The Blessed God – Looking Up

Looking up, we see the apparent motion of the stars around a planet’s pole. The beaded lion (borrowed from a chanukiyah made by the Bezalel School in 20th century Israel) represents both Judah and the zodiac. In the lower right is part of a modern galaxy chart. These two elements represent two methods we have used to describe and control our world. The word written in negative space is either שבח – shevach, praise – or שבת – Shabbat, Sabbath. This is an allusion to the overall nature of the prayer, that is praise, and the extensive insertions to this prayer on Shabbat.
The spiraling script is based on an Aramaic incantation bowl from 7th century Mesopotamia. These bowls were meant to provide protection for their owners. People often use prayer and science in a similar way.