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Jewish "trinity"?

Avi

Member
jewscout said:
hey buddy i just didn't want you to miss out on more food:)

Shaleshudos, I had thought that sounded familiar. Maybe it just didn't imprint itself on my mind when I was reading about it, ;)
 
Based on my limited understanding and study of Jewish tradition, there has historically been two major views regarding the nature of the Greatly Revered One. One is the Maimonidean view, represented primarily in A Guide for the Perplexed, which is largely philosophical and attempts to clarify anthropomorphisms in the Tanakh as being figurative. The other is the kabbalistic view, represented primarily in a few major esoteric works. This view is largely mythical and mystical and attempts to clarify anthropomorphisms in the Tanakh by recourse to what is referred to as "the Sefirot". From what I've read, the individual Sefirot are never described as "persons". The kabbalistic view is the less mainstream of the two and occassionally attempts are made, by groups such as "Jews for Jesus", to connect kabbalistic literature and thought to the Christian concept of the Trinity. Nonetheless, any attempt to equate a Jewish idea with the Christian Trinity is at least somewhat dubious. I hope this is helpful, and if I have anything wrong, which I may indeed, would someone please correct me.
 
I'm not sure I understand your reply completely. Which seventeen centuries are you referring to? I thought that Rambam and Kabbalah had a large impact on most later Judaism, at least in relation to what is being discussed. If you are referring to seventeen centuries previous to them, I am not well versed in other major views previous to these two that specifically address the point at hand, and so cannot discuss such things with accuracy. I apologize.
 

NoahideHiker

Religious Headbanger
Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad.

G-d is One. I don't let other religions effect mine. The star of David predates Christianity by only a few thousand years, yes? There are rabbis out there that will tell you anything. My buddy went to a wedding that was an interfaith wedding and the rabbi there (a woman) was an atheist.
 

lilithu

The Devil's Advocate
NoahideHiker said:
The star of David predates Christianity by only a few thousand years, yes?
Yes, but the symbol that you call the star of David was originally a pagan symbol, as was the symbol that we the Christian cross. So whether or not it predates Christianity doesn't mean much. The more illuminating question is when the Magden David was incorporated into Jewish theology.

Even so, I agree that it is unlikely that traditional Jewish theology sees a trinity in the Magden David. I suppose this rabbi was espousing some type of Jewish-Christian hybrid theology. As for the female atheist rabbi, doesn't surprise me a bit. That's another reason why I love Judaism. :D
 

NoahideHiker

Religious Headbanger
I agree, we really don't know the origins of the star. We also have to keep in mind though that the star of David is not a holy symbol as the cross is. It is merely representation of Israel.
 
Since several of the posts in this thread have referenced the Star of David, I think this will be relevant. I recently read an explanation of the Star of David that was very interesting and made a good deal of sense to me. Basically, in David's time what we now call paleo Hebrew was the major script, and in that script, a daleth, which makes a "d" sound is shaped like a triangle. So, the theory is that it is called the Star of David because it was his insignia or logo, being two paleo Hebrew daleths, the first and last letter of his name, one written in reverse over the other. Perhaps its use was continued by his son Solomon, which would explain why it is also sometimes called the Seal of Solomon.
 
I have always been taught..." where there are two things, look for The Third". The representation of "three" in Biblical text and commentary are references to this maxim.
For example, the traditional (Kabbalah) "trinity" is G-d, Yisroel, and Torah. Any two "things" have a Third-part, i.e. HaShem. In any conversation (which involves two or more) G-d is the Invisible third-party. When two "things" are sacred (such as Israel, and the Bible) the Third party, HaShem, elevates the G-dliness of those created thing to a "level" we might think of as "holy". Therefore one might think of HaShem, Torah and Yisroel as an holy trinity. The sefiroth represent the ways through which G-d accomplishes such a deed (elevation of creation), and the created things (people, and prophecy) are the tools the Most High uses to accomplish the elevation of creation unto G-dliness.
 

TashaN

Veteran Member
Premium Member
NoahideHiker said:
I agree, we really don't know the origins of the star. We also have to keep in mind though that the star of David is not a holy symbol as the cross is. It is merely representation of Israel.

Once jewscout told me the star of David represent all Jewish !!! :eek:
 

jewscout

Religious Zionist
The Truth said:
Once jewscout told me the star of David represent all Jewish !!! :eek:

it is a symbol that represents Judaism and the jews

but it is not holy like the crucifix is, it is simply a symbol that says "hey i'm a jew"
 
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