The Dove

We have a granddaughter called Paloma, who lives in London. This name was chosen by her parents as a symbol of peace and good fortune. The word is in fact very rich in symbols adopted by different peoples, different beliefs, different painters and more. Through the centuries this bird forms a very rich iconography, whether in art in general or in religious figures. In mythology the dove represented the Mother Goddess. In the ruins of the temple of Mesopotamia we see doves in relief as decorative birds representing the Mother Goddess. In the temple of Cyprus the doves symbolize figures of happiness and procreation. And they became the sacred birds of Astarte, the goddess of Canaan, whose name changed into Esther. The same thing is seen in the goddesses Venus and Fortuna, who are depicted holding doves in their hands or on their heads.

The dove also represents the Breath, or 'Ruah'. Both in Bereshit and in the Dead Sea Scrolls we see that the 'Ruah' is linked with doves. Another dove figure we find in the story of Noah: the dove that returned with the olive branch in its beak announces to Noah that land is near. The same figure also appears in the epic of Gilgamesh, where Utnapishtim sends a dove from the ark, which comes back. After a time he sends a raven, which does not return. So it is understood that the raven was able to descend on dry land. The Torah also speaks of the Jewish people and of sacrificed doves. We have in Jerusalem, in the City of David, ruins of columbaria (dove towers) where doves were kept for the sacrifices. Christianity adopted the dove to symbolize the Holy Spirit that emanates from God. The ancient Greek word for dove was 'peristera', which comes from 'Perah Ishtar' of the Semitic language, meaning 'Flower or Bird of Ishtar'. The goddess Aphrodite, or Venus, is always seen with doves on her or around her on ancient vases.

Doves are sacred in Japanese mythology because they are the spirit of Hachiman, the god of war in the Shinto and Buddhist faiths. The dove is also associated with peace and pacifism, as at the Olympics. In politics it became the symbol of protests against war and violence. The dove with the olive branch became the symbol of the 'Peace and Freedom' movement in the 15th century. In the 20th century it is seen in the lithographs of Pablo Picasso (this time without the olive branch). And so our granddaughter allowed me to name her with the affection we have in seeing her. May her name bring the hope of health and peace to the world. Birds, goddesses and gods, amulets can be interesting examples. For humanity, world and spiritual peace will come with the contribution of each of us, bearing in mind that we are all in the same boat, and before it takes on too much water and sinks, we must protect it.

Another name, by coincidence, again of one of our grandsons, is Noah. Like Paloma, it made me want to look more closely at the name Noah through the centuries. The parasha spoke to us of the Flood that happened at the beginnings of time, and of Noah. When they gave the second grandson this name, we were overjoyed. The name symbolizes justice, uprightness, honesty, and reminds us that we must always be correct, love and praise nature and leave it in good condition for the future of the new generations. Reading the parasha of Noah, I realized that we do not know Noah's personality very well. We know he is upright, but there is no detail about his life and character. Uncle Google tells us that this name means tranquillity, peace, intelligence, reflection, and that the one who bears it is beloved and delightful.

The third grandson, who is Noah's twin brother, is called 'Ilan', which in Hebrew means tree. In Bereshit there is talk of 'Hag ha-Ilanot', which is what we celebrate as the festival of 'Tu Bishvat', the festival of trees and of everything we eat that grows from the earth. Tree makes us think of being upright, having strong roots, knowing how to give back to Nature what we receive from Nature. Speaking of the tree, we remember the prohibition on touching the 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil', which was the cause of Adam and Eve's sin. Speaking of the tree, we know that the roots remind us that man must hold on to his roots, the branches symbolizing the home and the family. The tree, in short, is the symbol of life and rebirth. So our three grandchildren made me think about their names, the meaning of their names and what they can symbolize in life.