| Photo Information |
Copyright: Alp Capa (ArcapA)
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 30 W: 16 N: 12]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/s-s-s.gif) (186) |
| Genre: Places |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2006-01-25 |
| Categories: Nature |
| Camera: Canon PowerShot S2 IS |
| Exposure: f/2.7, 1/8 seconds |
| Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop |
| Date Submitted: 2006-01-27 4:23 |
| Viewed: 562 |
| Points: 8 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I took this shot while I was smoking in front of my window. It was snowing and took my arm out the window and started shooting with super macro mode. I took many shots but this one came out to be incredible I think. My blue sweat shirt also gave a very good background. There is really no modification except contrast and color enhancement.
I dedicate this photo to all my Jewish friends in Istanbul. Because the snow flake really resembles the Star of David. I am a Moslem (not a religious one) but most of my close friends are Jewish. I am really happy to live in a multi-cultural country where everybody can practice their religion freely. There are some extreme (religious) people in Turkey as well. But there are even more extremes in Israel also. So, every country has their fanatics. We just have to live with them and hope they will someday learn to respect every kind of belief.
Star of David:
The shape of the star is an example of the hexagram, a symbol which has significance for other belief systems. The hexagram is a Mandala symbol found on ancient Indian temples built thousands of years ago. It symbolizes the Nara-Narayana, or perfect meditative state of balance achieved between Man and God, and if maintained, results in "Moksha," or "Nirvana" (release from the bounds of the earthly world and its material trappings).
Another theory about the origin of the shape is that it is simply 2 of the 3 letters in the name David. In its Hebrew spelling, David contains only 3 characters, 2 of which are "D" (or "Dalet", in Hebrew). In ancient times, this letter was written in a form much like a triangle, similar to the greek letter "Delta", with which it shares a sound and the same (4th) position in their respective alphabets, as it does with English. The symbol may have been a simple family crest formed by flipping and juxtaposing the two most prominent letters in the name.
Some researchers have theorized that the Star of David represents the astrological chart at the time of David's birth or anointment as king. The Star of David is also known as the "King's Star" in astrological circles, and was an important astrological symbol in Zoroastrianism.
In antique papyri, pentagrams, together with stars and other signs, are frequently found on amulets bearing the Jewish names of God, and used to guard against fever and other diseases. Curiously hexagram is not found among these signs. In the great magic papyrus at Paris and London there are twenty-two signs side by side, and a circle with twelve signs, but neither a pentacle nor a hexagram.
Therefore, the syncretism of Hellenistic, Jewish, and Coptic influences probably did not originate the symbol. It is possible that it was the Kabbalah that derived the symbol from the Templars. Kabbalah makes use of this sign, arranging the Ten Sephiroth, or spheres, in it, and placing it on amulets.
Source: wikipedia.org |
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