Line, Crescent, Cross and Swastika

B-H

I ) + # The Four Representations of Civilizations

I don’t remember in which of Hoimar Von Ditfurth’s books I saw for the first time a picture of a virus under a microscope. I was either 10 or 15. I instantly knew – that thing did not assemble itself, the complexity of what I saw required ‘an assembler’. There is no other way about it.

It still took some time and study to establish my personal relationship with the Assembler and Creator. It took years until I found the path designated to approach Him and ultimately to accomplish complete Unity in Him.

But back then, for the first time in my life I saw a pattern, something undeniably too complex to exist without intent, design and supervision. A sign for those with open eyes and honesty to challenge their own ego in admission of this Higher Power.

Once the personal relationship was established, I had no need to continue seeing those signs. That is because now I was experiencing Him in my life. Yet, time and time again He gave me enjoyment of finding such revelations.

Once I began to learn the commentaries and Sefurim written by Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch I quickly developed a great love for every mark of his pen.

He exposed me to the essential idea that the Creator of the universe reveals himself in three methods. Besides the Torah and ‘nature’, He reveals Himself in human History as well. Any keen, intelligent, and sensitive mind can see His guiding actions in the development of mankind.

The earliest days and years of our history are known to us only through the revelation of Torah and our oral tradition recorded in the Medrish. As such, it should be treated as a part of the revelation given to the Jewish people and not as the third component of general revelation accessible to the rest of humanity. It must be stated that parts of the Sinaitic revelation were addressed to all children of Noah, all humans. Scientific research on nature and history is accessible to all humanity, if they seek the Truth.

In certain parts of humanity’s development, the Creator of Man can be easily, so to say, detected by anyone possessing any knowledge of history, culture, and religion. There are certain patterns which only stubborn individuals can deny as something random and “natural”.

We observe the patterns because patterns exist, and we are created with a mind able to see them.

My aim in composing this essay is to discuss these phenomena.

World Views

Humanity can be divided into four basic religious or cultural groups of people.

Each of these groups are represented by a graphic symbol defining the very core of their philosophies and approach to life, as individuals, as nations and as religions.

v  The First group is represented by a vertical line.

v  The Second group is represented by a curved and sloping line.

v  The Third group is represented by a vertical line that is interrupted by a second horizontal line.

v  The Fourth is represented by a cross with arms broken in a way that is showing movement. In some cultures, it takes the form of a swastika on the square plane, in other cultures it may be on the circle plane or a wheel. Some other places contain only three arms of sign representing turn around.

Our Mesorah, or more commonly referred to as Oral Tradition, describes additional details to the history described in the first chapters of Tanach, the first chapters of the Bible.

The history of the creation of Adam and Eve is known by nearly all mankind.

Some people deny the veracity of the Bible as a whole and like to describe it as a Mid-Eastern legend of nomadic tribes from the Sinai Peninsula.

Others take moral and spiritual inspiration from this story. As it was declared for the first time in the history of the nations, that all mankind comes from the same set of parents created by G-d. In contrast to the myths that told that humans came out from different body parts of gods or that they have evolved on different trees.

Yet there are those who are inspired by the moral lessons but deny the historic value of this story. The story of creation seems a little bit childish and naïve to them.

However, for those of us who understand the Holy Language and who learn the Torah, it is well-known that precisely this part of The Tanach contains the greatest levels of revelation and veracity. In the narrative of Genesis is prescribed the goal of humanity itself and a guide for every individual to choose his or her own goals in life.

First Man: Paragon of Humanity

Adam HaRishon – the first man, was created completely naked and morally pure in fact, his skin was translucent and had a transcending glow of illumination and was made of fingernail-like substance. He was of immense height and stature and had supernatural sight and insight. He was mature in mind yet innocent in spirit. Being devoid of shame and immorality (there was no right or wrong for him, only true and false) there was no reason to cover his skin.

Immediately when Adam sinned, he discovered that he was naked. Namely, he discovered that there is shame in his nakedness. He covered himself with fig leaves and upon leaving the Garden after the sin,  G-d gave him a set of clothes made out of animal skin. It is clear and obvious that the animalistic nature of Adam prevailed over the Angelic, spiritual makeup of his higher being. Thus, Adam was greatly demoted from his lofty position and his radiance and splendor much diminished.

Since then, man must cover his or her skin, as a proof of his failure and shame. The clothes made by G-d possessed potent characteristics of illumination and power. Generations later these clothes were used by individuals like Nimrod and Eisav. They used it as a ‘magical’ device of intimidation and as a tool to deceive people into worshiping and submitting to them.

It should be added that the word ‘skin’ (עור – pronounced OR)) and word ‘light’ (אור – pronounced OIR) in Holy Tongue are pronounced almost the same and only the spelling of the first letter is different. This is because of Adom’s physical/spiritual illumination was changed to an object of separation, distancing, and darkening of his relationship with creation and the Creator (thus we find disharmony between humans and animals, the labor needed to cultivate, the fear of the night, etc).

 

 

The Staff of Elokim

It is brought in Kabbalah that Adom was created naked and unclothed. However, he was holding in his hand a device, a staff. This staff appears later in the Biblical narrative when it comes into the possession of Moshe Rabeynu (Moses) and is called “Mateh Elokim” – the Staff of G-d.

It was a device created in the hand of the first man.

Just as man himself and all the physical and natural phenomenon surrounding him, this device was representing something from the higher spiritual reality.

The Staff was made out of the same material as the Luchois Habris – the Tablets of the Covenant. This material is called “Even Saphiri” – Stone of Saphiri. This stone was heavenly blue in color (sapphire) evoking the Heavenly Abode.

Furthermore, the word “saphiri” is associated with “Sefirot” (G-dly emanations and attributes), “Sefira” (counting of 50 days from Pesach to Shevuos), “Sapar” (telling; story), “Sefer” (book) and many other words which by association can give an idea of what this stone was about, namely a “telling” or representation of the Spiritual potential.

The Staff in Moshe’s Possession

To add another element to the puzzle, let’s examine the story of when Moishe, our Master and Teacher met G-d for the first-time, face to face.

He was holding a Mateh – a staff, in his hand at the time. This staff was the Matteh Elokim. How did this staff come to be in Moshe’s possession?

The Medrish says that Moshe ``plucked it '' out from his father-in-law Yisro’s garden. In turn, Yisro stole it from Egypt when he abdicated his post as advisor to Pharaoh. In turn, it was brought to Egypt by Yosef who got it from Yaakov and who acquired it from his forebears all the way to the time of Creation.

For a short while Yaakov was in possession of two objects given to Adam by his Creator, the Staff and the Beged Ha’Or – garments of hides, when he wore them to get the blessing from his father Yitzchok. However, there was one moment in his life when Yaakov was completely naked and the only thing that was left in his hand was the Mateh – the staff. It was when Eliphaz ben Eisav caught up to him at the River of Yarden while escaping from Eisav. He remained with nothing but his staff. Just as Adam, Yaakov the perfect one (Tam) had nothing but the staff. 

It should be noted, the fact that he wore the clothes for this short a time, affected his descendants in the most negative way.

We know that “masey avois simun lebunim” – the doings of the patriarchs are a preordination for their children. Namely, the Patriarchs’ actions and life events are like a genetical code that forms and shapes the history and character of the Jewish people. I will explain this particular event later.

The Staff in Egypt

When Moishe met Hashem, he was told to throw the staff on the ground and that it would turn into a snake in order to convince his brothers about the legitimacy of his mission. But first Moishe has to convince himself.

The staff becomes a snake, not just any snake, which of course Moishe would not be afraid of while talking to the Creator himself. He saw the snake that brought devastation and suffering on the first man and his descendants and this was something that Moishe was afraid of – even while talking to G-d.

Hashem tells Moishe to grab the snake, but not from the front rather from the tail end, in a way of trickery.

It immediately becomes a staff again from the tail to the head: the Snake becomes a vertical linear object in the hand of man.

When Moishe meets the Pharaoh, he shows him that a time will come when the snake will be grabbed and be made into a device going from down, up, from a lower to higher realm.

Pharaoh, his priests, his wives and children replied to Moishe that it will not be so fast and not so easy. They could make staff into snakes and that’s what they are planning to do throughout history.

Moishe’s Staff eats the snakes of Mitzrayim – the Egyptians. That is the end and goal of history.

The Straight Line

We are created as the Tzeilem Elokim. All parts of our body represent some element from the higher reality, the only reality which is actual. (On this point the Maharal explains that just a sketch of a tree is a far-removed representation of what a tree is, so we too are mere images of the Divine).

A Hand represents the action. Our actions are always good or bad – moral or immoral, desired by our Creator or causing Him anguish. When our actions are in accordance with the Will of our Creator, we are holding the staff in our hand. When we are insubordinate, the snake is chasing us. With the staff, miracles can be made, when the snake is chasing us our life is a horror and tragedy. For good or bad, our actions have a direct impact on heaven which in turn has a direct impact on earth.

This is the vertical line: the straight connector between heaven & earth: the staff.

The vertical line connecting lower and higher is represented in the Hebrew alphabet as letter Vav and the meaning of the prefix Vav is “and”.

Vav is the crucial element of the word Mitzvah – the meaning of the word Mitzvah is a link or connection. By following the Will of the Creator – the Mitzvos, one is connecting to the Creator Himself.

 

The Curved Line

The second group of humanity that is represented by curved; tilted line, are the nations of Islamic faith.

Islam is aware of the Creator and possesses high philosophical and moral standards. Let’s take a look at the entire history of Islam, though not through the prism of propaganda of the nations of Edom who see the Muslims as a competition to their own philosophy of ruling the planet in their own way.

When Islam arose, from the very beginning our masters called Rishonim saw it as an advance in human history and a step closer to the Geula. Those who understand that we as the Jewish people were obligated to be the Light for the nations and ultimately their spiritual leaders in moral teachings; they understood that Islam with its understanding of G-d, ideas of charity, and teaching of Seven commandments of Noah will make this task much easier. There are many statements from the Rishonim that express precisely this idea. Sefer Kizuri, Rambam, Ramban, Hovos Halvuvois from that period of history and later the Maharal from Prague and Rav Hirsch talk openly about this idea.

It must also be mentioned that the difference in treatment of the Jewish people and other religious minorities in Islamic countries was astoundingly different than in Christian realm. There were few hot spots in the history of Jewish Muslim relations, but Islamic civilization has never produced anything close to inquisition, pogroms and holocaust. There were no Muslim Torquemada, Chmielnicki or Hitler Y-Sh-m. Planet Earth unfortunately always saw some religious or ethnic tensions on the ground of economic exploitation, and it must be pointed out that in Islamic states, Jewish community was living a relatively good life considering minority status. Major persecutions or animosity directed against Jews is limited to few periods and local range.  We will mention two major periods and places where Islamic countries decided to be Judenrein - Almohads in northern Africa in 12^th century and the Saudi Arabian regime in modern times.

The curved line also starts from the bottom shutting up. It reaches almost the highest point but the path itself is not a straight and safe ladder connecting higher and lower realm as it was designed for Yaacov-Yisrael. Curiously, the Islamic sword also often has that curved shape unlike Christian weapons which we will talk about next. I see no further reason to explain why Islam is considered – what is called in Latin: Preparatio Judaicae, as it should be obvious to an intelligent and educated reader.

Curved line, therefore, represents legitimate attempts and even connection with the higher realm but it is not a direct or straight connection.

The Cross

The other big portion of humanity are considered by us as Bnai Eisav – the children of Eisav-Edom.

I wrote about the characteristics of the civilization of Edom-Eisav in many of my other essays and encouraged my readers to go to this material as it was and (Beezras Hachem) still will be a topic of essays to come.

The main idea expressed in those essays is that Chazal – our Sages of blessed memory, explain that Edom-Eisav represents brutal militaristic conquest and control of the world.

Control can be achieved by many means.

It can be achieved by propagandizing the minds of the world with content appealing to the animalistic desires of humans. The immense entertainment industry is doing precisely this work, delivering on a daily basis their values and ideas that are mostly conflicting with the moral principles expressed in Revelation or even simple logic.

The decline of family and marital values is not only self-destructive to individuals but destroys entire societies and nations.

Another tool of control is the loan and banking system in the form as it exists in our society.

I will never forget a conversation I had with my friend when I simply told him that he, like millions of Americans, doesn't own ‘his’ house – the bank owns it. And as millions of Americans learned at the time of the recession, banks can send you under the bridge or to the tent cities without mercy.

At the time when the control of minds and possessions of the inhabitants of the Edomite nations fails to work, the rulers don’t hesitate to use deadly force as they are using it to control other nations.

I expressed in my essays on American democracy, that there is a change in progress. However, it will still take a time to come to that era, when the Chazer becomes Kosher, as it is promised in the words of our prophets and masters.

Meanwhile the nations, culture, and religion of Edom-Eisav is a major obstacle to us on many levels.

Edom did everything in its power to deny our moral message as it usurped our task and right to be chosen to lead humanity in spiritual measures.

They persecuted us mercilessly and not only millions of our brothers were killed in periodic persecutions and sometimes almost total annihilation by sword – the very symbol of their civilization. The vertical line of connection is cut by a horizontal flattening force. A divide severing the direct connection. A Symbol with a dead Jew hanging on it.

Another aspect of this disruption is our own weakness when we falsely assume that by operating in the realm of their values we can survive or even accomplish something.

The Hours when Yaakov imitated Edom-Eisav by wearing his clothes, somehow imprinted in us the wrong idea, that by aping Edom we are being nobilitated.

The Wheel of Fortune.

The Swastika is one of the oldest graphic symbols related to spirituality and life philosophy.

It is known to the ancients in the Middle East, it has been used by Hindu civilizations since they exist. It was known to Greeks, Romans, and Mezzo Americans. It is still used by Chinese, Mongols, Siberian nations, Native Americans, and is known in various places in Africa. That’s a lot of places and a lot of time!

It represented most people in the world in the past and it still represents a big part of human society in the present day. The ‘swastika philosophy’ is still popular, but not the symbol itself.

The Swastika had become a shameful symbol only after WWII, for its association with the Nazi regime.

In all of those places, and in all of those cultures, it still has an almost universal and common meaning; as expressed in a Roman saying – “Fortune turns around.”

For example, The Greek Gammadion was equivalent to the one of the Sanskrit swastika and the meaning of both symbols was almost the same.

Fortuna, known to Greeks as Tyche was a deity of luck, good or bad luck while the Indian Swastika was a wish of good luck.

There are many relatively contemporary interpretations of this symbol, but historically it has another meaning.

It’s supposed to represent the idea that whatever is now down, will be up, whatever is left, will be right, and so on… There is no solid standard, there is no pattern, there is no right and wrong, and neither does right or wrong have an influence on up and down – our life situation. It is a random self-sustained mechanism without an ultimate source, without an outside influence other than itself. The wheels turn. Karma.

In this mindset there is no space for G-d, The ultimate Creator and (Manhig) of reality.

In this philosophy there may be space for gods - devices helping to achieve different goals but they operate within the circle of the swastika or the swastika is a part of this spiritual non-reality.

There is a place for prayer and even sacrifice but only to achieve our ends, not to subordinate our ends in accordance with Whom we own our existence to.

The ‘good’ is what is good for me and the ‘bad’ is what is bad for me. ‘Me’ is the ultimate center of the universe.

‘I’ can use different devices to change ‘my’ luck, but it has nothing to do with ‘my’ moral standards or actions.

Sometimes ‘I’ can adjust my behavior to something to which was told to ‘me’ as being moral, but only to use it as another device to adjust ‘my’ luck. G-d and morality serves ‘me’.

This is the kind of syncretic mindset common among formal monotheists. They still believe that there are self-turning powers independent from The Only One Above.

B’Ezras Hashem I will come back to the topic of “luck”, as it deserves an essay for itself.

Conclusion

Those are the four forms of civilization and their four graphic symbols representing the very essence of what they are.

As I said in the introduction to this essay, this observation is just a glimpse of the revelation of G-d in history.