Friday, June 09, 2006

Mizrach decoration

 Mizrach decoration magen David

Star of David on a Mizrach decoration Image is copied from Jewish Encyclopedia (1901-1906)

 

The Mizrach  (Hebrew for east) is a decorative sign that Jews who lived in exile in the west hang on an eastern wall within their homes or their synagogues in order to remind them to face Jerusalem and the Temple Mount while praying (see: Talmud Berachot 30). This decoration includes usually the Hebrew word "Mizrach".

Basically this idea appears in the Israeli national anthem Hatikvah:

 

As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,

With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,

Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost:

To be a free people in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem

 

Sometimes the Mizrach decoration includes a Star of David. IMHO this shows how strong is the connection between the concepts of "East" and "Zion" since the Star of David Symbolizes Zion.  

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