formally created in 1935, that opposes Zionism and call for a peaceful dismantling of the State of Israel, in the belief that Jews are forbidden to have their own state... Satmar is the largest Hasidic group in existence today. ... This article is about Zionism as a movement, not the History of Israel. ...

Many Modern Orthodox synagogues, and many synagogues of other Jewish movements, however, have the Israeli flag with the Star of David prominently displayed at the front of the synagogues near the Ark containing the Torah scrolls. Modern Orthodox Judaism (or Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize traditional observance and values with the secular, modern world. ...

Use by the Nazis

A Star of David, often yellow-colored, was used by the Nazis during the Holocaust as a method of identifying Jewish People. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939 there were initially different local decrees forcing Jews to wear a distinct sign – in the General Government e.g. a white armband with a blue Star of David on it, in the Warthegau a yellow badge in the form of a Star of David on the left side of the breast and on the back.^[9] The requirement to wear the Star of David with the word Jude (German for Jew) inscribed was then extended to all Jews over the age of 6 in the Reich and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (by a decree issued on September 1, 1941 signed by Reinhard Heydrich ^[10]) and was gradually introduced in other German-occupied areas, where local words were used (e.g. Juif in French, Jood in Dutch). Compulsory Jewish badge under the Nazi occupation of Europe: the Star of David with the word Jew inside (this one in German) A yellow badge, also referred to as a Jewish badge, was a mandatory mark or a piece of cloth of specific geometric shape, worn on the outer garment... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1518x1372, 1426 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Star of David Yellow badge Talk:List of Jewish American journalists User:RolandR Metadata This file contains additional... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1518x1372, 1426 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Star of David Yellow badge Talk:List of Jewish American journalists User:RolandR Metadata This file contains additional... Compulsory Jewish badge under the Nazi occupation of Europe: the Star of David with the word Jew inside (this one in German) A yellow badge, also referred to as a Jewish badge, was a mandatory mark or a piece of cloth of specific geometric shape, worn on the outer garment... A yellow Tulip. ... Color is an important part of the visual arts. ... The Nazi party used a right-facing swastika as their symbol and the red and black colors were said to represent Blut und Boden (blood and soil). ... â€œShoahâ€ redirects here. ... The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or a member of the Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... For the Soviet Unions military action against Poland under the same alliance, see Soviet invasion of Poland (1939). ... The General Government (in full General government for the occupied Polish areas, in German Generalgouvernement fÃ¼r die besetzten polnischen Gebiete) was the name given by Germany to the governing authority in Poland after its occupation by the Wehrmacht in September and October 1939. ... Reichsgau Wartheland (initially Reichsgau Posen) was the name given by Nazi German government to the largest subdivision of the territory of Greater Poland which was directly incorporated into the German Reich after defeating the Polish army in 1939. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Capital Prague Language(s) Czech, German Political structure Protectorate Reichsprotektor - 1939-1941 Konstantin von Neurath - 1941-1942 Reinhard Heydrich (acting) - 1942-1943 Kurt Daluege (acting) - 1943-1945 Wilhelm Frick StaatsprÃ¤sident - 1939-1945 Emil HÃ¡cha Historical era World War II - Occupation March 15, 1939 - Fall of Prague May 13... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich (7 March 1904 â€“ 4 June 1942) was an SS-ObergruppenfÃ¼hrer, chief of the Reich Security Main Office (including the Gestapo, SD and Kripo Nazi police agencies) and Reichsprotektor (Reich Protector) of Bohemia and Moravia. ...

Jewish inmates in concentration camps were later forced to wear similar Nazi concentration camp badges. It has been suggested that Internment be merged into this article or section. ... A chart, circa 1938 - 1942, of prisoner markings used in German concentration camps. ...

Claims have been made that Hitler chose the star because of his occultist beliefs. See the work by O. J. Graham. Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ... For other uses of this term, see occult (disambiguation). ...

Magen David Adom

Magen David Adom (MDA) (Red Star of David or, translated literally, Red Shield of David) is Israel's only official emergency medical, disaster, ambulance service. It is an official member of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Magen David Adom emblem The Magen David Adom (Hebrew: â€Ž) is Israels national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. ... Image File history File links Magen_David_Adom. ... Image File history File links Magen_David_Adom. ... The Magen David Adom emblem The Magen David Adom (Hebrew: â€Ž) is Israels national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. ... The Magen David Adom emblem The Magen David Adom (Hebrew: â€Ž) is Israels national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. ... The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. ...

Contents

As a Jewish symbol

Use in Kabbalah

Shield form

Shield with stars

Use by the Nazis

Magen David Adom

See also

Notes

Footnotes

Further reading

External links

Contents

As a Jewish symbol GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Use in Kabbalah

Shield form

Shield with stars

Use by the Nazis

Magen David Adom

See also

Notes

Footnotes

Further reading

External links

As a Jewish symbol