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| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition Joshua Trachtenberg, THE anomalous position of the Jew in the modern world is but a latter-day version of the fate that has dogged his footsteps ever since he wandered forth among strange and hostile peoples. In no time and place, however, was his statusand his plightso manifestly unique as in medieval Europe. The essence of that uniqueness lay in his ambiguous relationship to the Christian society in which he led his precarious existence, on the one hand influenced by all the objective forces which molded his environment, on the other, shut off from that environment by insurmountable walls of suspicion and animosity. His wilful persistence in his religious and cultural difference from the intolerant Christian civilization of the day, the dogmatic enmity fostered by the Church, his minority status coupled with an effective economic competition with his non-Jewish neighbors, all these combined to create an attitude of envy and hatred. But these alone do not tell the whole story; we must admit a further element into the psychological complex which determined the attitude of Christian toward Jewan element which today has lost its force in the composition of anti-Semitism, but which in the Middle Ages loomed very large. For it contributed the emotion of fear, even of superstitious dread, in an age when superstition was the prevailing faith not alone of the masses, but of many of their leaders as well. Sorcery was a very real and terrifying phenomenon in those days, and many medieval Christians looked upon the Jew as the magician par excellence. The allegiance to Satan, attributed to Jews with an insistence that almost drowned out its true implication, was not merely a form of invective or rhetoric. Satan was the ultimate source of magic, which operated only by his diabolic will and connivance. Christian writers make it quite clear that this is the connection to which they refer.1 Secular and religious authorities took action time and again against the Jews expressly on this count, and the Inquisition occasionally availed itself of the charge to get around the restrictions of ecclesiastical law which excluded the Jew from its legitimate hunting grounds. The masses also were quick to seize the opportunity afforded by this accusation, and mass attacks upon the Jews frequently followed the levelling of the charge. To cite but one instance: the most violent mob assault upon Jews in England, which overwhelmed every major Jewish community and took a tragic toll of martyrs, had its inception at the coronation of Richard I in London on September 3, 1189. On that occasion a Jewish delegation bearing gifts and pledges of allegiance was driven from the palace, publicly accused of having come to cast their enchantments over the newly crowned king, and was set upon by the crowd; the outbreak spread rapidly through the city and the land, took more than half a year to spend itself and left in its wake a trail of horrible butcheries. Such manifestations, in greater or lesser degree, were the usual concomitant of a like accusation. The striking feature of the Christian apprehension of Jewish sorcery is that it adhered not to certain specific Jews, who had aroused it by their actions, but rather to the entire people, en masse. Consequently every innocent Jewish act which by its strangeness laid itself open to suspicion was considered a diabolical device for working magic against Christians. The custom of throwing a clod of earth behind one after a funeral brought a charge of sorcery in Paris, in the early years of the thirteenth century, which might have had dire consequences if a certain Rabbi Moses b. Yeḥiel had not succeeded in persuading the king of its utterly harmless character. The practice of washing the hands on returning from the cemetery aroused the same suspicions of sorcery and provoked some bloody scenes. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition. A Study in Folk Religion Jewish Publication Society of America (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1967 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition Joshua Trachtenberg, 1977 |
| jewish magic and superstition: The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic & Mysticism Geoffrey W. Dennis, 2016-02-08 “An erudite . . . lively compendium of Jewish magical beliefs, practices, texts, and individuals. . . . superb, comprehensive. . . . belongs in every serious library.” —Richard M. Golden, Director of the Jewish Studies Program, University of North Texas, and editor of The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Western Tradition Jewish esotericism is the oldest and most influential continuous occult tradition in the West. Presenting lore that can spiritually enrich your life, this one-of-a-kind encyclopedia is devoted to the esoteric in Judaism—the miraculous and the mysterious. In this second edition, Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis has added over thirty new entries and significantly expanded over one hundred other entries, incorporating more knowledge and passages from primary sources. This comprehensive treasury of Jewish teachings, drawn from sources spanning Jewish scripture, the Talmud, the Midrash, the Kabbalah, and other esoteric branches of Judaism, is exhaustively researched yet easy to use. It includes over one thousand alphabetical entries, from Aaron to Zohar Chadesh, with extensive cross-references to related topics and new illustrations throughout. Drawn from the well of a great spiritual tradition, the secret wisdom within these pages will enlighten and empower you. “Rabbi Dennis has performed a tremendously important service for both the scholar and the novice in composing a work of concise information about aspects of Judaism unbeknownst to most, and intriguing to all. —Rabbi Gershon Winkler, author of Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition Joshua Trachtenberg, 2021-01-01 Jewish Magic and Superstition is a comprehensive review of Jewish magic from the 10th to the 15th century. Many well-known Jewish traditions are explained in the book, as well as things like Golems, Succubi, the Lillim, other magical creatures, talismans, amulets, charms, and other curious magical objects. There are also chapters dealing with dream interpretation, medical beliefs, necromancy, and other forms of divination. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic Before the Rise of Kabbalah Yuval Harari, 2017-06-02 A comprehensive study of Jewish magic in the late antiquity and the early Islamic period—the phenomenon, the sources, and method for its research, and the history of scholarly investigation into its nature and origin. Magic culture is certainly fascinating. But what is it? What, in fact, are magic writings, magic artifacts? Originally published in Hebrew in 2010, Jewish Magic Before the Rise of Kabbalah is a comprehensive study of early Jewish magic focusing on three major topics: Jewish magic inventiveness, the conflict with the culture it reflects, and the scientific study of both. The first part of the book analyzes the essence of magic in general and Jewish magic in particular. The book begins with theories addressing the relationship of magic and religion in fields like comparative study of religion, sociology of religion, history, and cultural anthropology, and considers the implications of the paradigm shift in the interdisciplinary understanding of magic for the study of Jewish magic. The second part of the book focuses on Jewish magic culture in late antiquity and in the early Islamic period. This section highlights the artifacts left behind by the magic practitioners—amulets, bowls, precious stones, and human skulls—as well as manuals that include hundreds of recipes. Jewish Magic before the Rise of Kabbalah also reports on the culture that is reflected in the magic evidence from the perspective of external non-magic contemporary Jewish sources. Issues of magic and religion, magical mysticism, and magic and social power are dealt with in length in this thorough investigation. Scholars interested in early Jewish history and comparative religions will find great value in this text. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Divination, Magic, and Healing Ronald H. Isaacs, 1998 To find more information on Rowman & Littlefield titles, please visit us at www.rowmanlittlefield.com. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition. A Study in Folk Religion, Etc. [A Thesis.]. Joshua Trachtenberg, 1939 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition Joshua Trachtenberg, 2012-10-08 Alongside the formal development of Judaism from the eleventh through the sixteenth centuries, a robust Jewish folk religion flourished—ideas and practices that never met with wholehearted approval by religious leaders yet enjoyed such wide popularity that they could not be altogether excluded from the religion. According to Joshua Trachtenberg, it is not possible truly to understand the experience and history of the Jewish people without attempting to recover their folklife and beliefs from centuries past. Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins with legends of Jewish sorcery and proceeds to discuss beliefs about the evil eye, spirits of the dead, powers of good, the famous legend of the golem, procedures for casting spells, the use of gems and amulets, how to battle spirits, the ritual of circumcision, herbal folk remedies, fortune telling, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg's study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding of folk beliefs that expressed most eloquently the everyday religion of the Jewish people. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Ancient Jewish Magic Gideon Bohak, |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition Joshua Trachtenberg, 2025-02-10 Jewish Magic and Superstition by Joshua Trachtenberg is a groundbreaking exploration of the mystical and supernatural beliefs that have shaped Jewish folklore and traditions throughout history. In this meticulously researched work, Trachtenberg delves into the fascinating world of Jewish magic, uncovering the practices, rituals, and superstitions that have been passed down through generations. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including religious texts, historical documents, and cultural traditions, Trachtenberg offers a comprehensive analysis of the ways in which magic and the supernatural have influenced Jewish life, thought, and practices. The book provides a thorough examination of various forms of Jewish magic, from protective amulets and charms to rituals aimed at warding off evil forces. Trachtenberg also explores the role of astrology, divination, and other forms of occult knowledge within the Jewish community. Throughout the book, he highlights the tension between Jewish religious orthodoxy and the popular belief in supernatural forces, revealing the complex relationship between faith and magic in Jewish culture. Jewish Magic and Superstition goes beyond a simple account of folklore to offer deeper insights into the ways in which magical practices intersected with Jewish religious life. Trachtenberg discusses how these practices were often seen as a means of coping with the uncertainties and hardships of life, particularly during times of persecution and exile. He also examines the role of Jewish mysticism, including the Kabbalah, in shaping magical beliefs and practices, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the spiritual dimensions of Jewish magic. Readers are drawn to Jewish Magic and Superstition for its scholarly depth and engaging narrative. This book is an essential read for those interested in Jewish history, folklore, and mysticism, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of religion and superstition. Trachtenberg’s thorough research and clear writing make this book an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to understand the rich and complex world of Jewish magical traditions. Whether for academic study or personal interest, this book offers a compelling look into the fascinating and often misunderstood world of Jewish magic. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Magic, Mysticism, and Hasidism Gedalyah Nigal, 1994 Thoroughly researched and annotated, Professor Gedalyah Nigal's work examines such phenomena as the baalei shem - the individuals who by their knowledge of the holy names were able to perform great feats; kefitzat ha-derekh - the ability to traverse great distances in very little time; the transmigration of souls; dybbuks, possession, and exorcism; demons and their marriages to humans; the battles against forces of evil; the power of amulets; and journeys to the Garden of Eden and back. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Messianic Mystics Moshe Idel, 2000-05-01 One of the worl'ds leading scholars of Jewish thought examines the long tradition of Jewish messianism and mystical experience. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Between Worlds J. H. Chajes, 2012-03-07 After a nearly two-thousand-year interlude, and just as Christian Europe was in the throes of the great Witch Hunt and what historians have referred to as The Age of the Demoniac, accounts of spirit possession began to proliferate in the Jewish world. Concentrated at first in the Near East but spreading rapidly westward, spirit possession, both benevolent and malevolent, emerged as perhaps the most characteristic form of religiosity in early modern Jewish society. Adopting a comparative historical approach, J. H. Chajes uncovers this strain of Jewish belief to which scant attention has been paid. Informed by recent research in historical anthropology, Between Worlds provides fascinating descriptions of the cases of possession as well as analysis of the magical techniques deployed by rabbinic exorcists to expel the ghostly intruders. Seeking to understand the phenomenon of spirit possession in its full complexity, Chajes delves into its ideational framework—chiefly the doctrine of reincarnation—while exploring its relation to contemporary Christian and Islamic analogues. Regarding spirit possession as a form of religious expression open to—and even dominated by—women, Chajes initiates a major reassessment of women in the history of Jewish mysticism. In a concluding section he examines the reception history of the great Hebrew accounts of spirit possession, focusing on the deployment of these ghost stories in the battle against incipient skepticism in the turbulent Jewish community of seventeenth-century Amsterdam. Exploring a phenomenon that bridged learned and ignorant, rich and poor, men and women, Jews and Gentiles, Between Worlds maps for the first time a prominent feature of the early modern Jewish religious landscape, as quotidian as it was portentous: the nexus of the living and the dead. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women Isaac Jack Lévy, Rosemary Lévy Zumwalt, 2002 Winner of the Ellii Kongas-Maranda Prize from the Women's Section of the American Folklore Society, 2003. Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women preserves the precious remnants of a rich culture on the verge of extinction while affirming women's pivotal role in the health of their communities. Centered around extensive interviews with elders of the Sephardic communities of the former Ottoman Empire, this volume illuminates a fascinating complex of preventive and curative rituals conducted by women at home--rituals that ensured the physical and spiritual well-being of the community and functioned as a vital counterpart to the public rites conducted by men in the synagogues. Isaac Jack Lévy and Rosemary Lévy Zumwalt take us into the homes and families of Sephardim in Turkey, Israel, Greece, the former Yugoslavia, and the United States to unravel the ancient practices of domestic healing: the network of blessings and curses tailored to every occasion of daily life; the beliefs and customs surrounding mal ojo (evil eye), espanto (fright), and echizo (witchcraft); and cures involving everything from herbs, oil, and sugar to the powerful mumia (mummy) made from dried bones of corpses. For the Sephardim, curing an illness required discovering its spiritual cause, which might be unintentional thought or speech, accident, or magical incantation. The healing rituals of domesticated medicine provided a way of making sense of illness and a way of shaping behavior to fit the narrow constraints of a tightly structured community. Tapping a rich and irreplaceable vein of oral testimony, Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women offers fascinating insight into a culture where profound spirituality permeated every aspect of daily life. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Believing in Magic Stuart A. Vyse, 2014 In this fully updated edition of Believing in Magic, renowned superstition expert Stuart Vyse investigates our tendency towards these irrational beliefs. |
| jewish magic and superstition: The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic & Mysticism Geoffrey W. Dennis, 2016 Spanning the Bible, Jewish scripture, the Midrash, Kabbalah, and other mystical branches of Judaism, this text is meant to inspire and illuminate one of the oldest esoteric traditions still alive today. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Magic and Superstition, Etc Joshua Trachtenberg, 1961 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Hasidism Moshe Idel, 2012-02-01 Approaches Hasidism as an important stage in Jewish mysticism, rather than as a mere reaction to or result of historical and social forces. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jewish Traditions Ronald L. Eisenberg, 2020-06-22 Thanks to these generous donors for making the publication of this book possible: Miles zl and Chris Lerman; David Lerman and Shelley Wallock The bestselling guide to understanding Jewish traditions, now in paperback This is a comprehensive and authoritative resource with ready answers to questions about almost all aspects of Jewish life and practice: life-cycle events, holidays, ritual and prayer, Jewish traditions and customs, and more. Ronald Eisenberg has distilled an immense amount of material from classic and contemporary sources into a single volume, which provides thousands of insights into the origins, history, and current interpretations of a wealth of Jewish traditions and customs. Divided into four sections--Synagogue and Prayers, Sabbaths and Festivals, Life-Cycle Events, and Miscellaneous (a large section that includes such diverse topics as Jewish literature, food, and plants and animals)--this is an encyclopedic reference for anyone who wants easily accessible, accurate information about all things Jewish. Eisenberg writes for a wide, diversified audience, and is respectful of the range of practices and beliefs within today's American Jewish community--from Orthodox to liberal. |
| jewish magic and superstition: The Devil and the Jews , 1961 |
| jewish magic and superstition: The Magic of the Sword of Moses Harold Roth, 2022 The Sword of Moses is one of the earliest Jewish magic books, written sometime between 1075-1100 CE. It describes a rite for adjuring angels to assist in controlling and wielding the Sword of Moses for magical purposes. The work was first translated by Moses Gaster in 1896, but he removed many of the spells in order to make the Sword unusable for magic. This current work is the first to show in detail exactly how a magician can use the Sword-- |
| jewish magic and superstition: The Sword of Moses, an Ancient Book of Magic Moses Gaster, 2005-11-01 They have... books with these terrible, awe-inspiring Names... they know that the use of these mysterious Names, without due and careful preparation, brings with it calamity and premature death. -from the introduction How much ancient wisdom was lost in the medieval years! here laments Moses Gaster, one of the most prominent Jewish theologians and folklorists of the late 19th century. In 1896, he translated a fragmentary relic of Gnostic literature, a manuscript concerned with the many secret names of God believed by Kabbalists to wield enormous magical power, but in the discussion that here precedes the translation, Gaster acknowledges that this document only hints at the texts that may be lost forever. It remains a tantalizing peek into archaic occult mysteries. Jewish scholar MOSES GASTER (1856-1939) was born in Romania but emigrated to England, where he lectured at Oxford University. His wrote numerous books of theology, folklore, history, and literature, including History of Rumanian Popular Literature (1883) and five-volume Sephardic prayer book (1901-6). |
| jewish magic and superstition: A Companion to Late Ancient Jews and Judaism Gwynn Kessler, Naomi Koltun-Fromm, 2020-03-26 An innovative approach to the study of ten centuries of Jewish culture and history A Companion to Late Ancient Jews and Judaism explores the Jewish people, their communities, and various manifestations of their religious and cultural expressions from the third century BCE to the seventh century CE. Presenting a collection of 30 original essays written by noted scholars in the field, this companion provides an expansive examination of ancient Jewish life, identity, gender, sacred and domestic spaces, literature, language, and theological questions throughout late ancient Jewish history and historiography. Editors Gwynn Kessler and Naomi Koltun-Fromm situate the volume within Late Antiquity, enabling readers to rethink traditional chronological, geographic, and political boundaries. The Companion incorporates a broad methodology, drawing from social history, material history and culture, and literary studies to consider the diverse forms and facets of Jews and Judaism within multiple contexts of place, culture, and history. Divided into five parts, thematically-organized essays discuss topics including the spaces where Jews lived, worked, and worshiped, Jewish languages and literatures, ethnicities and identities, and questions about gender and the body central to Jewish culture and Judaism. Offering original scholarship and fresh insights on late ancient Jewish history and culture, this unique volume: Offers a one-volume exploration of “second temple,” “Greco-Roman,” and “rabbinic” periods and sources Explores Jewish life across most of the geographic places where Jews or Judaeans were known to have lived Features original maps of areas cited in every essay, including maps of Jewish settlement throughout Late Antiquity Includes an outline of major historical events, further readings, and full references A Companion to Late Ancient Jews and Judaism: 3rd Century BCE - 7th Century CE is a valuable resource for students, instructors, and scholars of Jewish studies, religion, literature, and ethnic identity, as well as general readers with interest in Jewish history, world religions, Classics, and Late Antiquity. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Buddhist Magic Sam van Schaik, 2020-07-28 A fascinating exploration of the role that magic has played in the history of Buddhism As far back as we can see in the historical record, Buddhist monks and nuns have offered services including healing, divination, rain making, aggressive magic, and love magic to local clients. Studying this history, scholar Sam van Schaik concludes that magic and healing have played a key role in Buddhism's flourishing, yet they have rarely been studied in academic circles or by Western practitioners. The exclusion of magical practices and powers from most discussions of Buddhism in the modern era can be seen as part of the appropriation of Buddhism by Westerners, as well as an effect of modernization movements within Asian Buddhism. However, if we are to understand the way Buddhism has worked in the past, the way it still works now in many societies, and the way it can work in the future, we need to examine these overlooked aspects of Buddhist practice. In Buddhist Magic, van Schaik takes a book of spells and rituals--one of the earliest that has survived--from the Silk Road site of Dunhuang as the key reference point for discussing Buddhist magic in Tibet and beyond. After situating Buddhist magic within a cross-cultural history of world magic, he discusses sources of magic in Buddhist scripture, early Buddhist rituals of protection, medicine and the spread of Buddhism, and magic users. Including material from across the vast array of Buddhist traditions, van Schaik offers readers a fascinating, nuanced view of a topic that has too long been ignored. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Magic & Superstition in the Jewish Tradition , 1975 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Ashkenazi Herbalism Deatra Cohen, Adam Siegel, 2021-04-06 The definitive guide to the medicinal plant knowledge of Ashkenazi herbal healers--from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Until now, the herbal traditions of the Ashkenazi people have remained unexplored and shrouded in mystery. Ashkenazi Herbalism rediscovers the forgotten legacy of the Jewish medicinal plant healers who thrived in Eastern Europe's Pale of Settlement, from their beginnings in the Middle Ages through the modern era. Including the first materia medica of 26 plants and herbs essential to Ashkenazi folk medicine, Ashkenazi Herbalism sheds light on the preparations, medicinal profiles, and applications of a rich but previously unknown herbal tradition--one hidden by language barriers, obscured by cultural misunderstandings, and nearly lost to history. Written for new and established practitioners, it offers illustrations, provides information on comparative medicinal practices, and illuminates the important historical and cultural contexts that gave rise to Eastern European Jewish herbalism. Part I introduces a brief history of the Ashkenazim and provides an overview of traditional medicine among Eastern European Jews. Part II offers a comparative overview of healing customs among Jews of the Pale of Settlement, their many native plants, and the remedies applied by local healers to treat a range of illnesses. This materia medica names each plant in Yiddish, English, Latin, and other relevant languages, and the book also details a brief history of medicine; the roles of the ba'alei shem, feldshers, opshprekherins, midwives, and brewers; and the remedy books used by Jewish healers. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Tree of Souls Howard Schwartz, 2006-12-27 Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature --from publisher description |
| jewish magic and superstition: Jews and Magic in Medici Florence Edward L. Goldberg, 2011-01-01 In the seventeenth century, Florence was the splendid capital of the Medici Grand Dukedom of Tuscany. Meanwhile, the Jews in its tiny Ghetto struggled to earn a living by any possible means, especially loan-sharking, rag-picking and second-hand dealing. They were viewed as an uncanny people with rare supernatural powers, and Benedetto Blanisa businessman and aspiring scholar from a distinguished Ghetto dynastysought to parlay his alleged mastery of astrology, alchemy and Kabbalah into a grand position at the Medici Court. He won the patronage of Don Giovanni dei Medici, a scion of the ruling family, and for six tumultuous years their lives were inextricably linked. Edward Goldberg reveals the dramas of daily life behind the scenes in the Pitti Palace and in the narrow byways of the Florentine Ghetto, using thousands of new documents from the Medici Granducal Archive. He shows that truthespecially historical truthcan be stranger than fiction, when viewed through the eyes of the people most immediately involved. |
| jewish magic and superstition: A Time to Be Born , 1998 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Art of Estrangement Pamela Anne Patton, 2012 Examines the influential role of visual images in reinforcing the efforts of Spain's Christian-ruled kingdoms to renegotiate the role of their Jewish minority following the territorial expansions of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries--Provided by publisher. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Burning Girls and Other Stories Veronica Schanoes, 2021-03-02 A Most Anticipated in 2021 Pick for The Independent | Buzzfeed | The Nerd Daily When we came to America, we brought anger and socialism and hunger. We also brought our demons. In Burning Girls and Other Stories, Veronica Schanoes crosses borders and genres with stories of fierce women at the margins of society burning their way toward the center. This debut collection introduces readers to a fantasist in the vein of Karen Russell and Kelly Link, with a voice all her own. Emma Goldman—yes, that Emma Goldman—takes tea with the Baba Yaga and truths unfold inside of exquisitely crafted lies. In Among the Thorns, a young woman in seventeenth century Germany is intent on avenging the brutal murder of her peddler father, but discovers that vengeance may consume all that it touches. In the showstopping, awards finalist title story, Burning Girls, Schanoes invests the immigrant narrative with a fearsome fairytale quality that tells a story about America we may not want—but need—to hear. Dreamy, dangerous, and precise, with the weight of the very oldest tales we tell, Burning Girls and Other Stories introduces a writer pushing the boundaries of both fantasy and contemporary fiction. With a foreword by Jane Yolen At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Chapters on Jewish Literature, by Israel Abrahams ... Israel Abrahams, 1899 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Practical Kabbalah Laibl Wolf, 1999-06-15 Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish wisdom that explains the laws of spiritual energy. Up until very recently the Kabbalah was reserved for the elite, those who only after years of scholarship and practice were allowed to enter this mystical realm. However, one doesn't need to devote one's life to intense study to reap the rich rewards of the Kabbalah. With just a basic understanding of a few key concepts, our lives can be enriched immensely. We can then begin to fulfill our deepest dreams and reach our most important goals, becoming the people we long to become. By learning to understand the Sefirot--the ten spiritual properties that flow from the cosmic source into our heart--we can connect to the universe and profoundly transform our experience of daily life. For example, Hessed, or loving-kindness, represents the desire to be generous, while Gevurah is the desire to focus intently or withhold. These properties must be balanced in order for harmony and well-being to occur. Rabbi Laibl Wolf shows how to maintain that balance and enjoy a healthy and productive life by using simple meditation and creative visualization techniques to grasp the spiritual nature of our life. Practical Kabbalah draws upon ancient wisdom but offers a modern interpretation and easy-to-understand techniques for delving deeper into our selves and our world and for reaping the bounteous gifts that were always meant for us. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Almandal Grimoire Genese Grill, 2018-08-06 |
| jewish magic and superstition: Magic of the Ordinary Gershon Winkler, 2003-01-10 A spiritual crisis sent Orthodox rabbi Gershon Winkler to remote regions of the Southwest, where he studied with Native American healers. From them he began to recover the long-lost wisdom of what he calls “Aboriginal Judaism”: the religion’s tribal roots. This book tracks his personal journey and draws from a dazzling mix of sources to detail the surprising connections between two seemingly unrelated religions. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Ancient Jewish Proverbs , 1911 |
| jewish magic and superstition: The Jewish Book of Horror Elana Gomel, 2021 THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROREdited by Josh SchlossbergHorror is part of the human condition, but few peoples across the ages know it quite like the Jews.From slavery to pogroms to the Holocaust to antisemitism, the Chosen People have not only endured hell on Earth, they've risen above it to share their stories with the world.Whether it's pirate rabbis or demon-slaying Bible queens, concentration camp vampires or beloved, fearless bubbies, THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR offers you twenty-two dark tales about the culture, history, and folklore of the Jewish people.TABLE OF CONTENTSAn Orchard of Terror: Scary Stories and the Jewish Tradition by Rabbi John CarrierOrigins of The Jewish Book of Horror by Josh SchlossbergTorah-Fying Tales: An Introduction to Jewish Horror by Molly AdamsOn Seas of Blood and Salt by Richard DanskyThe Last Plague by KD CaseyThe 38th Funeral by Marc MorgensternSame as Yesterday by Alter S. ReissHow to Build a Sukkah at the End of the World by Lindsay King-MillerDemon Hunter Vashti by Henry HerzThe Horse Leech Has Two Maws by Michael PiccoThe Rabbi's Wife by Simon RosenbergBa'alat Ov by Brenda TolianEighth Night by John BaltisbergerBread and Salt by Elana GomelIn the Red by Mike MarcusA Purim Story by Emily Ruth VeronaCatch and Release by Vivian KasleyPhinehas the Zealot by Ethan K. LeeThe Wisdom of Solomon by Ken GoldmanWelcome, Death by J.D. BlackroseForty Days Before Birth by Colleen HalupaThe Hanukkult of Taco Wisdom by Margret TreiberThe Divorce From God by Rami UngarThe Hand of Fire by Daniel BraumBar Mitzvah Lessons by Stewart Gisser |
| jewish magic and superstition: The People and the Books: 18 Classics of Jewish Literature Adam Kirsch, 2016-10-04 An accessible introduction to the classics of Jewish literature, from the Bible to modern times, by one of America’s finest literary critics (Wall Street Journal). Jews have long embraced their identity as “the people of the book.” But outside of the Bible, much of the Jewish literary tradition remains little known to nonspecialist readers. The People and the Books shows how central questions and themes of our history and culture are reflected in the Jewish literary canon: the nature of God, the right way to understand the Bible, the relationship of the Jews to their Promised Land, and the challenges of living as a minority in Diaspora. Adam Kirsch explores eighteen classic texts, including the biblical books of Deuteronomy and Esther, the philosophy of Maimonides, the autobiography of the medieval businesswoman Glückel of Hameln, and the Zionist manifestoes of Theodor Herzl. From the Jews of Roman Egypt to the mystical devotees of Hasidism in Eastern Europe, The People and the Books brings the treasures of Jewish literature to life and offers new ways to think about their enduring power and influence. |
| jewish magic and superstition: Witchcraft, Superstition, and Observant Franciscan Preachers Fabrizio Conti, 2015 My aim is to analyse how the demarcation between the licit and the illicit took place from the privileged perspective of a number of Observant Franciscan friars...who were active in the friary of St Angelo in Milan between the last two decades of the fifteenth century and the first decade of the sixteenth.--Preface, p. xiv. |
Jewish Magic and Superstition Index | Sacred Texts Archive
This is a comprehensive review of Jewish magic from the 10th to the 15th century, including a rich lode of folklore. Many well-known Jewish traditions are explained, such as why a glass is broken …
Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion
Feb 13, 2004 · Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins …
Jewish Magic and Superstition - Sefaria
Do superstitions help highten your sense of Jewish tradition? Or do they take away from the real business of Jewish life? “Rava said, ‘If one is righteous, he could create worlds [like God].’. As it …
8 Popular Jewish Superstitions | My ... - My Jewish Learning
Spitting was long considered a potent protector against magic and demons. Ancient and medieval physicians, including Maimonides, described the positive values of saliva and spittle. However, …
jewish magic and superstition a study in folk religion
Sep 26, 2022 · The Internet Archive keeps the record straight by preserving government websites, news publications, historical documents, and more. If you find our work useful, please chip in The …
Jewish Magic and Superstition : A Study in Folk Religion
Feb 13, 2004 · First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg's study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding of …
Jewish Magic and Superstition - De Gruyter
Oct 8, 2012 · A classic treatise, available now for the first time in paperback, on the folk beliefs of the Jews, with a new introduction by arguably the most important contemporary scholar of …
Jewish Magic and Superstition Index | Sacred Texts Archive
This is a comprehensive review of Jewish magic from the 10th to the 15th century, including a rich lode of folklore. Many well-known Jewish traditions are explained, such as why a glass is …
Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion
Feb 13, 2004 · Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins …
Jewish Magic and Superstition - Sefaria
Do superstitions help highten your sense of Jewish tradition? Or do they take away from the real business of Jewish life? “Rava said, ‘If one is righteous, he could create worlds [like God].’. As …
8 Popular Jewish Superstitions | My ... - My Jewish Learning
Spitting was long considered a potent protector against magic and demons. Ancient and medieval physicians, including Maimonides, described the positive values of saliva and spittle. However, …
jewish magic and superstition a study in folk religion
Sep 26, 2022 · The Internet Archive keeps the record straight by preserving government websites, news publications, historical documents, and more. If you find our work useful, …
Jewish Magic and Superstition : A Study in Folk Religion
Feb 13, 2004 · First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg's study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding …
Jewish Magic and Superstition - De Gruyter
Oct 8, 2012 · A classic treatise, available now for the first time in paperback, on the folk beliefs of the Jews, with a new introduction by arguably the most important contemporary scholar of …
