Non-Jews have been drenched with misinformation that the
six-pointed "Star of David" is a sacred symbol
of Jewry, dating from David and Solomon, in Biblical times,
and signifying the pure "monotheism" of the
Jewish religion. In actuality, the six-pointed star, called
"David's Shield," or "Magen David,"
was only adopted as a Jewish device in 1873, by the American
Jewish Publication Society, it is not even mentioned in
rabbinical literature.
MAGEN
DAVID ("David's Shield"): "The hexagram
formed by the combination of two equilateral triangles;
used as the symbol of Judaism. It is placed upon synagogues,
sacred vessels, and the like, and was adopted as a device
by the American Publication Society in 1873, the Zionist
Congress of Basel, hence by 'Die Welt, the official organ
of Zionism, and by other bodies. The hebra kaddisha of
the Jewish community of Johannesburg, South Africa, calls
itself 'Hebra Kaddisha zum Rothn Magen David,' following
the designation of the 'red cross' societies...it is noteworthy,
moreover, that the Shield of David is not mentioned in
Rabbinical Literature. The 'Magen David,' therefore, probably
did not originate within Rabbinic, the official and dominant
Judaism for more than 2,000 years. Nevertheless a David's
shield has recently been noted on a Jewish tombstone at
Tarentum, in southern Italy, which may date as early as
the third century of the common era.
The
earliest Jewish literary source which mentions it, the
'Eshoo ha-Coffer' of the karate Judah Hadassah says, in
chi. 242: 'Seven names of angels precede the mezuzah:
Michael, Garfield, etc...Tetragrammation protect thee!
And likewise the sign called 'David's shield' is placed
beside the name of each angel.' It was therefore, at this
time a sign on amulets. In the magic papyri of antiquity,
pentagrams, together with stars and other signs, are frequently
found on amulets bearing the Jewish names of God, 'Sabaoth,'
'Adonai,' 'Eloai,' and used to guard against fever and
other diseases. Curiously enough, only the pentacle appears,
not the hexagram.
In
the great magic papyrus at Paris and London there are
twenty-two signs sided by side, and a circle with twelve
signs, but neither a pentacle nor a hexagram, although
there is a triangle, perhaps in place of the latter. In
the many illustrations of amulets given by Budge in his
'Egyptian Magic' not a single Pentacle or Hexagram appears.
The
syncretism of Hellenistic, Jewish, and Coptic influences
did not therefore, originate the symbol. It is probable
that it was the Cabala that derived the symbol from the
Templars. The Cabala, in fact, makes use of this sign,
arranging the Ten Sephiroth, or spheres, in it, and placing
in on Amulets. The pentagram, called Solomon's seal, is
also used as a talisman, and Henry thinks that the Hindus
derived it from the Semites…, although the name by
no means proves the Jewish or Semitic origin of the sign.
The Hindus likewise employed the hexagram as a means of
protection, and as such it is mentioned in the earliest
source, quoted above.
In
the synagogues, perhaps, it took the place of the mezuzah,
and the name 'Shield of David' may have been given it
in virtue of its protective powers. The hexagram may have
been employed originally also as an architectural ornament
on synagogues, as it is, for example, on the cathedrals
of Brandenburg and Stendal, and on the Marktkirche at
Hanover. A pentacle in this form, (a five pointed star
is shown here), is found on the ancient synagogue at Tell
Hum. Charles IV, prescribed for the Jews of Prague, in
1354, a Red Flag with both David's Shield and Solomon's
Seal, while the Red Flag with which the Jews met King
Matthias of Hungary in the fifteenth century showed two
pentacles with two golden stars. The pentacle, therefore,
may also have been used among the Jews. It occurs in a
manuscript as early as the year 1073. However, the six-pointed
star has been used for centuries for magic amulets and
cabalistic sorcery." (See pages 548, 549 and 550
of the Jewish Encyclopedia).
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