The Pesikta Rabbati, a medieval rabbinic text, says the Temple could not be destroyed in the month of Nisan since its sign, a ram, is a reminder of the ram sacrificed in Isaac’s stead.
The Museum at Eldridge Street is thrilled to announce the installation of its new mosaic floor, based on Jewish interpretations of the zodiac, designed by renowned artist Mark Podwal. The spectacular floor brings symbols of the astrological zodiac to life through a mosaic tile design fabricated and installed by artisans from Progetto Arte Poli, a storied and innovative studio workshop based in Verona, Italy. This mosaic floor reinterprets the twelve zodiac signs according to Jewish tradition. Each sign is paired with the first Hebrew letter of the month it is associated with according to the Hebrew calendar.
The Pesikta Rabbati, a medieval rabbinic text, says the Temple could not be destroyed in the month of Nisan since its sign, a ram, is a reminder of the ram sacrificed in Isaac’s stead.
The bull alludes to the great sin that happened this month, the sin of the Golden Calf.
The twins symbolize the twin Tablets of the Ten Commandments, which were given this month.
The crab pinches and hurts, and this month is traditionally a time of sadness for the Jewish people. For example, during this month, Moses saw Jews worship the Golden Calf. Enraged by this, Moses shattered the set of tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments.
The Temple was called Ariel, “the lion of God,” and was destroyed during this month by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who is himself referred to as a lion in the Book of Jeremiah.
“Elul” has been interpreted as an acrostic for the verse from “Song of Songs”: “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine." Thus, Elul’s zodiac sign is a maiden often portrayed as holding flowers or wheat.
In Tishrei during the High Holidays one’s deeds are weighed and one’s fate in the New Year is determined, hence the pair of scales.
“Scorpion” is used to refer to Greece in the Jewish text of the Talmud. Additionally, mar means “bitterness” in Hebrew: this month is seen as bitter as it lacks any holidays in contrast to the holiday-rich month of Tishrei.
The bow, or keshet in Hebrew, is an appropriate symbol for the Maccabees and their fight against Hellenistic forces, which Jews celebrate during the Hanukkah festival beginning on the 25th day of Kislev. A dreidel, a four-sided spinning top played during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, is the arrowhead.
Capricorn is depicted as a mythological creature with the body of a goat and tail of a fish, a symbol found in both the Babylonian zodiac and Jewish mythology. Here, the sea goat holds a menorah, a nod to the festival of Hanukkah, which extends itself to the first two days of Tevet and infuses the month with light.
As the purpose of a bucket is to be a vessel to carry water, so too the purpose of the Jewish People is to be the ‘Water Carrier,’ the vessel of the living waters of the Torah.
Two fish swimming in opposite directions evoke fish as a symbol of good luck in the Jewish tradition. Because fish do not have eyelids, their eyes are always open and protect against the evil eye. The zodiac sign includes hamantashen, a Jewish triangular pastry associated with this month's Jewish holiday of Purim.
