The Three Hares is an enigmatic and ancient symbol, which according to leading expert Dr Tom Greeves 'in so many places was given overtly special status or sacred status, as the centrepiece of Buddhist caves in Dunhuang, or on an Islamic coin, or cast into one of the finest bells in Christian Europe, … [and] almost certainly used on different levels and meanings… Today we are free to interpret [its meaning]' [1]. The symbol features three hares running or crouching in a Strange Loop, with the ears of each hare shared by another. According to Three Hares expert Michel Terrier, 81.3% of Hares in England are turning counterclockwise [while] 80% of Chinese hares turn clockwise [2]. While some believe the rabbits symbolize eternity… [or] fertility, others consider them a representation of the connection between the heavens and the Earth [3]. For William Wotton and Browne Willis in 1716, the meaning of the three hares by then was lost [4].

A Noahic interpretation (2022) of the symbol

Inspired by correspondence with פטר חמור and subsequent chance events, on 18 April 2022 WikiNoah contributor המשיח הוא יהדות presented a Noahite interpretation of the Three Hares symbol on the Red Judaism (now Bei Abidan) YouTube channel, alongside פטר חמור and Eric the Great [5]. Using this interpretation, a higher-level correspondence was identified between occurrences of the symbol and theological continuity across different time zones and locales. Subsequent extrapolation of consistent markers within this isomorphic framework proved fruitful in leading to over one instance of theological and/or symbolic self-reference, thus lending credence to Wotton and Willis’ claim of a potential root meaning. Deductive steps below related to the Three Hares work from a Judaic reference point and extend into both contemporary and historical scholarship, with consistent markers and relevant theological (self-)references highlighted blue and orange respectively. Symbological (self-) references to the Auxerre Manuscript [figure 2], first published in the 13th Century and brought to public attention by Michel Terrier, are highlighted green.

Judaism

• Related instances of the Three Hares are found in Ukraine and particularly Podolia [6], which acted as a cultural bridgehead via which the Messianic tension of the Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire was transferred to Eastern Europe [7].

• According to Dr Boris Khaimovich, who is described as one of the most important and insightful researchers into Jewish gravestone epitaphs and iconography [6], on some monuments the motif of the “three hares” paradoxically replaces the “three overlapping fish”. Such a representation would seem to be possible only if they are identical semantically and contextually. The image of “three fish” on an eagle’s breast… can be interpreted as a metaphor for Shekhinah which rests on righteous men [8].

• Dr Khaimovich references Jewish art historian Rahel Wischnitzer in stating ‘Apparently, these or similar texts once gave [her] reason to believe that the three fish pictured on a platter for Purim, from Bamberg, symbolise the two Messiahs and the prophet Elijah [9].’

• According to Wischnitzer herself, they refer more specifically to ‘Elijah - the proclamatory of the Messiah, the Messiah ben Yosef - also proclamatory of the Messiah, and the Messiah ben David [10]’.

• A similar allegorical meaning can be drawn from Likutei Moharan 16:1, which describes a fish encountered by Rav Yochanan as having 'naFiTZ (spouted out) water from his two nostrils — This alludes to the two Messiahs [10a]'. (credit to פטר חמור)

• Dr Khaimovich’s interpretation of the image of the Three Hares on gravestones is that they are associated with ‘the names of the righteous (the forefathers and foremothers) and the name Moshe [11].’

• A connection to Dr Khaimovich’s interpretation can be identified in the Zohar, an esoteric book within the folds of Judaism, which describes the account of Abraham’s visitation by lower elements of G-d’s divinity in Genesis 18:2 – ‘ "And the Shechinah rested upon [Abraham] in full perfection, as should properly be… he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him..." (Gen. 18: 2) Who are these three men? They are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [the forefathers] (i.e., Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet of Zeir Anpin). [12]’

Noahic sub-movements within Judaism

• According to the website 13 Petals, which exists ‘primarily to help non-Jews get closer to G- d [13],… [the] name “Yeshua Sar haPanim” is in the portion [of some Orthodox prayer books] that deal with the order of Shofar blasts, together with Eliyahu the prophet and MemTet Sar haPanim (Prince [Mattat]), which gives us the acronym of Moshe. These three names come as a triad, after the mention of the angel Tartiel… Interesting consideration is that the names share the gematria of 52, which is the gematria of “Messiah” [Mashiakh] in ordinal numbers’… [for Rabbi Nathan Shapira] the role of these three is to testify about the deeds of the souls who ascend to Gan Eden.’

• ‘In the Vilna Gaon’s school of thought it is explained that MemTet is the angel that represents Messiah ben Yosef: “The Messiah ben Yosef from above is MemTet Sar haPanim, as it is known that Yosef is [a spark incarnation of] MemTet [cf. Shaar haGilgulim 31:7b]. Both of them are from the light of above and from the Sefirah of Yesod, being active in the war against [the spiritual force in charge of destroying the people of G-d, called] Armilus”… Eliyahu the prophet in the same manner is supposed to come back before Messiah ben David, to “prepare the way”.

• 13 Petals concludes ‘It is important to notice that in the Hasidei Ashkenaz Judaism, G-d is incorporeal, invisible, and beyond eternity. All that exists and all that we know has been emanated from Him’ [14].

• Similarly, WikiNoah contributor פטר חמור has stated that according to his understanding of oral tradition, the heavenly sparks of Messiah ben Yosef, Eliyahu and Messiah ben David are united in the sefirah of Yesod. As individual concepts, the Messiah ben Yosef can represent the Begotten Name or the Tree of Life, Eliyahu corresponds to Yesod or the appearance of אֵל רֳאִי, and the Messiah ben David corresponds to Adam Kadmon / רוח אלהים (Spirit of G-d).

Buddhism

Manichaean Gnosticism

Islam

Christianity

Mithraism

Paganism

Hinduism

Ancient Egyptian Pantheon

Evidence summary

With the obvious difficulties of establishing conscious translation of meaning, it is rather curious to note that the relative success of a Noahite interpretation amongst occurrences of the Three Hares and related symbols can otherwise be attributed to [insert here] behaviour on an unconscious level, mirroring the symbolic depiction.

Potential further connections

Yoruba Pantheon

Potential theological interpretations

Micah 4:5 וְיָֽשְׁב֗וּ אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֧חַת גַּפְנ֛וֹ וְתַ֥חַת תְּאֵֽנָת֖וֹ וְאֵ֣ין מַֽחֲרִ֑יד כִּי־פִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת דִּבֵּֽר:

Credit

All credit is given to השם‎‎ and His will, המשיח הוא יהדות, פטר חמור and those connected to the authorship of The Three Hares: A Curiosity Worth Regarding notwithstanding.

References

Footnotes

1. Greeves, T.; Andrews, S.; Chapman, C. (2016) The Three Hares: A Curiosity Worth Regarding p.320

2. Terrier, M. (2007) Trois-lievres.skyrock.com (Accessed: 27 December 2021).

3. Meier, A. (2016) The Mystery of the Three Hares Motif. (Accessed: 27 December 2021).

4. Greeves, T.; Andrews, S.; Chapman, C. (2016) The Three Hares: A Curiosity Worth Regarding p.64

5. Butterflies, G.; Red Judaism; Eric the Great (18 April 2022) The Great Easter Bunny Hunt! Available at https://[youtu.be]/2QSTmfLIxuo

6. Author Unknown (2016) The “Three Hares” motif — a worldwide (including Jewish) curiosity. (Accessed: 30 December 2022).

7. Bukovec, P. (2012) Ashkenazi Jews in Early Modern Europe. Available at https://brewminate.com/ashkenazi-jews-in-early-modern-europe/ (Accessed: 27 December 2021).

8. Boris Khaimovich (2011): On the semantics of the motif “three hares chasing each other in a circle” on Jewish monuments in Eastern Europe, East European Jewish Affairs, 41:3, p.157, p.170

9. Boris Khaimovich (2011): On the semantics of the motif “three hares chasing each other in a circle” on Jewish monuments in Eastern Europe, East European Jewish Affairs, 41:3, p.164

10. Witschnitzer, R. (1935) Symbole und Gestalten und Symbole der jüdischen Kunst. Berlin-Schöneberg: S. Scholem (in German) (Forms and Symbols of Jewish Art), p.135

10a. Likutei Moharan 16:1. Available at https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan.16.1.2?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en (Accessed: 04 January 2023).

11. Boris Khaimovich (2011): On the semantics of the motif “three hares chasing each other in a circle” on Jewish monuments in Eastern Europe, East European Jewish Affairs, 41:3, p.166

12. Zohar 1:98b. Available at https://www.sefaria.org/Zohar.1.98b?lang=bi (Accessed: 27 December 2021).

13. Casal, X. About 13 Petals. Available at http://www.13petals.org/about-13-petals/ (Accessed: 27 December 2021).

14. Casal, X. (2015) Sar haPanim in the Machzor for Yom Kippur. Available at http://www.13petals.org/topical-studies/shar-hapanim-in-the-machzor-for-yom-kippur/ (Accessed: 27 December 2021).

Figures

1.