What does the Star of David mean?

The name

“Magen David” – shield of David – is a name for God, the protector of David. It appears in the blessing after the Haftarah reading, “Blessed are You, Lord, Shield of David”, which the Talmud already knows (Pesachim 117b). The Bible never describes a six-pointed star.

How it became a symbol

The hexagram was a decorative motif in many ancient cultures. It appears on some ancient buildings and in medieval Hebrew manuscripts, and was used by kabbalists and amulet makers. From the late Middle Ages the Jewish community of Prague used it as its emblem, and from there it spread to synagogues across Europe. In 1897 the Zionist movement adopted it for its flag, and it became the centre of the flag of Israel in 1948.

The yellow star

The Nazis forced Jews to wear a yellow Star of David as a badge of shame. After the Holocaust it became, for many, a sign of survival and pride. Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, uses a red Star of David as its emblem.

Meanings given to it

Later writers read meanings into the shape – six points for the six directions under God’s rule, two triangles for the bond between God and Israel, or heaven and earth. These are interpretations, not the origin of the symbol.

Halachic status

The Star of David has no ritual holiness: wearing it is neither a mitzvah nor forbidden, and an object bearing it is not a holy object like a mezuzah or tefillin. It is treated with the respect due to a symbol of the Jewish people.