What is the symbol on the mezuzah?

What is the symbol on the mezuzah?

The mezuzah is a piece of parchment scroll with the Shema prayer inscribed on it which is kept in a small case. The Shema prayer is important to Jews because the words describe God asking Jews to remember his commands in both their heads and hearts.

What does the 6 pointed star represent?

Alchemists used it to symbolize the union of opposites, and it is considered by some to be the symbolic epitome of “as above, so below.” Known as the Star of David, or the Magen David, and commonly associated with Judaism today, the six-pointed star is actually a relatively new symbol of the Jewish faith.

Why do people kiss the mezuzah?

Touching the mezuzah Whenever passing through the doorway, many people touch a finger to the mezuzah as a way of showing respect to God. Many people also kiss their finger after touching it to the mezuzah.

What does mezuzah mean in Hebrew?

doorpost
mezuzah, also spelled Mezuza (Hebrew: “doorpost”), plural Mezuzoth, Mezuzot, Mezuzahs, or Mezuzas, small folded or rolled parchment inscribed by a qualified calligraphist with scriptural verses (Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13–21) to remind Jews of their obligations toward God.

Why is it called Star of David?

The term Magen David, which in Jewish liturgy signifies God as the protector (shield) of David, gained currency among medieval Jewish mystics, who attached magical powers to King David’s shield just as earlier (non-Jewish) magical traditions had referred to the five-pointed star as the “seal of Solomon.” Kabbalists …

Why do you touch the mezuzah?

What do you say when you touch a mezuzah?

The blessing said while hanging a mezuzah: Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melekh ha-olam, asher keedishanu b’meetzvotav v’tzeevanu leek’boa mezuzah. Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with God’s commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah.

What’s inside the mezuzah?

Contained in the mezuzah is a tightly rolled piece of parchment made from the skin of a ritually clean animal on which are handwritten, traditionally in twenty-two lines, words from Deuteronomy, the fifth of the Five Books of Moses.

What does wearing the Star of David mean?

The star was almost universally adopted by Jews in the 19th-century as a striking and simple emblem of Judaism in imitation of the cross of Christianity. The yellow badge that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi-occupied Europe invested the Star of David with a symbolism indicating martyrdom and heroism.

What is the Star of David with a circle around it mean?

Judaism: The six-pointed Star of David is based on the shape of David’s shield, or, perhaps, the symbol on his shield. The sun symbol is also recognized as a giver of life, and a provider of warmth. Page 3. Paganism: The pentacle is a five-pointed star, or pentagram, contained within a circle.

What does the star of David symbolize in Judaism?

Star of David The Star of David, known in Hebrew as Magen David (מָגֵן דָּוִד ‎, transl. “Shield of David”), is a generally-recognized symbol of modern Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles.

What is the difference between tefillin and mezuzah?

The word “tefillin,” on the other hand, is etymologically related to the word “tefilah” (prayer) and the root Pe-Lamed-Lamed (judgment). Like the mezuzah, tefillin are meant to remind us of G-d ‘s mitzvot.

Who was required to wear the star of David in Germany?

The requirement to wear the Star of David with the word Jude ( German for Jew) was then extended to all Jews over the age of six in the Reich and in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (by a decree issued on September 1, 1941 and signed by Reinhard Heydrich) and was gradually introduced in other Nazi-occupied areas.

Should you remove a mezuzah when you move?

Every time you pass through a door with a mezuzah on it, you touch the mezuzah and then kiss the fingers that touched it, expressing love and respect for G-d and his mitzvot and reminding yourself of the mitzvot contained within them. It is proper to remove a mezuzah when you move, and in fact, it is usually recommended.