Symbols of Judaism
In the Hebrew language the word for symbol is "סמל". In early Judaism, this designates not only a sign, but also a visible religious characteristic of the relationship between God and man .
Sabbath and circumcision
There were two basic symbols in the ancient land of Israel . Each one represents the guarantee of the contract that God made with his people. These are 1. שבת ( Transliteration : Shabbat ), the Sabbath, and 2. the Brit Mila (cutting off the foreskin). These are the signs of the contract that God made with Abraham and the following generations ( Gen 17.1 EU ; Ex 8.9 EU , Dtn 6.8 EU ).
The tabernacle
According to the Hebrew Bible , the Israelites built a tabernacle (, transliteration : "mishkan", "place of [divine] abode") while they lived on Sinai for forty years ; The regulation for the construction of the sanctuary is traced back to Ex 25.8 EU , where it says: "And they should make me a sanctuary so that I can live in their midst." The expression "in their midst" suggests this according to Jewish tradition that the sanctuary is not to be understood as the “dwelling place” of God, but as a symbol for the holiness of God, whom the people had to live after when their spirit should dwell in their community.
The victim
Abraham ibn Esra , in his commentary on Leviticus, regarded the "olah" as the heart's penance for sinful thoughts.
The thanksgiving offering (“todah”, “zebah”, “shelamim”), together with the food offering and the swinging offering, embodies the connection of discipleship and friendship between God and Israel; and because God was also the creator of the universe, the act of turning to either side symbolizes the belief that God stops the whole world and the end of it.
The atonement means complete atonement, and the ark has accordingly been sprayed seven times.
The guilt offering ("asham") was brought to awaken and keep a sense of guilt. It was divided into sacrifices for doubtful guilt and for certain guilt , according to Maimonides , while Philo stated that the guilt offering could only be brought by one in whom conscience and conviction of guilt obliged him to blame himself.
The priests
The Hebrew word for priest is "Kohen"; the " Kohanim " (plural) mediated between God and man by making sacrifices, such as through services in the temple. The leader of these is the "Kohen Gadol", the high priest .
The official costume of the high priests has been interpreted in three ways:
Philo explains it as follows ("Vita Mosis", III. 209): The upper dress was the symbol of the ether. While the flowers represented the earth, the pomegranates represented the flowing water and the bells represented the sound of the water. The Efod corresponds to the sky and the stones on both shoulders to the two hemispheres, one above and the other below the earth. The six names on each stone were the six signs of the zodiac (zodiac), which were also represented by the twelve names on the breastplate. The miter was the sign of the crown that raised the high priest above all earthly kings.
Josephus' explanation is as follows ("Ant." III. 7, § 7): The cloak was the symbol of the earth, the upper dress symbolizes the sky, while the bells and pomegranates represent lightning and thunder. The Efod stands for the four elements, and the woven gold denotes the splendor of God. The breastplate was at the center of the efod, just as the earth was created at the center of the universe. The sleeve skirt symbolizes the ocean, the stones on the shoulders the sun and moon, and the jewels in the breastplate the twelve signs of the zodiac, while the miter was a sign from heaven.
The Talmud (Menachot VII. 1) and the Midrash “Leviticus Rabbah” (X.) give the following interpretation: The cloak symbolizes repentance for murder or the sin of wearing inconsistent clothing and the undergarment denotes the penance for unchastity. The miter means penance for pride, and the belt for theft or fraud. The breastplate represents repentance for any perversion of the law, the efod for idolatry, and the circumference for slander.
The symbolic values of the numbers
See also: Gematria
The number three is the symbol of holiness. The Holy of Holies occupied one third of the entire temple and the holy place two thirds. The tapestries were ten by three cubits long, and there were three naves, one each for the altar of the burnt offering, one for the altar of innocence, and the ark of the covenant. The candlestick had two by three arms (except for the shaft, which also had a lamp holder) and each arm had three handles. The priest's blessing consisted of three parts ( Num 6,24f. EU ) and when God was invoked the word “holy” was repeated three times.
The symbolism of the number four is based on the consideration of quaternity as the foundation of the universe, which includes both heaven and earth (cf. Hi 37 EU ; Isa 11.12 EU ; Ez 7.2 EU ; 1 Chr 9.24 EU ; Dan 8.8 EU ). The number four denotes heaven as the throne of God.
The Holy of Holies was in the shape of a cube and the holy place is a double cube in length. All the ships of the temple in Jerusalem were rectangular. In relation to Ez 1,26–28 EU , the number four symbolizes divine revelation, while Philo saw it as a number of complete harmony.
The number five embodies half-perfection. The dimensions of the curtain on the Holy of Holies were four by five cubits. The altar in the courtyard covered the surface of five square cells. There were also five pillars at the entrance to the ark.
The number six symbolizes imperfection.
The number seven was the general symbol for everything that had to do with God. It was the favored digit of Judaism, as it embodied the promise of holiness and consecration, as well as everything that was holy and consecrated in purpose. The candle holder ( menorah ) had seven lamps. The acts of repentance and purification were accompanied by a seven-fold spray. The introduction of the Sabbath, the Sabbath year, and the Jubilee year were based on the numeral seven, as were the periods of purification and mourning. The number 7 is the divine number of perfection.
The number eight symbolizes new beginnings. According to the Kabbalah , in the Zohar , the number eight denotes this because the eighth day was the first day after creation when God returned to his work. The week has started again.
The number ten symbolizes absolute perfection. The yard by the Ark of the Covenant was ten by ten cubits long and five by ten cubits wide. The ten commandments were kept in the Most Holy Place .
The number twelve , which is the product of three times four, denotes the covenant of people with God. There were twelve loaves of showbread on the table and the priest's breastplate contained twelve precious stones as symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel that lived around the sanctuary.
The number thirteen symbolizes the principles of faith and the grace of God.
The number eighteen is considered significant because in the Hebrew language the word for "life" is חי ( transliteration : "chai"), which has a value of 18 in gematria .
The number twenty-six symbolizes God's true name.
Metals and minerals
Gold was the symbol of heavenly or divine light, the glory of God ( Ez 6.11 EU ; Dan 11.21 EU ). Silver was the sign of moral innocence and holiness ( Isa 1,22 EU ; Jer 6,30 EU ). Brass symbolized hardness, rigor and constancy ( Lev 26.19 EU ; Jer 15.12 EU ; Hi 40.18 EU ). Brass was a substitute for gold, just as iron was for silver ( Isa. 60.17 EU ).
Salt was seen as necessary in every food offering, in which it takes the place of blood in the animal sacrifice ( Lev 2,13 EU ; cf. Ez 43,24 EU ). In the Talmud, salt symbolizes the Torah , because just as the world cannot exist without salt, it cannot exist without the Torah either ( Soferim 15: 8).
Colours
The Jews used "tekhelet", an indigo- colored dye obtained from the purple snail , known as purple . It was used by royalty and the upper class to dye clothing and other textiles.
In the Torah the Israelites were asked to dye the threads of their tallit (betschal) with tekhelet. The sight of the color should remind them of the blue sky and God in heaven above them. Tekhelet corresponds to the color of divine revelation (Midrash Numbers Rabba 15). The meaning of the color blue runs through the history of Judaism up to the present day.
“Argaman” was the symbol of strength and fame ( Isa 60,6 EU ; Jud 8,26 EU ), so that Alexander Balas dressed Jonathan in purple ( 1 Makk 10,20 EU ), which above all showed the royal dignity.
"Tola'at" and "shani" (" scarlet ", " crimson ") symbolize blood and thus life. As for joy and happiness, this color can also stand for sin ( Gen 38.28 EU ; Jos 2.18 EU ; Jer 4.30 EU ).
The cleansing from sin is also represented by purple ( Lev 16.10 EU ).
Celebrations and holidays
The Torah describes three pilgrimage festivals : Passover , Shavuot (the festival of weeks) and Sukkot (the festival of tabernacles). Each of these festivals was linked to the agricultural cycle of the Israelites and was also given a theological symbol.
During Passover , the rebirth of nature is celebrated. It also symbolizes the origin of the Jewish people.
Eating bitter herbs denotes the sufferings of Egyptian bondage . In the evening four cups of wine are drunk to symbolize the four world empires (Talmud Yerushalmi Pesachim 37c; Midrash Genesis Rabba 80). On seder evening people eat ajar , in the manner of the free rich aristocrats, to represent their liberation from slavery .
The discussion about the meaning of Shavuot (the festival of weeks) and Sukkot (the festival of tabernacles) can be found on the respective pages.
The discussion about the inherent symbolism of Rosh Hashanah (the New Year festival) and Yom Kippur (the day of atonement) can also be found on the respective pages. The Day of Atonement is considered to be the highest holiday of the year and is seen as the symbol of people's complete atonement and absolution from their sins against God.
Symbolic visions of the prophets
Jeremiah regards an almond tree as a sign of the swift fulfillment of God's word.
Amos saw a basket full of summer fruits as a symbol of the approaching end of Israel ( Am 8,1 EU ).
Ahijah of Shiloh tore Jeroboam's cloak in twelve parts to represent the division of the Kingdom of Israel ( 1 Kings 11.30 EU ). Zedekiah made horns out of iron to encourage Ahab to attack Gilead in the war with Ramot ( 1 Kings 22:11 EU ). King Joasch, under the command of Elisa, shot arrows into the air from an open window to depict the destruction of his enemies ( 2 Kings 13.15–19 EU ).
Isaiah hiked naked and barefoot to show how the Egyptians and the Ethiopians are treated when they are captured by the Assyrians ( Isa 20 : 2 EU ). Likewise, Jeremiah wore a yoke on his neck to bring the peoples to submission to the king of Assyria ( Jer 27 : 2–4, 10–12 EU ).
Ezekiel was commanded to carve the names of certain tribes on different pieces of wood to show that God will reunite these tribes ( Ez 37.15 EU ).
The menorah
The menorah (mənoːˈɾaː, also: Menorah, Heb .: מנורה, plural Menorot , Hebrew: מנורות; Hebrew name for candlestick, lamp) is a seven-armed candlestick, one of the most important religious symbols of Judaism and was included in the state coat of arms when the state of Israel was founded recorded. The menorah probably has its origins in Babylonia and is supposed to symbolize enlightenment . Menorah is also commonly used as a name for a candlestick in the shape of a tree (עץ החיים).
The menorah of the temple is not to be confused with the eight- or nine-armed Hanukkiah .
The Star of David
Over time, the Star of David has been identified with the Jews and has long been used as a symbol of Judaism, as a religion and for the Jewish people as a whole.
Jewish teaching associates the symbol with the seal of Solomon, the magical signet ring used by King Solomon to control demons and spirits. Jewish teaching also links the symbol to a magical shield that belonged to King David and that protected him from his enemies. In the Jewish emancipation after the French Revolution , the Jewish community chose the Star of David as their symbol. The star is also found on the Israeli flag .
On tombstones
Some common themes appear on many Jewish headstones. Two hands with outstretched fingers indicate that the dead passed away from the priesthood, the Kohanim , which people bless in this way. A jug or bowl is also engraved on the Levites' tombstone as a sign of those who wash the priest's hands before giving the blessing.
Some tombstones show a tree with outstretched branches or broken off. These symbolize the death of a young or old person. Or they have a bunch of grapes as a sign for Israel.
The Star of David ("Magen David") appears often.
Sometimes figures symbolize the name of the deceased, like the figure of a lion for Loeb, a wolf for Benjamin, and a rose for the name Bluma / Blume.
The influence on Christian symbols
The influence of Judaism on Christian symbols has been evident since the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, both in painting and in sculpture. The most frequently used motifs are those that appear in the Mishnah as prayers for the days of fasting. The prayer begins with the words "Mi she-'anah", which already appeared in the Selichot in an earlier period, which was adopted in Christian ritual as the litany "libera domine". This litany was used figuratively in a certain sequence as a symbol, just as the sacrifice of Isaac was considered a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus because the early Church saw Isaac as the prototype Jesus and the act of sacrifice represented death on the cross.
Abraham was portrayed as the symbol of the power of trust and Isaac as the sacrificed Redeemer. It was believed that the Ascension of Elijah represented the Ascension of Christ , who was referred to in Christianity as an analogue of Elijah, although this Ascension was also seen as a representation of the general resurrection from the dead. Job's sitting in the ashes was the symbol of the patience and strength of resistance of the flesh. Hananiah, Misael and Azariah in the fiery furnace typify steadfastness in persecution and faith in God's help ( Dan 1–3 EU ). Christian sarcophagi contain artistic representations of the fall of man, of Noah and the ark, scenes from the life of Moses in three variations ( Joshua , David and Daniel ).
Zion
Zion is used as a synonym for the city of Jerusalem in the Bible . An example of this can be found in the book of Isaiah , Isa 2,3 EU : For the teaching proceeds from Zion and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem. The term Zionism is derived from the term Zion .
The lion of Judas
The Tanach compares the tribes Judah and Dan with lions : "Judah is a young lion" ( Gen 49,9 EU ).
