Magen Avraham

Magen Avraham
 
There is a well known shape that has been passed down through there generations as the symbol of our nation. The Magen David, shield of David (or star of David) is this symbol. It has a triangle facing upward superimposed with an inverted triangle over it. There are many Kabbalistic connections, meanings and uses of this shape, which I have explained elsewhere.
 
The shape that I have created here in this piece is similar, yet with 2 squares instead of triangles. This shape is said to be the “Shield of Avraham”. It is found in many Islamic applications, as well as in a lot of ancient Jewish art and architecture. The 2 squares create an 8 pointed star, representing the 8 days until circumcision, which Avraham was the first man to ever have this covenant with Hashem, and since, has been brought down through the generations. 8 is a number that represents the infinite, while a square represents finite. In this geometry, the finite becomes the infinite hinting to Hashems greatness in embodying the dichotomy of both.
 
In Parshat Lech Lecha, Hashem tells Abraham “’’אנכי מגן לך I will be your sheild, the angels promptly answer ’’בריך אתה ה’ מגן אברהם’’ Blessed are you G-d, the shield of Avraham.
Through the generations, we have been saying this daily in the silent prayer, as it describes the importance and connection to our ancestors and that Hashem is our eternal sheild and protection. This prayer is the opening paragraph of the Amida and has 42 words total, each word corresponding to the words of the Ana B’koach prayer and the 42 letter name of Hashem (each in turn corresponding to a sefira within a sefira.