Lionel Ziprin
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Lionel Ziprin (b. 1925) is a former beatnik poet and gadfly living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He is also the grandson of the renowned Orthodox rabbi, Rabbi Nuftali Zvi Margolies Abulafia, who recorded a 15-LP set of Jewish liturgical music in a neighborhood yeshiva during the 1950s with noted ethnomusicologist Harry Smith.
Ziprin has spent most of his life attempting to find a large record label to distribute these recordings, which did not receive much attention until a New Year's Day story about his quest was broadcast on National Public Radio. Following the broadcast, several prominent individuals-including musician John Zorn-expressed an interest in finding a mainstream distributor for his grandfather's recordings.
Ziprin has been a kabbalist since before the 1960's, prior to even returning to Orthodoxy. He later shifted to a more ultra-Orthodox mode of Jewish observance. At times, he provided one-on-one tutoring for those who needed his assistance. Through kabbalah, Ziprin has helped at least a few individuals gain insight into their problems..[1]
At least one of his lessons is based on the pentagram ad its relation to kabbalah.[2] According to Ziprin, the pentagram is the key to figuring out a magic square which possesses an odd number of squares, and thus is heavily integrated in Jewish mysticism and numerology. It is because of this that King Solomon's battle shield was purportedly emblazoned with this design. Below is a step-by-step explanation of how the pentagram is the solution key, along with two magic squares exhibiting the proper placement of numbers to form the solution, following the various steps and alternatives..[3]
| 8 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 4 | 9 | 2 |
- As depicted in the diagram at right, the first number should be placed in the center square of the top row.
- The next number is placed diagonally up towards the right, corrolating with the first line drawn in a pentagram. Because this is an invalid option (because the number 1 is in the top row), the alternative is to proceed to the lowest available square one column to the right, corresponding the second drawn line of a pentagram.
- The next nember is, as before, placed diagonally up and towards the right. However, because this is again an invalid option, and the alternative is also invalid (because we are in the right-most column), the secondary alternative is placed in the left-most square one row up, corresponding with the third drawn line of a pentagram.
| 10 | 23 | 1 | 20 | 15 |
| 22 | 5 | 19 | 14 | 9 |
| 4 | 18 | 13 | 8 | 21 |
| 17 | 12 | 7 | 25 | 3 |
| 11 | 6 | 24 | 2 | 16 |
- The next number is, as before, placed diagonally up and towards the right. However, because this spot is taken, the alternative is to place the number in the bottom-most square of the same row, corresponding to the fourth drawn line of a pentagram. Note that this does not follow the invalid rule above, because whereas before there was no square present, this time the diagonally related square exists but is occupied. This corresponds to the fourth drawn line of a pentagram.
- Should this last placement rule not be executable because the lowest square in the column to the right be occupied, the number is to be placed in the bottom-most square of the same column. This corresponds to the fifth and final drawn line of a pentagram.
The five line segments mentioned above will form a pentagram if their end-points are drawn as follows. Draw the circle with clock-face numbers around the periphery, outside of the cirle. Now, within the circle, and making all points on the circumference, make a point at 7 o'clock. Draw a line to connect it to a dot at 12:30. Then draw a line from there to connect it to a point at 4 o'clock. Then draw a line to 9 o'clock. Then draw a line from there to connect to 2 o'clock. If you connect 2 o'clock with the initial 7 o'clock, you will produce a pentagram. Each line drawn corresponds to the step or alternative or secondary alternative, etc. when attempting to place the next consecutive number within a magic square..[4]
[edit] External Links
- FIBA 2006 Articles related to Ziprin's work.
- A Grandson's Quest to Preserve His Jewish Heritage Original NPR report.
- A Beatnik Finds Treasure In His Grandfather’s Beats
[edit] References
Ziprin interviewed by and provided personal tutoring sessions for Joe Slamowitz in the early 1960's. Mr. Slamowitz currently resides in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
