Signs and Symbols
Mezuzah, tzitzit and tefillin are reminders of the commandments
The menorah (candelabrum) is the ancient universal symbol of Judaism
The Jewish star (Magen David) is a modern universal Jewish symbol
Jews wear a skullcap (yarmulke) as a pious custom
Chai, found on jewelry, is the number 18, which is a favorable number
The Hamesh Hand is common in Jewish jewelry, but its connection to Judaism is questionable
And you shall write [the words that I command you today] on
the doorposts of your house and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 6:9, 11:19
On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional
homes!), you will find a small case like the one pictured at left. This case is
commonly known as a mezuzah (Heb.: doorpost), because it is placed upon the
doorposts of the house. The mezuzah is not, as some suppose, a good-luck charm,
nor does it have any connection with the lamb's blood placed on the doorposts
in Egypt. Rather, it is a constant reminder of G-d's
presence and G-d's mitzvot.
The mitzvah to place mezuzot on the doorposts of
our houses is derived from Deut. 6:4-9, a passage commonly known as the
Shema (Heb: Hear, from the first word of the
passage). In that passage, G-d commands us to keep His words constantly in our
minds and in our hearts by (among other things) writing them on the doorposts
of our house. The words of the Shema are written on a tiny scroll of parchment,
along with the words of a companion passage, Deut. 11:13-21. On the back of the
scroll, a name of G-d is written. The scroll is
then rolled up and placed in the case, so that the first letter of the Name
(the letter Shin) is visible (or, more
commonly, the letter Shin is written on the outside of the case).
The scroll must be handwritten in a special style of
writing and must be placed in the case to fulfill the mitzvah. It is
commonplace for gift shops to sell cases without scrolls, or with mechanically
printed scrolls, because a proper scroll costs more than even an elaborately
decorated case ($30-$50 for a valid scroll is quite reasonable). According to
traditional authorities, mechanically printed scrolls do not fulfill the
mitzvah of the mezuzah, nor does an empty case.
The case and scroll are then nailed or affixed at an angle to the right side
doorpost as you enter the building or room, with a small ceremony called
Chanukkat Ha-Bayit (dedication of the house - yes, this is the same word as
Chanukkah, the holiday celebrating the
rededication of the Temple). A brief blessing
is recited. See the text of the blessing at Affixing
Why is the mezuzah affixed at an angle? The rabbis
could not decide whether it should be placed horizontally or vertically, so
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. If you leave it in place, the subsequent owner may treat it with
disrespect, and this is a grave sin. I have seen many mezuzot in apartment
complexes that have been painted over because a subsequent owner failed to
remove it while the building was painted, and it breaks my heart every time I
see that sort of disrespect to an object of religious significance.
For more information about mezuzot or to purchase valid scrolls for a mezuzah
online, visit the S.T.A.M. website.
Tzitzit and Tallit
They shall make themselves tzitzit on the corners of their
garments throughout their generations, and they shall place on the tzitzit of
each corner a thread of techeilet. And it shall be tzitzit for you, and you
will see it, and you will remember all the mitzvot of the L-RD and do them and
not follow your heart or your eyes and run after them. -Numbers 15:38-40
The Torah commands us to wear tzitzit (fringes) at
the corners of our garments as a reminder of the
mitzvot, kind of like the old technique of tying
a string around your finger to remember something. The passage also instructs
that the fringe should have a thread of "techeilet," believed to be a blue or
turquoise dye, but the source of that dye is no longer known, so tzitzit are
today are all white. There is a complex procedure for tying the knots of the
tzitzit, filled with religious and numerological significance.
The mitzvah to wear tzitzit applies only to four-cornered garments, which were
common in biblical times but are not common anymore. To fulfill this mitzvah,
adult men wear a four-cornered shawl called a tallit (pictured above) during
morning services, along with the
tefillin. In some
congregations, only married men wear a tallit;
in others, both married and unmarried men wear one. In
Reconstructionist synagogues, both men
and women may wear a tallit, but men are somewhat more likely than women to do
so. A blessing is recited when you put on the
tallit. See the text of the blessing at Tallit and
Strictly observant Jewish men commonly wear a special four-cornered garment,
similar to a poncho, called a tallit katan ("little tallit"), so that they will
have the opportunity to fulfill this important mitzvah all day long. The tallit
katan is worn under the shirt, with the tzitzit hanging out so they can be
seen. If you've ever seen a Jewish man with strings hanging out of his
clothing, this is probably what you were seeing.
There is no particular religious significance to the tallit (shawl) itself,
other than the fact that it holds the tzitzit (fringes) on its corners. There
are also very few religious requirements with regard to the design of the
tallit. The tallit must be long enough to be worn over the shoulders (as a
shawl), not just around the neck (as a scarf), to fulfill the requirement that
the tzitzit be on a "garment." Likewise, it should be draped over the shoulders
like a shawl, not worn around the neck like a scarf, though that is commonly
done (see illustration at right). A longer tallit is commonly folded over the
shoulders, to prevent the tzitzit from dragging on the ground. The tallit may
be made of any material, but must not be made of a combination of wool and
linen, because that combination is forbidden on any clothing. (Lev. 19:19;
Deut. 22:11). Most tallitot are white with navy or black stripes along the
shorter ends, possibly in memory of the thread of techeilet. They also commonly
have an artistic motif of some kind along the top long end (the outside of the
part that goes against your neck). This motif is referred to as an atarah
(crown). There is no particular religious significance to the atarah; it simply
tells you which end is up! It is quite common, however, to write the words of
the blessing for putting on the tallit on the
atarah, so you can read the blessing while you are putting the tallit on.
If a blessing is written on your tallit, you should be careful not to bring the
tallit into the bathroom with you! Sacred writings should not be brought into
the bathroom. For this reason, many synagogues have a tallit rack outside of
the bathroom. Conversely, if you see a room in a synagogue with a sign that
tells you to remove your tallit before entering, you can safely assume that the
room is a bathroom!
Bind [the words that I command you today] as a sign on your
arm, and they shall be ornaments between your eyes. -Deuteronomy 6:8
The Shema also commands us to bind the words to our hands and between our eyes.
We do this by "laying tefillin," that is, by binding to our arms and foreheads
leather pouches containing scrolls of Torah passages.
The word "tefillin" is usually translated "phylacteries," although I don't much
care for that term. "Phylacteries" isn't very enlightening if you don't already
know what tefillin are, and the word "phylacteries" means "amulet," suggesting
that tefillin are some kind of protective charm, which they are not. 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. We
bind them to our head and our arm, committing both our intellect and our
physical strength to the fulfillment of the mitzvot. At weekday morning
services, one case is tied to the arm, with the
scrolls at the biceps and leather straps extending down the arm to the hand,
then another case is tied to the head, with the case on the forehead and the
straps hanging down over the shoulders. Appropriate
blessings are recited during this process. The
tefillin are removed at the conclusion of the morning services. See a general
outline of this process and its blessings at Tallit and
Jewish acupuncturist Steven Schram
examined the positioning of the tefillin and the procedure for laying them, and
concluded that the laying of tefillin was "a unique way of stimulating a very
precise set of acupuncture points that appears designed to clear the mind and
harmonise the spirit."
Click here to see his
article from the Journal of Chinese Medicine.
Like the scrolls in a mezuzah, the scrolls in tefillin must be hand-written in
a special style of writing. A good, valid set of
tefillin can cost a few hundred dollars, but if properly cared for they can
last for a lifetime.
For more information about tefillin or to purchase valid tefillin online, visit
the S.T.A.M. website.
of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched
candelabrum used in the Temple. The
kohanim lit the menorah in the Sanctuary every
evening and cleaned it out every morning, replacing the wicks and putting fresh
olive oil into the cups. The illustration at left is based on instructions for
construction of the menorah found in Ex. 25:31-40.
It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the
nation of Israel and our mission to be "a light
unto the nations." (Isaiah 42:6). The sages emphasize that light is not a
violent force; Israel is to accomplish its mission by setting an example, not
by using force. This idea is highlighted in the vision in Zechariah 4:1-6.
Zechariah sees a menorah, and G-d explains: "Not by
might, nor by power, but by My spirit."
The lamp stand in today's synagogues, called the ner tamid (lit. the continual
light, usually translated as the eternal flame), symbolizes the menorah. Many
synagogues also have an ornamental menorah, usually with some critical detail
changed (for example, with only 6 candles) to avoid the sin of reproducing
objects of the Temple.
The nine-branched menorah used on Chanukkah is
commonly patterned after this menorah, because Chanukkah commemorates the
miracle that a day's worth of oil for this menorah lasted eight days.
Cover your head so that the fear of heaven may be upon you.
-Talmud Shabbat 156b
R. Huna son of R. Joshua would not walk four cubits
bareheaded, saying: The Shechinah [Divine Presence] is above my head. -Talmud
R. Huna son of R. Joshua said: May I be rewarded for never
walking four cubits bareheaded. -Talmud Shabbat 118b
most commonly known and recognized piece of Jewish garb is actually the one
with the least religious significance. The word yarmulke (usually, but not
really correctly, pronounced yammica) is
Yiddish. According to Leo Rosten's The Joys of
Yiddish, it comes from a Tartar word meaning skullcap. According to some
Chasidic rabbis I
know, it comes from the Aramaic words "yerai malka" (fear of or respect for The
King). The Hebrew word for this head covering is kippah (pronounced key-pah).
It is an ancient practice for Jews to cover their heads during prayer. This
probably derives from the fact that in Eastern cultures, it is a sign of
respect to cover the head (the custom in Western cultures is the opposite: it
is a sign of respect to remove one's hat). Thus, by covering the head during
prayer, one showed respect for G-d. In addition, in
ancient Rome, servants were required to cover their heads while free men did
not; thus, Jews covered their heads to show that they were servants of G-d. In
medieval times, Jews covered their heads as a reminder that G-d is always above
Whatever the reason given, however, covering the head has always been regarded
more as a custom rather than a
commandment. Although it is a common pious
practice to cover the head at all times, it is not religiously mandatory. For
example, it is widely accepted that one may refrain from wearing a head
covering at work if your employer requires it (for reasons of safety,
uniformity, or to reduce distractions). You can take off your yarmulke for a
job interview if you think it will hurt your chances of getting the job. There
is an amusing article about this dilemma,
The Kippah Debate, at
There is no special significance to the yarmulke as a specific type of head
covering. Its light weight, compactness and discreteness make it a convenient
choice of head gear. I am unaware of any connection between the yarmulke and
the similar skullcap worn by the Pope.
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
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
In the middle ages, Jews often were required to wear badges to identify
themselves as Jews, much as they were in Nazi 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.
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.
symbol, commonly seen on necklaces and other jewelry and ornaments, is simply
the Hebrew word Chai (living), with the two Hebrew letters Cheit and Yod
attached to each other. Some say it refers to the Living
G-d; others say it simply reflects Judaism's focus
on the importance of life. Whatever the reason, the concept of chai is
important in Jewish culture. The typical Jewish toast is l'chayim (to life).
Gifts to charity are routinely given in multiples of 18 (the numeric value of
the word Chai).
hamesh hand or hamsa hand is a popular motif in Jewish jewelry. Go into any
Judaic gift shop and you will find necklaces and bracelets bearing this
inverted hand with thumb and pinky pointing outward. The design commonly has an
eye in the center of the hand or various Hebrew letters in the middle.
There is nothing exclusively Jewish about the hamesh hand. Arab cultures often
refer to it as the Hand of Fatima, which represents the Hand of G-d. Similar
designs are common in many cultures. Why it has become such a popular symbol
among Jews? I haven't been able to find an adequate explanation anywhere. My
best guess: in many cultures, this hand pattern represents a protection against
the evil eye (a malignant spiritual influence caused by the jealousy of
others), and the evil eye has historically been a popular superstition among
For some lovely illustrations of Jewish variations on this design, see
© Copyright 5756-5771 (1995-2011), Tracey R Rich
If you appreciate the many years of work I have put into this site,
show your appreciation by linking to this page, not copying it to your site.
I can't correct my mistakes or add new material if it's on your site. Click Here for more details.