unified heart

[jemima]

could anyone tell me what the unified heart symbol thingy is?is it another one of leonards drawings, or is it from something else?
cheers guys, jemima

[jarkko]

It's Leonard's own symbol - he made David's star using two hearts.

[Geoffrey]

Jarkko wrote:
>[The 'Unified Heart'] is Leonard's own symbol - he made David's star using two hearts.


Yes, it is his symbol, although it was not 'made' by him - as I'm sure he would be the first to admit. Two intertwining hearts representing David's star is a well-documented ancient Jewish image. Examples of it, especially in jewellery, have, for example, been found by archeologists during various excavations. It is thousands of years old.

[cracker39]

I've been a fan of LC for about 12 years or so. I saw the Order of the Unified Heart in the Dear Heather CD insert and started looking for some reference to it. I found this poem that isn't signed by an author. I have no reason to think LC wrote it, but from it's content, it's like something he would have written.

http://www.astrofantasy.com/poetry/Sanc ... _heart.htm

[SueJB]

I just saw the concert in Wellington NZ. I'm a gentile but I'm getting very interested in Judaism and may convert. I had to buy one of the t-shrts. The symbol on the front was the "Unified Heart" Magen David, with two hands superimposed doing the "Shin" gesture - that's a priestly benediction, the one that Leonard Nimoy copied for the Vulcan greeting on Star Trek. These two hands frame, in the heart of the hearts, the letter Shin itself. Which is the first letter of the name of God, and also the first letter of the Sh'ma, the Jewish declaration of faith. "Sh'ma Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu, Adonai echod."

Leonard Cohen is my Rabbi...

[kiwifoster7]

Thanks so much for this information Sue. I bought the same T shirt at the Christchurch concert 3 Nov, without understanding what the hands meant, or the Hebrew letter. So pleased to now know.

[SueJB]

I'm glad what I posted was useful for you!

[brightnow]

Welcome to the forum Sue!

[horo1984]

Welcome, welcome (cries a voice) Sue!

+1 to the Unified Heart T-shirt Cult - I bought one last week too!

Jemima, there's fascinating thread on the unified heart here, complete with images and scholarly writings on the subject:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15217&start=0

Happy reading


Lester

[IMM]

I think that the noted symbologist, Robert Langdon, explained it to the author Dan Brown (using the Star of David version) as the "blade" and "chalice" in The Da Vinci Code.

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[sturgess66]

Hi Sarah - check this thread about a necklace -

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=23904

[clive cass]

The Logo of the hands with splayed fingers surrounding what looks like the letter W is in fact 2 of the most important symbols within the Jewish Religeon.

In the middle is the Hebrew letter shin that looks like the letter W.

Shin is for Shaday (pronounced Sha Di (eye) which means god all mighty and is the symbol on all mezuzas or the small objects on doors in Jewish homes. These objects contain the 3 paragraphs of the Shema which is probably the most important prayer in Judaism and is an extract from the Old Testement or Torah. This prayer contains the command to place these objects on doors to mark the house as being a jewish home and to remind occupants when they go through the doors of the house that they are jewish. The opening lines of the Shema are recited on the death bed and would be recited by jews in times of peril or danger.

As for the hands and fingers Jews are divided into 3 groups. The groups are Cohens which are Priests, Levies who are the Priests assistants and Israelites who are everyone else. There are very few Cohens and Levies perhaps 5% each amongst all jews and although they are no better than anyone else they do fulfill certain roles.

Most Jews with the name Cohen are Cohens Lie Leonard) but jews with other names can also be Cohens, such as myself (surname Cass).

One of the roles of the cohens is to bless the congregation on festivals and the cohens drapes the prayer shawl or tallit over their heads and hold it forward as if over the congregation. The tallit is draped over the fingers which are required to be spread as in the logo ie 2 pairs of fingers spread open.