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JewishLoveMagic PDF
JewishLoveMagic PDF
Some Magical practices related to love have been investigated in the context of
several cultures and periods.1 Until recently, Judaism was not among them,
although scholarly interest in ancient Jewish magic has been increasing
Observations progressively since the mid-20th century.2 However, the topic of love magic
has been generally ignored, perhaps because it is rarely mentioned in the
Rabbinic literature, as opposed to other types of magic, such as the evil
on Jewish Love eye or medicinal magic.3 Hence, a survey of this branch of magic (which
is unique in its aspiration to cause emotional changes and modify another
person’s feelings) in the context of ancient and medieval Judaism seemed a
Magic: The desideratum.4 Some observations drawn from my recent dissertation in this
area may be of general interest to cultural historians.
Importance Jewish love magic in the period between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages
may be said to encompass three different elements:
of Cultural (a) Arousing physical and emotional passion between the members of a
couple (actual or potential);
The data pertaining to Jewish love magic is mostly textual in nature, and
may be divided into two major categories: magical recipes and “finished
Ortal-Paz Saar products,” mainly amulets. The former provided instructions for performing
magical operations and for manufacturing amulets and other products
intended to obtain any of the three aims enumerated above. Unsurprisingly,
not many “finished products” of Jewish love magic have survived from the
Observations cont’d without including writing or any love magic, and can also be found
periods under discussion. Those additional ritual action. A similarly in non-Jewish recipes, occasionally
that did are almost invariably small amount of recipes prescribe with additions such as “love (…) as
textual amulets, usually prepared solely a manipulation of magical between Mary and John, as between
for particular individuals who were materials or a ritual performance, Christ and the Church.”8
named in the texts. Consequently, without adding in any writing or at
least reciting of formulae. It follows Metaphors are also present in
an examination of practices that did
that one of the main characteristics Jewish love magic, yet to a lesser
not yield such sustainable products
of Jewish love magic during extent than biblical analogies. The
is highly important. What did these
Late Antiquity and the medieval most frequent ones are related to
other practices entail? Interestingly,
period was the use of words, fire and burning, with the feeling
it appears that most of them also
mostly written ones. Jewish love of love equated to a blazing flame
involved writing.
magic may definitely be said to be which cannot be extinguished and
A very popular writing surface in scriptocentric. consumes the intended “victim” of
Jewish love recipes was unbaked the spell. One long amulet adjures
clay, in the form of potsherds that An analysis of the contents of the angels to “burn the heart” of a
had not yet been fired. After being these words indicates that the main man named Mufaḍḍal after a woman
inscribed with a magical formula, trait of Jewish magical formulae named Bagiḍa, while her own face
often containing angelic names, the was the use of analogies and of should be “lighted in the eyes of
shard had to be cast into a burning biblical quotations or allusions. Mufaḍḍal like a candle that burns
fire. The rationale behind this The analogies usually refer to in the house.”9 Other metaphors
ritual was fairly straightforward, events and protagonists from the stem from the animal world, and
and was stated explicitly in the Old Testament that relate to love, are used in particular for separation
accompanying formula: just as the favor or hate. For instance, Noah, rituals. In these cases, the pair of
shard is burned in the flames, so may Joseph, Queen Esther or Daniel lovers is likened to pairs of animals
the victim’s heart be set ablaze with and his peers are known to have famous for their enmity, such as cats
love for the performer of the ritual. found favor with the Lord and with and dogs. However, also “animal
Although only one such specimen their fellow humans, and hence passion” is present in some texts,
has reached us,5 this practice is appear in recipes and amulets for such as a recipe demanding that a
attested in numerous recipes, both favor and grace. A popular formula man comes after a woman “like a
from the oriental Jewish world (the stated: “And the Lord was with cock after a hen, and like a tomcat
Cairo Genizah depository)6 as well Joseph and showed him favor, so after a female cat.”10 These textual
as from Europe. shall there be grace and favor devices enhance the “poetic”
upon X son of Y.” The first part of nature of the incantations and more
Many other recipes prescribe the use the phrase is actually a quotation importantly, reinforce their magical
of parchment, often deer skin, as a from Genesis 39:21, referring to goals.
writing surface, this material being Joseph’s adventure in the prison of
traditionally used for inscribing Pharaoh. Other analogies employed It seems that Jewish love magic
sacred texts such as Torah scrolls biblical couples known for their displays several distinctive
and door-post mezuzot. In fact, the strong love, and equated them to features that distinguish it from
Cairo Genizah has preserved several the pair of contemporary lovers contemporary non-Jewish magic.
love and favor amulets written on targeted by the magical practice. One such feature is the use of
parchment, along with a greater One amulet requests that the love “clean” language, as opposed to the
number of paper ones, paper being between two persons be “as the love harsh erotic terminology prevalent,
a much cheaper and more easily of Abraham and Sarah, and as the for instance, in Graeco-Roman
available material. Other, less love of Isaac and Rebecca, and as love spells. When one compares
common recipes require writing the love of Jacob and Rachel.”7 The Jewish love spells from The Book
on eggs or on plant leaves, which opposite goal, that of separating a of Mysteries (Sefer Ha-Razim),
obviously did not survive, as well as pair of lovers, is obtained by using composed in the first half of the first
on cloth or animal bones. It seems an analogy to Eve and the reviled millennium CE, with contemporary
that only a few Jewish magical serpent or to Amnon and Tamar. The love spells from the Greek magical
recipes instruct the practitioner use of Old Testament quotations or papyri, the vocabulary contrast is
simply to recite an incantation, analogies is not restricted to Jewish startling.11 Possibly this stems from
Notes and
Theses de magia: A in problems that, although not
response to the responses necessarily and specifically related to
magic, are nevertheless cognate to the
basic problem at issue here.1
Queries
Marco Pasi
University of Amsterdam Both of my critics agree with most
of the ideas put forward in the other
I was very glad to find in SM theses. Heyes, however, claims that,
Newsletter issue 22 two responses on the basis of the “social matrix”
to my Theses de Magia, published (his term) that serves to give magic its
in issue 20. Perhaps significantly, specific identity, it should be possible
both responses came from colleagues to “isolate” and study “forms of
who work on non-Western religious magic” in other contexts than Western
traditions: Michael Heyes, a specialist culture, for instance in Asia.2 This
in Japanese studies, and Claire would contradict my eighth thesis.
Villareal, a Tibetanist. I wish to thank Villareal, on the other hand, expresses
them for their perceptive reading of concern about the possibility that my
my text, which has given me quite eighth thesis would “close the door on
some food for thought. This, of comparative scholarship.”3
course, does not mean that I agree
with all their comments. I will begin with a general remark.
Both of my critics have focused on the
Predictably, they have both focused eighth thesis, but perhaps less on the
on my eighth thesis, which stated: sub-theses accompanying it. I believe
“Studying magic in cultures that that my response to their criticism
are not Western means projecting can be found already there, and
a Western concept on cultures that particularly in sub-thesis 8.4: “[What
originally do not possess it.” This is has been stated in thesis 8] does not
a nice coincidence, because lately I mean, however, that beliefs, ideas,
have become increasingly interested cont'd on page 5
The Societas Magica invites proposals for essays to run in future issues
of the newsletter.
We are looking for short essays (1500-2500 words) announcing new developments deriving from
research in the study and teaching of magic and its related
topics. We would be especially interested to see lead
articles on modern magic, or periods other than medieval.
We are also looking for smaller pieces for our notes and
queries column. News about dissertations in progress or
completed, manuscript discoveries, or other such items
are all welcomed.
Please contact David Porreca: dporreca@uwaterloo.ca
www.societasmagica.org