Hamsa

My aunt and her hamsa

Hamsa Collection — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:18:29 +0000

The first time I saw or even heard of a Hamsa was about thirty years ago. My aunt was wearing one as a pendant. A good friend of hers gave it to her. I was interested in it and asked her what it meant. She said that it was the “Hand of God” and that is all she knew about it. Her daugther in law said that it is a Jewish symbol used to ward off “the evil eye”.

Years passed and so did my aunt. I often did think about the Hamsa pendant and wanted to find out more about it. I found out that it indeed was to ward off the evil eye. It is both a Muslim and Jewish symbol. The Hamsa is a hand that can be pointed upward or downward and that it did not matter which way it was pointed. There are many more interesting points about a Hamsa that I will not go into here.

Since that first time I saw a Hamsa I have bought many hamsa pendants in different shapes, sizes and colors. I wear one every day and feel safe knowing that my aunt is looking down at me and smiling.

Written by Maria S.

Hamsa pendant by Laly

Hamsa Collection — Sat, 22 May 2010 10:48:48 +0000

This hamsa necklace is one of the Laly hamsa collection of exquisite works.

This beautiful red hamsa is a Judaism symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Hamsa colors: Pink and Red.

This hamsa necklace is made in Israel

Hamsa Pendant by Adaya

Hamsa Collection — Sat, 15 May 2010 09:46:40 +0000

Hamsa is a Judaism symbol of good luck and prosperity.
These beautiful hamsa pendants are part of the Adaya special collections of symbolic Judaica art.

Adaya Studio is working since 1992.
In the Adaya collections you can find unique jewelry as well as fine Judaica gifts.

These hamsa pendants are handmade with great care for details and a good finish.

Colors:
A – Turquoise, purple, yellow and blue.
B – Orange, green and purple.
C – Blue.

Size: 3.8×2.4cm / 1.5×1″

Royalty & Noah’s Ark Hamsa – Hanging on the wall

Hamsa Collection — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:34:13 +0000

These hamsa decorations painted by hand, are decorated with Swarovski crystals and are part of the Ester Shahaf Judaica collection of exquisite works.

Hamsa size: 12.5x8cm / 5×3.2″
Made of pewter and signed by Ester Shahaf.

So, what is a hamsa?

Hamsa Collection — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:25:58 +0000

It is probably the most interesting Hebrew symbol there is. It’s a talisman which is said to have almost magical protection against the evil eye and an amulet for prosperity and good luck. It is hung around the neck as a pendant or from the ears; it is hung around the mirror in a car; it is hung on the wall as home décor. The uses for a hamsa are endless. And so are the designs of the hamsa…

Here you will see some amazing hamsas, all handmade in Israel by famous artists and designers. Whether it is a hamsa as jewelry or a hamsa wall hanging for home décor, these are some of the most beautiful pieces you will find anywhere.

Check here often to learn more about the fascinating hamsa, and to feast your eyes on some fabulous examples of this unique Israeli symbol.

The Hamsa and Your Success

Hamsa Collection — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:03:58 +0000

By Yaron Gordon

Article Word Count: 680
The Hamsa is a very interesting symbol used in both Islamic and Jewish culture.
Most commonly, the Hamsa is made in the shape of a hand with five fingers outstretched. There is, however, the unique Cohanim Hamsa. In this position, the forefinger and third finger are joined from one side, and the ring finger and the little finger are joined from the other side. This forms the Hebrew letter “shin” and is the position of a Cohen’s fingers when he blesses the congregation.

The name “Hamsa” (“Hansa” in Sanskrit, or “Al Khamsa” in Arabic) is from the Semitic root word for five, and is a very ancient symbol in the Middle East. Although it is an ancient symbol, the Hamsa is still popular today and is believed to possess magical powers of protection, happiness and prosperity.

Some say that the Jews were the first to adopt the use of the Hamsa, as a protective amulet against the evil eye. Jewish lore sometimes calls the Hamsa the Hand of Miriam, referring to Miriam, the sister of Moses, or it is more generally called the Hand of God.

The Hamsa hand is also a popular talisman with Muslims, who call it the Hand of Fatima, referring to the daughter of Mohammed. To the Muslims, the Hamsa sometimes refers to the five pillars of Islam.

The Hamsa (also spelled “Chamsa” or “Khamsa”) is a very versatile symbol and can be worn as a pendant, can be used as a wall hanging or is sometimes even placed in a car for good luck and protection from evil.

When trying to decide where to hang a Hamsa you may find a lot of answers, but the truth is that it is according to your feelings. Hang the Hamsa where you need its powers of success or where you desire its powers of defense. As well as being worn as jewelry on your body, the Hamsa can be used as a wall decor in your bedroom or living room, or you could hang it in your kitchen where everyone would be blessed, or under the mirror of your car, to bring good fortune and prosperity.

As to whether it is appropriate to use the Hamsa with the fingers pointing up or down, it depends upon whether you wish for protection against the evil eye, or for luck and success. With the fingers pointed up, the Hamsa symbolizes a “stop sign” to the adversary, in other words, for protection. With the fingers pointed down, the Hamsa symbolizes God’s goodness and blessings coming down to the wearer or to the room where it is hung. The interpretation of the Hamsa is for the individual who owns it.

For those interested in numerology, the word “Hamsa” means five, which is a prime number. The number five is a powerful number symbolizing protection, power and good fortune. The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is “hey,” which means “Adonai” (God). The word “yad” (Hebrew for “hand,” the shape of the Hamsa) has the number 14. If you take the number 14 and view it as 1 plus 4, it equals 5, the number for Adonai.

In Chinese philosophy, the number five symbolizes the five senses, five basic colors and five elemental activities — Earth, Fire, Metal, Water and Wood, and it is linked to the “sefira” Geburah, on the tree of life (Kabbalah).

The number five is also represented in the Pentagram (five pointed star) and is an emblem for defense (The Pentagon).

The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. is a well known five sided building in the shape of a pentagon. The Pentagon was designed to house the War Department around the time the United States entered WWII. Ever since it was built the Pentagon has been a symbol of power and defense for the United States and her allies.

From this article we can learn about the Hamsa and the connection between the Hamsa hand, the Hand of God, the pentagram, the Pentagon and the Seal of Solomon. They are all symbols of the number five, the symbol of power, protection and success.

Yaron Gordon, the author of this article, is a well known, knowledgeable and respected owner of a boutique specializing in Judaica gifts. His gallery includes many hamsas ranging from Hamsa pendant to Hamsa hand for wall décor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yaron_Gordon