Day 1828 – Hamsa Doodle
As I mentioned yesterday, I am starting off our 6th year with a little luck in hand.
I have always been fascinated by the Hamsa. A true symbol of good strength and wisdom.
According to Wikipedia the Hamsa is described as follows:
The hamsa (Arabic: ????? khamsah, also romanized khamsa, meaning lit. “five”) is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and commonly used in jewelry and wall hangings.[1][2] Depicting the open right hand, an image recognized and used as a sign of protection in many societies throughout history, the hamsa is believed to provide defense against the evil eye. The symbol predates Judaism, Christianity and Islam.[citation needed] In Islam, it is also known as the hand of Fatima, so named to commemorate Muhammad‘s daughter Fatima Zahra (c. 605 or 615[3] – 633). Levantine Christians call it the hand of Mary, for the Virgin Mary. Jews refer to it as the hand of Miriam in remembrance of the biblical Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron.
The hamsa’s path into Jewish culture, and its popularity particularly in Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish communities, can be traced through its use in Islam.[10][2] Many Jews believe that the five fingers of the hamsa hand remind its wearer to use their five senses to praise God.[16] This “favorite Muslim talisman” became a part of Jewish tradition in North African and Middle EasternMuslim countries.[17] The symbol of the hand appears in Kabbalistic manuscripts and amulets, doubling as the Hebrew letter “shin,” the first letter of “Shaddai,” one of the names referring to God.[18]
Here’s Today’s Hamsa Doodle
