The Magen David and the Menorah (like also the Ten Commandments, the map
of Israel, the Israeli flag, the Western Wall) are synonymous symbols that
competed in the past and compete also nowadays on the representation of the
Jewish nation, Zionism and the State of Israel.
Until the destruction of the Second Temple by the year of 70 C.E. the
Menorah served as tool of worship. Since then it serves as symbol to the
destruction of the Second Temple, to the holocaust, and to the revival of
Israel. The Magen David serves also, in the form of the yellow patch, as symbol
to the holocaust, and, in center the Israeli flag, to the revival of the Jewish
Nation.
The Menorah symbolizes the creation of the
world in seven days; the central candle symbolizes the seventh Day. The Magen
David also symbolizes (among other things) the creation of the world in seven
days, while its invisible center symbolizes the seventh Day.
In the Menorah were 22 cups representing the alphabet characters. Nethaniel
Yaakov Daniel from Tel Aviv discovered these 22 characters recently in the
shape of the Magen David.
Since the Magen David and the Menorah symbolize similar things no wonder
they were competitors. On the other hand, since it is hard to decide whom to
use, there is no wonder that people decide "to go for sure" and to
use them both.
Prominent example to the competition between the Magen David and the
Menorah in the generation of the decision makers we will be able to find in the
discussions of the committee of the flag and the symbol by the year of 1948. In
the Course of time indeed the Menorah was chosen to symbolize the state, but
during the discussions rose number of times offers to introduce along side also
the Magen David (that found its way to the center of the Israeli flag).
The controversy in the Jewish tradition concerning the source of the
Magen David proves how much it was important to the Israeli nation to decide
which of the two symbols was more important. The acceptable version is indeed
that king David used a shield carrying upon it a Magen David, but there were
during history important leaders who claimed that on the Shield of David was
the form of the Menorah. For instance: Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai in his
book "Midbar Kedamot", Yitzhak Arama in his book "Akedat
Yitzhak", Rabbi Zvi Elimelach Shapira in his book "Bney Isaskhar
" and Rabbi Hayim Elazar Shapira in his book "Divrey Torah". The
Menorah was during generations the senior representative of our nation -
archaeologists discovered in their excavations many more Menorahs than Magen
Davids… Nowadays it seems as if the controversy was ended, and the Magen David
takes the first place as our national symbol.
An Interesting position in this controversy has researcher Uri Ofir that
proves in his study on the Jewish source of the Magen David according to
traditional sources that these two symbols equal in their importance. He shows
that the Magen Davids held the candles in the Tabernacle Menorah after the
Exodus. Since the lamp in its entirety was not made by hand it must have been
made by the Lord in person - so that the Lord is responsible both to the form
of the Magen David and to the form of the.
A Number of examples to the partnership of these symbols:
In synagogues and in Jewish cemeteries the Magen Davids and the Menorah
appear frequently together. These two symbols appear frequently together also
on Happy New Year and on Ex- Libris in the years before the establishment of
the state of Israel.
Magen David and Menorah appear together
in the Rali Museum in Caesarea from October 1993 above marble sculpture of
People that contributed to establish the state: Hertzel, Weitzmann, Arthur
James Balfour, Harry Truman and David Ben Gurion.
In the holocaust memorial of Estonia, there is a Magen David carved on
one side and a Menorah on the other.
In the holocaust memorial of Bialistok, there is a Magen David formed by
pebbles alongside a tombstone with a Menorah.
A Menorah and a yellow Magen David (in memory of the yellow patch?)
appear on the Memorial in Herzl Mount for the Jewish fighters in the Polish
Army who lost their lives in WWII. In addition, there’s in Herzl Mount another
large statue of a Menorah on a Magen David.
Menorah and a Magen David are the elements that compose the logo of the
World Zionist Congress.
On a JNF postage stamp (“for Torah and certificate”) these two symbols
appear along with the flag.
Nazi Propaganda postcard shows President Roosevelt holding Menorah and a
Magen David to show how he backs the Jews and identifies with them.
The Magen David and the Menorah were prevalent motives in Bezalel art at
the start of previous century.
Artist Chanoch Ben Dov erected in Maalot a big statue of a Menorah with
a Magen David at its bottom.
In the 5 November 2007 the sculpture David’s Menorah by artist David
Soussanna was placed in Jerusalem near the Knesset.
In a number of works by Aviva Beigel appear Israeli identity symbols
including the Magen David and the Menorah.
In an article in Yediot Ahronot from 20 April 2007 Jasmine Levy
interviewed five Israeli artists about changing the Israeli flag. Yaacov Agam
said that the Magen David is not a Jewish symbol and suggested to replace it
with the rainbow, which is the Menorah upside down.
The logo of the Messianic Jews is a combination of a Menorah
with a Magen David and a fish.
In the Karaite Synagogue in Moshav Matzliach the Menorah appears along
with a Magen David and the Ten Commandments.
