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Is it wrong to wear a necklace of a magen david (star of David)? Would that be idolatry? And what if I kiss it? Will it then be idolatry?

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  • No because even a cross is not idolatry unless its worshipped
    – sam
    Commented Feb 2, 2014 at 0:03
  • I am going to go based on your username that you are male, in which case there may be other issues with wearing a necklace of any type.
    – Y     e     z
    Commented Feb 2, 2014 at 1:40
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    Welcome to Mi Yodeya, Mijael, and thanks for bringing your question here. Please note that this site makes no guarantee of validity, and does not offer professional (particularly rabbinic) advice. Treat information from this site like it came from a crowd of your friends, and consult a rabbi with practical questions. Perhaps also register your account: that will give you access to more of the site's features.
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Feb 2, 2014 at 3:12

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Rav Ari Enkin describes

From the days of the Arizal, people had the custom of making and wearing amulets with a Magen David. It was recommended that pregnant women wear a Magen David as a segula for an easy childbirth. There are also those who contend that the Magen David was actually the seal of King Solomon which he used in order to control demons,[Gittin 68a] though there is little support for this theory. Yet others argue that the roots of the six pointed star originate from the book of Isaiah where the six aspects of God’s spirit are described.[Yeshayahu 11:2]

It would seem that wearing a Magen Dovid wouldn't pose an issue of avoda zara.

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  • Why would it seem this way? For much of Jewish history, most Jews were idolaters. The fact that an unnamed Jew did something doesn't preclude the possibility that it is idolatry. Note also that the explanation for the source of the shape seems cute and speculative, rather than even attempting to muster historical evidence to reach the truth. For the latter, see Wikipedia's page which discusses the actual origin.
    – mevaqesh
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 15:57
  • Note also that question want limited to whether it is idolatry, but is whether it is permissible. This post ignored the question of whether or not segulot are forbidden.
    – mevaqesh
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 16:01

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