What is the Star of David and what is it's spiritual significance ?

Question

I have been through many net resources and now am confused as h**l.

Please, NO web resources.

Accurate responses will be immensely appreciated.

God Bless.

Answer 1

The Magen David (literally "Shield of David") has six-points, which symbolize that G-d rules over the universe and protects us from all six directions: North, South, East, West, Up and Down. A similar symbolism is found in reading the "Shema." ("Code of Jewish Law" O.C. 61:6)

Thus, King David used this six-pointed symbol to signify that the Almighty shields him in war. (Rabbi Moshe Feinstein - "Igrot Moshe" O.C. 3:15)

the Star of David became popular in the 1700s, but has been around since King David (13th century)  With a circle around the star, it is said that represented the Shield.

As Cher JPA stated, it has become popular since about the 1700s.

Answer 2

I googled 'Origins of the Star of David "and got several sites but the one below seemed to have the best information.

It is really interesting.

http://www.euronet.nl/users/pi_alfa/davi...

Answer 3

They did not start using it until the 19th century when the zionist movement was forming.  It is just a symbol like a swastika.

Answer 4

The Star of David is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith.  It is the symbol of the male (the downward pointed triangle) mixed with the female (the upward pointed triangle) which relates to the two natures of Yahew.  

Answer 5

since you didn't specify jewish spiritual significance, i'll chime in on behalf of alchemy and paganism, in which it is also often referred to as the star of david, and of hinduism.

the upward pointing triangle is the male principle, representing a phallus, and the downward pointing  triangle is the female principle, representing a v****a.  the superimposition of the two principles represents the union of them, which is seen as the consciousness of the universe.  in hinduism, it is seen as the union of man and god.

as a symbol, it is no more jewish than the cross is christian, or the crescent and star is muslim.  all of these symbols were used prior to their adoption by the abrahamic religions.

Answer 6

The 'Star of David' in Hebrew is "Magen David' which means 'Shield of David'.  Consider it like a coat of arms.  Here's the thing, in Hebrew David is only three letters and is spelled Daled-Vav-Daled, the first and third letters being the same.  In the shorthand script of the time period, the Daled's were written as triangles (sort of like the symbol delta in Greek, also the 4th letter).  So the two superimposed inverted Daleds were his coat of arms, the star of David.

As for its spiritual significance, in Judaism the Messiah is just a regular man - who is a descendant of David and is to be King of Israel.  So the symbol is representative of our first King (not counting Saul) and a reminder of our expectation for a future king.

Answer 7

It's actually relatively recent.  I don't remember the details, but I think 1700's.  The oldest Jewish symbol is the menorah (7 branched one), which exists on the fallen Roman arch.

I've starred in hopes someone who remembers sees this.

It has no specific religious symbolism that I know of originally.  There may have been some added since, but it's not commonly used.  (It'd be part of analytical discussion.)

========

Harper is completely wrong.  Why do non-Jews insist on having answers for Jewish topics?

Michael's Your Daddy has made it clear in the past that he hates Jews.  In this case he's ignoring the n**i use of it -- but likely on purpose.

While some of Bard's reference is truthful, about the middle it starts to ascribe some false things about Judaism to our religion.  Scrolling to the bottom, it's a Christian written literature.  While Christianity is valid -- it is invalid to make false statements about Judiasm.  For instance Kabbalah is not about magic, nor did King Solomon have a ring to protect against demons, in Judaism.  Modern Jews do not use any amulet value to the star.  Whereever did they get that.  It's the chai (life-18) & hamsa that have any symbolism.

======

From http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm  - well written intro to Judaism:

Magein David

The Magen David (Shield of David, or as it is more commonly known, the Star of David) is the symbol most commonly associated with Judaism today, but it is actually a relatively new Jewish symbol. It is supposed to represent the shape of King David's shield (or perhaps the emblem on it), but there is really no support for that claim in any early rabbinic literature. The symbol is not mentioned in rabbinic literature until the middle ages, and is so rare in early Jewish literature and artwork that art dealers suspect forgery if they find the symbol in early Jewish works.

Scholars such as Franz Rosenzweig have attributed deep theological significance to the symbol. For example, some note that the top triangle strives upward, toward G-d, while the lower triangle strives downward, toward the real world. Some note that the intertwining makes the triangles inseparable, like the Jewish people. Some say that the three sides represent the three types of Jews: Kohanim, Levites and Israel. Some note that there are actually 12 sides (3 exterior and 3 interior on each triangle), representing the 12 tribes. While these theories are theologically interesting, they have little basis in historical fact.

The symbol of intertwined equilateral triangles is a common one in the Middle East and North Africa, and is thought to bring good luck. It appears occasionally in early Jewish artwork, but never as an exclusively Jewish symbol. The nearest thing to an "official" Jewish symbol at the time was the menorah.

In the middle ages, Jews often were required to wear badges to identify themselves as Jews, much as they were in n**i Germany, but these Jewish badges were not always the familiar Magen David. For example, a fifteenth century painting by Nuno Goncalves features a rabbi wearing a six-pointed badge that looks more or less like an asterisk.

In the 17th century, it became a popular practice to put Magen Davids on the outside of synagogues, to identify them as Jewish houses of worship in much the same way that a cross identified a Christian house of worship; however, I have never seen any explanation of why this symbol was chosen, rather than some other symbol.

The Magen David gained popularity as a symbol of Judaism when it was adopted as the emblem of the Zionist movement in 1897, but the symbol continued to be controversial for many years afterward. When the modern state of Israel was founded, there was much debate over whether this symbol should be used on the flag.

Today, the Magen David is the universally recognized symbol of Jewry. It appears on the flag of the state of Israel, and the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross is known as the Red Magen David.

=====

EDIT:

You said no websources, but this source is linked to several real life ones & it & those are quite good.  We Jews go to them for details, since they are written by Rabbis & well researched.  (I don't think any of us have found an error on the jewfaq page yet.)  Just thought that was something that might be helpful to you to know.  (One of the real life organizations is the one L'Chaim referenced, Aish.)  Another good site on Judaism that does it's research is www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org

Answer 8

In modern times, the Star of David has become a premier Jewish symbol. This six-pointed star (hexagram), made of two interlocking triangles, can be found on mezuzahs, menorahs, tallis bags, and kipot. Ambulances in Israel bear the sign of the "Red Star of David," and the flag of Israel has a blue Star of David planted squarely in the center.

What is the origin of this six-pointed symbol?



Through the Jewish people's long and often difficult history, we have come to the realization that our only hope is to place our trust in God. The six points of the Star of David symbolize God's rule over the universe in all six directions: north, south, east, west, up and down.

Originally, the Hebrew name Magen David -- literally "Shield of David" -- poetically referred to God. It acknowledges that our military hero, King David, did not win by his own might, but by the support of the Almighty. This is also alluded to in the third blessing after the Haftorah reading on Shabbat: "Blessed are you God, Shield of David."

One idea is that a six-pointed star receives form and substance from its solid center. This inner core represents the spiritual dimension, surrounded by the six universal directions. (A similar idea applies to Shabbat -- the seventh day which gives balance and perspective to the six weekdays.)



In Kabbalah, the two triangles represent the dichotomies inherent in man: good vs. evil, spiritual vs. physical, etc. The two triangles may also represent the reciprocal relationship between the Jewish people and God. The triangle pointing "up" symbolizes our good deeds which go up to heaven, and then activate a flow of goodness back down to the world, symbolized by the triangle pointing down.

A more practical theory is that during the Bar Kochba rebellion (first century), a new technology was developed for shields using the inherent stability of the triangle. Behind the shield were two interlocking triangles, forming a hexagonal pattern of support points. (Buckminster Fuller showed how strong triangle-based designs are with his geodesics.)

One cynical suggestion is that the Star of David is an appropriate symbol for the internal strife that often afflicts Jewish nation: two triangles pointing in opposite directions!

  

The Star of David was a sad symbol of the Holocaust, when the n***s forced Jews to wear an identifying yellow star. Actually, Jews were forced to wear special badges during the Middle Ages, both by Muslim and Christian authorities, and even in Israel under the Ottoman Empire.

So whether it is a blue star waving proudly on a flag, or a gold star adorning a synagogue's entrance, the Star of David stands as a reminder that for the Jewish people... in God we trust.

http://www.aish.com/literacy/concepts/St...

.

Answer 9

http://www.menorah.org/starofdavid.html

As for any references to a 'Star of David' from the Pentateuch, or the prophets, there is not direction from the prophets to make such an image, or any historical reference to such, until the 7th century.