[Avodah] national flag???

[Joel C. Salomon]

On 10/06/2011 09:53 PM, kennethgmiller at juno.com wrote:
> R' Zev Sero wrote:
>> So, a neis is a pole on which Moshe put the nechash nechoshes,
>> which combined make what certainly sounds like a standard of
>> the sort used by the Roman Army.
> 
> So: Am I to understand that a flag is a sheet of fabric containing a two-dimensional design or symbol of some sort, while a standard is a pole which supports a three-dimensional object which is serving as a symbol of some sort?

A flag is a sheet of fabric; a standard is a more general word.  The
nechash nechoshes was probably something like the later Roman Aquila
standard; see <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_(Roman)>

--Chesky