This blog (by Zeev Barkan) is dedicated to the Star of David, its history, its various meanings and usages in different cultures. It includes thousands of pictures of Star of David, six-pointed stars, hexagrams, Solomon's Seals, Magen Davids and yellow badges,and served as a resource for three books and four art exhibitions.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Jewish Restaurant Menu
Picture is courtesy of "hugovk" who published it on Flickr. Pay attention to the two MagenDavids on top of the side lines. If you read the menu you can see that the food in this restaurant is Jewish.
The Space Time Relation
The following paragraph is from a new chapter, The Time Space Correlation, which doesn’t appear on Dr. Asher Eder’s book The Star of David, which was published in 1987 in English in Jerusalem by Rubin Mass Ltd.
The Space Time Relation illustrated with the help of the hexagram
Field II - the triangle d-e-f:
The Space Time Relation illustrated with the help of the hexagram
One of our most basic sensations is the awareness of space and time. In fact, the ability to perceive them is a prerogative of us human beings. Yet time is not something self-explanatory. Understanding, calculating and measuring it, as well as its relation to space, posed problems to the human mind throughout history.
We have seen in the previous chapters that the hexagram as a symbol of integration can be applied to all kind of life situations. It allows to demonstrate the various polarities in their respective balance and interaction. It can also serve to illustrate the space time relations and their specific characteristics due to its cosmic character. The following chapters may be helpful to clarify them.
A) Explanation of the graph.
Field I - the triangle a-b-c. It depicts:
Dot a: Beginning; starting point of any action;
first manifestation of the infinite creating power;
or, in our finite world, the starting point of any measured or newly generated action.
In this context, it is worthwhile to note that the Hebrew word אלהים, God, derives from אל (El) which means God, Power, but also means towards. Thus, we can understand it as directing, aim-oriented, purposeful power if seen from the starting point of creation; or as the ultimate aim towards which everything is geared. Complying therewith, the word אלהים, Elohim, has the same numerical value as הטבע, the nature, and describes the Divine aspects of law, rigidity, severity, judgment, etc. (In Hebrew, the words אל (El), and אלהים (Elohim), are not confined to the supernatural but intrinsically appertain also to man's world: the term יש אל די means "it is in the power of my hands", as e.g. in Gen. 31:29, while the word אלהים means also judge, as e.g. in Ps. 82, i.e. the judge who judges according to the Divine Law).
The following chapters A - C remain in the realm of this aspect of the Creator, although to be sure, the aspects of love, grace, mercy, etc, are equally part of the One Godhood. The oneness of the two aspects is brought out in the phrase אל יי ויאר לנו, "[a] power is the LORD, and he enlightens us" (Ps. 118:27).
Modern science leaves God the Creator as the first cause outside its scope. The Newtonian system postulates that bodies under the action of no forces move in straight lines with uniform velocity; and when bodies do not move in this way, their change of motion is ascribed as force.
This definition developed by science does not say who or what set the bodies in motion, supposedly even in straight lines with uniform velocity; rather "forces" appear there as agents which change the presumed uniform motion, whether delaying, accelerating or influencing it otherwise.
Regarding the term straight lines see below chapter D.
Line a - b: movement
any kind of. See chpt B par. 2).
In creation, everything moves due to the constantly active creating force (including the decomposing forces which in fact rearrange worn out things, and which in Indian thought come under the Shiva aspect). - The length of line a-b should not be confused with distances. It depicts energies in action
Line a - c: time
Time is a function of movement. Consequently, the line a-c shares the starting point "a" with the line a-b, as well as its length. Our conception and our measurements of time are always linked to the starting point related to the movement in view. In the following more on this subject.
Line b - c: The movement-time relation
This line indicates the relation between movement and time in our perceivable world as well as in the dynamic subatomic structures with both their time and space aspects (conceivable as particles or waves). Upon them matter is built. The sections c-g (c'-g') and b-m (b'-m') represent these structures, the first one representing their time aspect, and the latter one their space aspect. These two aspects should be understood like the two sides of one coin of which we, due to our limitations, can perceive only one at a time.
In our finite world, and in our daily lives, the line b-c marks the completion, or end, of the observed movement or action.
Field II - the triangle d-e-f:
It depicts our three-dimensional world of length-width-height, i.e. the universe as well as any space unit therein. It results from the creative force-movement-time unit. Field II is secondary but equal to Field I.
The two triangles (Field I and Field II) are interwoven, for they form one unit and can't be separated without destroying the whole.
Similar to the severity-love and wave-particle aspects mentioned above, these two triangles represent the two sides of one and the same reality.
Each triangle depicts graphically also a basic truth of anything created, namely the fact that every existing thing has necessarily a left and right (or up and down) side as well as a middle (connecting) part. While a line may indicate an extension, a triangle may well mark the dimension of a thing.
Numerical Observations
The following is from Dr. Asher Eder’s book The Star of David, which was published in 1987 in English in Jerusalem by Rubin Mass Ltd. The publication here is courtesy of Oren Mass. This version includes corrections and new materials that do not appear on the printed version.
Ps.16:8. In this context, the following mathematical and numerical observations may be of interest. When we write the consecutive numbers next to the points and corners of the hexagram, we get the above graph.
Adding the numbers of any one of the opposing points or corners always gives us the sum 14 (e.g. 1+13=14; 3+11=14; 6+8=14), which is the numerical value of the name ,דוד David (4+6+4).
Summing up, we get 6x14=84.
Adding up the numbers of the six points renders 42 (1+5+12+13+9+2=42, (and so does the addition of the numbers of the six corners (4+8+11+10+6+3=42).
42+42 equals 84, as well.
Adding the two sums of 84+84 equals 168, and this sum divided by 12 (six points + six corners) again gives us 14. Adding to this the number 7 of the middle field gives us 21, which is the numerical value of the Hebrew word eheyeh (1+5+10+5), translated as "I shall be", Exod.3:14.
Moreover, the numerical value of the Hebrew words מגן דוד , Magen David, 93+14=107, equals the numerical value of the Hebrew words "I am the Lord" (anokhi h' , Yod Hey Vav Hey= 81+26=107), as well as the term "Lord God" (adonai Elohim, Yod Hey Vav Hey = 26+81=107). See also Ps.115:9-11.
This may be a mathematical/numerical pointer to the inner meaning of the term מגן דוד, Magen David, or Shield of David.