Magen David

After reading Uri Ofir's research about the origin of the Jewish Star of David my friend Avinoam Damari sent me a poem in Hebrew which I translate and publishe here - before the original poem will be published on a Hebrew website. I guess that's some kind of a precedent...

The Nation Knew the Shield Patch
David, Jakob, Israel facing the human oppressor
The nation knew the liberty flag
All the names were gathered to make a state.

Shield has a shape thousands of years old
Menorah, 40 years in Jewish desert
Sacred dwelling of a wise knowledgeable king
One menorah and ten white lilies.

Only in the holy land white lily grows
Six points the scent of kingship
Wonder menorah made by the Lord
Entered as an image of Magen David into a coin.

Cohen, Levy, king, prophet and the founder of the state
Knew sward, trial, wheat and water in the wilderness
Nation found a country deserted from symbol and model
Stranger's gate that imprinted the shield of kingship.

Fire, air, water, earth, these are the points
Man and the woman intertwined together for ever
Upper point looks at dreams and emotions
Lower point seizes the earth in purity and dirt.

Winds blow with direction and wisdom
One who will look will recognize a scent and a flavor
Hidden corner no one knows
Hidden deity hides a secret from human eye.

Magen David from immemorial code tabernacle and Menorah
Magen David from a flower, noble lily
Magen David before the sage's interpretations and applause
Magen David raised high in the flag Jews for ever will salute

Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Synagogue

Professor Jonathan Sarna wrote about the Star of David on his book American Judaism: A History (ISBN 0-300-10197-x) that German immigrants brought the star of David with them to America, and in 1845 it was built into the windows of the new Baltimore Hebrew Congregation synagogue building (pp. 106-07).

This is a clear cut answer to the question: when did this symbol arrive to America. I had less luck finding when did this symbol arrive to Yemen (although I called up a research center of the Yemenite Jews in Natania) or to the Cochin Jews (although I called their museum in Nevatim). 

1845, Architect: Robert Cary Long

Lloyd Street Synagogue, Baltimore

Laser

Menahem Ben Ari Berman, Head of the Department of Silverware and Judaica Design in Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, designed in 1985 a work titled “With All Thine Heart” for the Nerot Mitzvah Exhibition at the Israel Museum.

"It is made of six programmed laser beams that form continuously the Star of David in the rhythm of the heart bit, and is based on the idea of the copper serpent in the Wilderness as thought in the Mishnah".

Salt

I like websites that are dedicated to one subject (like mine). David Bloch dedicated his website to Salt. In a chapter titled "Religion" I found his description (and pictures) of the usage of straws in the shape of the Star of David to produce salt. For example: in the days Israelites had been in exile in Egypt, before the exodus.

Another example (and picture) is from Andrews, A. P. (1983) "Maya Salt Production and Trade" (Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson).

 

Artifacts

Yair Davidiy sent me a list of links to those of his Brit-Am newsletters that mention Stars of David. In "Brit-Am Now 432" I found a very interesting info wrote by James Trimm about a bass relief sculpture of King Jehu and about a magen david with YAH written in Hebrew in it that  dates to the time of the Judges and was found at Gibeon (From the book THE NAME OF GOD by James R. Harris p. 205). 

Collage of Opinions

A month ago I quoted some interesting questions and answers that were published on Yahoo Answers regarding the search words "Star of David". I noticed that there were many ready made answers so that this time I phrased a question so that it will bypass this obstacle and get right to the point:

"What does the Jewish Star of David mean to you?

I'm looking for subjective answers - not copy & paste from some book..."

In a few hours I got 9 answers and I thank all those who took the time and made the effort.

The last three answers mixed the Star of David with other hexagrams like Yantra and Chinese checkers, which is very prevalent phenomenon. The others are quite varied and together they provide an interesting collage of opinions.

1. Aaron:
"Everything we live for".

2. Sarahmusicho:
"not a damn thing".

3. applechick282:
"To me, it is a symbol for my fore runners". 

4. Cookie777:
"I'm not Jewish, but I believe the triangle with the point on top represents man looking upward to God, and the triangle with the point down represents God looking downward to man".

5. nightstalker770:
"It means a lot to me cuz im jewish"

6. fbiagent2tha:
"As a symbol it has no significance for me personally".

7. kitchenchemist:
"now I think it is becoming a symbol of repression, not what was done in WWII to the Jews but of what Jews are doing to others".

8. little_momma_05:
"Sorry, I am not Jewish. It is just another pretty star to me".

9. Abram K:
"I believe it has the same origin as the Sri Yantra". 

Entrace to King David's Tomb

Today I went to look for Stars of David at King David's Tomb in Mount Zion, Jerusalem. 

I found one at the entrance. It looks pretty new…