ISRAEL - לאֵרָשְׂיִ
MEDINAT YISRAEL
The National arms of Israel
was adopted 11 september 1948: Arms: Azure, a menorah
of the Arc of Titus surrounded by a crown of laurel risning from the word
ISRAEL in base On 14 May 1948, the
state of israel was claimed in palestine, and on 11 September 1949, the law
on the state coat of arms of Israel was published in the Official Gazette, “Iton Rasmi”. The shield is blue with a
silver rim. The chaege is a menorah
or seven-armed candlestick surrounded by olive branches. The base contains
the word לארש׳
(Israel) in Hebrew letters. The figures on the shield are usually
white,.someimes gold. In the Knesseth, the Israeli parliament, the symbol is
in bronze. The menorah is the symbol of Judaism. A
large wrought iron menorah stands in front of the Knesseth as a sign of
Israel's sovereignty. The menorah in the
coat of arms has the shape of the menorah
as it is on the triumphal arch of Titus. Titus (emperor Titus 79-81)
conquered Jerusalem in 70, with the final opposition by the Jews offered in
the Temple where the seven-armed candlestick stood. After that, it was done
with any form of self-government of the Jews. They spread in the Diaspora
over the rest of the then Roman Empire with religion and kinship being all
that could bind them. In many ways they can be compared with the Armenians
who also spread across Europe. However, other peoples who were deprived of
their political identity have usually adapted to the new situation in a different way. Nevertheless, a number of symbols are known
that indicate a fully developed Jewish polity. They are the Greek cross or
crux quadrata, the hexagram and the seven-armed candlestick or menorah. |
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THE HEXAGRAM A second symbol certainly has a martial
meaning. It is the hexagram or Star of David. The hexagram is said to be an ancient
incantation symbol, one triangle of which would signify "water" and
the other "fire." This much is certain that the hexagram is
believed to have appeared on the shield of Israeli King David (1010-970) and
that is why it appears on the Israeli flag. . [4]) The title of the figure as “Shield of David”
or רּוֹרּ ךּגּמּ (“Magen David”) cannot be changed. David
(1010-970) is known as one of the most belligerent kings of Israel. (I &
II Samuel) and a martial meaning is therefore obvious. The hexagram can be
regarded as a monogram of the first and last Greek letters of its name: Δ and Δ (from “Δ [αβι] Δ”) joined to form Y This assumption would place the
origin of the hexagram in the
Hellenistic era that began in Israel under Alexander the Great (336-323) and
continued in the Ptolemy Empire (323-30 BC). Perhaps it is no coincidence
that the symbol can also be explained as the doubling of the Moabite letter The symbol has an unmistakable military
significance and can thus be regarded as the symbol of the Jewish armed
forces. This is thought to be so by various authors on the subject, although
the opinion prevails that the symbol has a magical and cosmological meaning.
The martial meaning does not exclude a magical meaning, nor the use that was
later made of the symbol in various circumstances. Thus, the observation that
the hexagram is a monogram of the name of David and is to be regarded as a
symbol of war complements rather than contradicts the current theories about
the "shield of David." As a result, neither a six-pointed star nor
the pentagram can be seen as graphical variants of the hexagram. On the
contrary, it concerns the images of the stars as celestial bodies in the same
relationship to the sun as the provinces to the empire. [7] )Six-leaved flowers therefore do not qualify
as variants of the Star of David. In the days of the diaspora there could of
course not be a Jewish army, but there could be Jewish armed groups. For that
reason, the symbol is usually applied to movable objects and there are no
versions of it in which it is carried by angels. [8]) ) The symbol could be used by
all those who accepted the Old Testament as a religious authority. It can
therefore be found both as a symbol in the Jewish armed forces [9] ) and of the Christian and Islamic armed
forces. Generally, however, Christianity after Constantine the Great favored
the Christ monogram XP and Islam preferred the Sword of Islam, both of which
have a similar meaning. This gave the hexagram, certainly in later times, a
more exclusively Jewish character |
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The Menorah
While the cross moline can be interpreted as
an administrative symbol and the Star of David as a martial symbol, the
menorah or seven-lamp stand can also be seen as a religious symbol. As early
as the 2nd millennium BC. spheres appear as symbols for stars. [10]) They
are then arranged around another, larger sphere, which presumably represents
the moon. In the Babylonian and Assyrian worlds, a group of seven stars (the
Pleiades) was used as a symbol, perhaps for the “Seven Princes” who could be
vassals or viceroys of Assyria. These “Seven Princes” are depicted on a rock
relief in Maltai from the time of Senacherib (704-681) [11]) but also on a relief in the royal palace in
Niniveh. [12]) ) from the time of Ashurbanipal (668-627).
At that time (from 722 B.C.) Israel belonged to the Assyrian Empire. The
reasoning then is that the candles symbolize the Pleiades and the seven
viceroys, perhaps autonomous princes, of Assyria and that the menorah is thus
the symbol of the "Seven Princes." Seen in this way, the menorah is
a national symbol. [13])
Foto H.d.V. nov. ’94 Seven-lamp stand from the Temple of Jeruzalem on the Triumphal arch of
Titus (79-81) on the Forum Roamnum in
Rome. Regarding the
menorah of the Triumphal Arch of Titus, the Encyclopaedia Judaica writes the
following: “The main testimony
to the shape of the menorah in the Temple is the candlestick on the Triumphal
Arch of Titus in Rome, which should be considered in connection with the
description by Josephus. Only three sides of each octagon are visible. It has
reliefs within a triple frame: in the top center are two opposing eagles with
a deciduous crown in their beaks, in the other are different kinds of sea
monsters. The top of the menorah is more or less in accordance with Biblical
tradition and archaeological evidence. The problem with
the menorah on the Arch of Titus is the pedestal that consists of two
octagonal parts. Although the dimensions are quite large, they do not make
the reliability of the maker in question as this was a characteristic of the
Roman and later the Christian artists. What makes this representation of the
pedestal suspicious is that, according to Jewish sources and archaeological
finds, the Menorah stood on three legs, usually on three lion's feet. These legs
can be seen very well on the Nirim
Mosaic (pictured).
Maon Synangogue, Mosaic Achievement: Symbol: Menorah Supporters: Two lions passant The bible speaks of
the candlestick's yerekh) [14]) which Rashi
explains as a three-legged plate and thus appears on a mural in Dura-Europos
and perhaps on the coin of Mattathias Antigonus, the only ancient coin
bearing a menorah. [15]
However, the few surviving copies of this coin are poorly preserved and only
one of them shows a short foot in addition to the plate. This difference
between the Arch of Titus and the other sources has given rise to a lively
discussion that began with De Spoliis of Relandus (1716) arguing that, under
the biblical prohibition on depicting animals, the pedestal of the menorah on
the Arch of Titus could not be the original. In fact, as E. Cohn-Werner
pointed out, there is a difference between the top and bottom of the menorah.
The upper part, dating from the time of the later Hasmonean kings (40 BC - 44
AD), shows features of a late Hellenistic style, while the pedestal is
typical of a later Roman style. Also important is the testimony of Josephus
who must have seen the menorah many times, both in Jerusalem and in Rome, and
which has proved reliable in this respect, for example through the excavations
in Masada. Whether his description confirms or belies the authenticity of the
menorah depends on the interpretation of his words. According to W. Eltester [16]) ), ό μέν γάρ μέσος ήν κιωνέκ της βάσεως πεπγώς should
be translated as “the centerpiece stood firmly on the pedestal” which would
be in accordance with the menorah on the Arch of Titus. Another
interpretation is that the centerpiece “rose” from the pedestal and formed
one whole with it. This would be consistent not only with Numbers 8: 4 but also
with Josephus' statement preceding the above quote that these menorah were
different from those in common use. These were composed of different parts. [17]) Several attempts
have been made to solve the problem. Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog, after listing
all the other possibilities, suggested that the actual pedestal had been
broken in the transport from Jerusalem to Rome and replaced by a Roman.
Another hypothesis is that to be able to transport the menorah in the
triumphal procession without accident, a Roman artist made a box-shaped
pedestal to make it more stable. A third view is that the menorah of the Arch
of Titus was made after another example, perhaps one given to Rome by Herod.
Likewise, Josephus (Wars, 6: 388) relates that after the conquest of Jerusalem,
a priest gave Titus “two candlesticks like those in the Temple”. The Talmud
(Hag. 26b, 27Ş) also mentions duplicates and triplicates of all temple
utensils in case the original pieces were desecrated. The Talmud of Jerusalem
(Hag. 3: 8; 79d) and Tosephtha (Hag. 3:35) mention the cleaning of the
menorah on Sabbath that aroused the laughter of the Sadducees. This would not
have happened if it had been a duplicate, but at least it does not solve the
problem of the Arch of Titus because the copy would have looked exactly like
the original. Although the
menorah of Titus's Arch was well known - the Medieval pilgrim guide Mirabilis
Urbis Romć mentions the arcus septem lucernarum - it was not recreated in the
Late Imperial and Middle Ages. While church candelabras and manuscript images
show animal claws, only one example of the Arch of Titus type is known: the
Gothic candlestick in the Sta. Maria i Vulturella near Rome. [18]) ) ” Note Regarding the
discussion, it can be said that, even if it can be deduced from other and
later depictions of the menorah, the Hellenistic-Roman pedestal certainly did
not belong to the menorah in its original form but may, indeed, for the sake
of stability during the period. transport, be later added to. The actual
menorah from the temple then only consists of the top part, which must have
been sufficiently stable for a permanent set-up in the temple. However, we are not
so much interested in the form that the candlestick must have had as in the
function it fulfilled in the Jewish political system. It was suggested that
the candlestick dates from the time when Palestine was part of a Mesopotamian
Empire that conquered Israel in 722 and Judea in 586. This period, in which
the area must have been ruled by stadholders or viceroys, lasted until 40 BC.
when a sovereign Jewish state was founded again, which, incidentally, did not
last long. Thus, it is likely that the symbols of Palestine belong to the
Mesopotamian state symbolism that must have been used there for nearly 700
years and over 500 in Judea. On the other hand, the Egyptian influence is not
to be underestimated because the first mention of the menorah occurs in
Exodus that must have been placed in the Egyptian time (from the Ptolemies
(323-30), Palestine was conquered by Egypt in 217). At this time, new state
symbols must have been awarded by the Egyptian Pharaoh because Mesopotamian
rule (which was continued by the Seleucids) then came to an end. The menorah
is then a compromise between the old Mesopotamian and the new Egyptian tradition. Exodus also
describes other political symbols and institutions such as the ark, the
table, and the tabernacle. In addition, a taxation or tribute was enacted
(Exodus 25 1-7) and legislation was passed. This can hardly be explained
other than that under Moses a constitutional arrangement was established in
which the relationship between the ruler (in this case the Egyptian Pharaoh)
and the Jews was regulated. The arrangement in
the temple can be explained by the worship to the administrative authority that
took place in the temple and that was also customary in the surrounding
countries in all kinds of other forms.
(H.d:V.) |
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The FLAG |
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Foto Jens Ziehe, Berlin. Flag in the jewish national colors blue and white, with a star of
david Berlin, 1935. Cotton113 x 90,5 cm Jüdisches Museum Berlin Gift of Martin Fried-Lander |
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* One
hypothesis may be that the candlestick dates back to Assyrian or
Babylonian times. Israel at that time may have been one of the seven
principalities represented in all forms in Assyrian symbolism. [19]) In
the first place in the form of the “Seven Princes” depicted on a rock relief
on the road from Assyria to the Valley of the Zab) [20]) but also by a group of seven stars in the
shape of discs. These stars would then be represented by the lights of the
candlestick. The princes themselves looked after administrative as well as
religious and martial affairs that mainly amounted to the execution of the
orders from Niniveh and the worship of the Assyrian king of kings. The
pentagram or Solomon's Seal, because this symbol is of Egyptian origin, would
date from the time of the Egyptian occupation and would refer to an Egyptian
governor in Palestine. An important moment in Israel's history must
have been the wrestling out of Egyptian rule under Saul and David. From then
on, the state of Israel can be regarded as a republic of which the supreme
god in the form of the Egyptian Pharaoh was henceforth unnamed, a situation
that could be maintained in Israel until the Assyrian conquest in 722 and in
Judea until the Babylonian conquest in 586. Again, this situation was real
under the Hasmonean monarchy that had broken free from the Hellenistic rule
of the Ptolemies In the Hasmonean period (116-37) the symbols
of the Jewish state must have obtained their definitive form. The cross,
originating from the Assyrian state symbolism, became the symbol of
administrative authority, the seven-lamped candlestick the symbol of
religious authority and the hexagram the symbol of armed authority. The sun
can also be regarded here as a national symbol. The prominence that the
Romans assigned to the seven-lamped candlestick may be related to the fact
that in the Hasmonean state the authority was held several times by a high
priest who did not bear the title of king. This was the case with Jonathan
(high priest 152-143) and Hyrcanus II (high priest 67 and 63-47). Ultimately,
in Titus's day, Jewish state authority was exercised only by the high priest
since the other two areas of authority were already in the hands of the Romans.
As may be assumed, some of the Jewish symbols have been adopted by the
Christians who can be regarded as an important Jewish sect. They were
formalized by Constantine the Great, who recognized Christianity as a
religion and adopted the Christ monogram halfway through his career as a
symbol of his military authority. The hexagram did not disappear but was
further used by some other Judeo-Christian groups. Most notable is its use by
the Monophysite churches, and in particular in the Ethiopian Church, in which
the symbol played an important role until the fall of Haile Selassie. As an
offshoot of the same monotheistic tribe as Judaism and Christianity, the
hexagram also occurs in an Islamic context, sometimes in combination with a
crescent, sometimes also detached. [21]) ) In crystallizing the difference between
Judaism and Christianity, different symbols for these sects also appear. In
doing so, the Jews held on to the seven-armed candlestick while the
Christians developed a new symbol in the shape of a Latin cross. Originally a
Roman execution tool to which the condemned was nailed or bound until death,
this cross appears in the second quarter of the fourth century in the
vicinity of Emperor Constantine. Around the middle of the same century, parts
of the cross on which Christ is said to have been executed were also
"found" and around them an important and lucrative pilgrimage
developed. |
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Just as the Latin cross was supportewd by
angels, with which the institution of the Christian church was symbolized, so
the menorah was also asupported by angels and should then symbolize the
synagogue as an ecclesiastical institution. Depictions of the menorah held by
angels have been found in the catacombs of Rome. Full images (of the sarcophagus with the
menorah and the angels) can be found in A. Konikoff, Sarcophagi, etc, H.J.
Leon, Jews of Ancient Rome, Goodenough Jewish Symbols, vol 3. and in most
books on ancient Jewish art (L. Rutgers) |
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Presidential Standard
Flag of the Prime Minister |
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Intelligence Service |
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Mossad Mossad (. The Institute), short
for HaMossad leModiʿin
uleTafkidim Meyuḥadim (המוסד
למודיעין (תפקידים
מיוחדים,
meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'), is the
national intelligence
agency of Israel.
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Police |
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Armed Forces |
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Army |
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Jewish Brigade 1944-1946 The Jewish Infantry Brigade
Group more commonly known as the Jewish Brigade Group
or Jewish Brigade, was a military formation of the British Army in World
War II. It was
formed in late 1944 and was recruited
among Yishuv Jews from Mandatory Palestine and commanded by Anglo-Jewish officers. It served in the latter
stages of the Italian Campaign, and was disbanded in 1946. After the war, some members of the Brigade
assisted Holocaust survivors to emigrate to Mandatory
Palestine as part of Aliyah Bet, in defiance of British
restrictions.
Chief of staff |
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Navy |
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Chief of staff |
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Air Force |
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Communities |
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Akko |
Ashqolon |
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Beersheba |
Beth
Shean |
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Dimona |
Eilat |
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Haifa |
Kiryat
Shimona |
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Tel
Aviv |
Mitzpe
Ramon |
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Nazareth |
Netanya |
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Petah
Tiqua |
Rizhon leZion |
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Rosh
Pina |
Tibertiad |
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Tzfat |
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© Hubert de Vries 2013-01-11; Updated
2021-01-05