It's like a geometric gematria!
Cool, but probably only worth the novelty value.
But that's ridiculuous. You can probably do that with Jeshu or Satan too. With enough steps you can morph anything to anything.
LOL!
LOL, quite clever.
Although the Wikipedia entry leaves this out, the term "Magen David" appears at the end of the "Samchaynu" blessing after the haftara. It refers to God. (Cue to a bunch of Orthodox Jews scratching their chins and saying, "Oh yeah, we DO say that in davening!")
I have a hunch that the term pre-dated the symbol (note that the similar term "Magen Abraham" appears in the Amida blessing, which was written in early Rabbinic times). Although "Magen David" originally referred to god, somehow it ended up being used in reference to a triangle-star symbol.
Does anyone out there know the sourcetext for the haftara blessings? That would date the term.
>Although "Magen David" originally referred to god, somehow it ended up being used in reference to a triangle-star symbol.
Right, now i may be mistaken, but the symbol is probably ancient as well considering you have this symbol used by all Jewish communities spread out. The chamsa with the evil eye is something you don't find in Ashkenazi communities (in the past) as you have it with the sephardics.
" But that's ridiculuous. You can probably do that with Jeshu or Satan too. With enough steps you can morph anything to anything.
Baal Habos | Homepage | 06.04.08 - 11:01 pm | #
"
This however only requires 1 step of morphing.
It is fascinating how few of the theories are actually on that wiki article you linked!
Do a google search for the orgins of the star of david and you will find many more interesting theories.
Personally, I think it comes from the kabbalists and its called the "magen david" because of the symbolism behind david in Kabbalah.
The hexagram has been used in the "occult" in every asian society.
">Although "Magen David" originally referred to god, somehow it ended up being used in reference to a triangle-star symbol.
"
According to the powerpoint presentation is still refers to god!
Here is one of the more interesting things they do with the star of david
http://www.mendhak.com/58-
sacred...pretations.aspx
and
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/
Sta...vidTheorem.html
>Personally, I think it comes from the kabbalists and its called the "magen david" because of the symbolism behind david in Kabbalah.
What kabbalists are you talking about?
Like I said, I think the "magen david" is probably more ancient then any of the kabbalists.
v. interesting from a typography/design perspective.
btw, if you put a few boomerangs together you can also end up with a magen david shape
:P
begone with you oh "evil sarah of the west"
"What kabbalists are you talking about?
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I use the phrase loosley to refer to the "folklore religion" of the Jews, as the academics like to call it.
Just because the symbol exists for ages doesn't always mean it has some religious significance. For example, you will find the Hexagram used in Muslim buildings in India for purely decorative purposes.
The Shomronim have their own theory.
(I heard this on my last visit there).
They plotted the different "Arie Miklat" (cities of refuge) in Western and Eastern Israel, and claim they form two interlocking triangles in the form of a magen david. They also believe that the north and south interlocking triangles represent Yehuda and Yisrael (or Yisrael and the Shomronim), and only when there is unity among Israel, do we merit the "shield" of David, the "Magen David" -- and the protection of G-d.
"What kabbalists are you talking about?"
scholem wrote about the connection with kabbalah, although i have no idea if his essay was accepted and if it is still accepted today (it is from decades ago)
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