Jewish Magic and Superstition
Description
Jewish Magic and Superstition is a book by Joshua Trachtenberg, first published in 1939. It offers a comprehensive review of Jewish magical belief from the tenth to the fifteenth century, with a strong emphasis on folklore and popular custom.
Many well-known Jewish traditions are examined and explained, including the breaking of a glass at weddings and the origins of the expression “mazel tov” in astrological belief. Trachtenberg explores a wide range of supernatural beings, such as Golems, succubi, the Lillim derived from Lilith, Adam’s first wife, as well as creatures familiar and obscure, including werewolves, estrie, mare, and broxa.
The book also contains detailed descriptions of talismans, amulets, charms, and other magical objects, alongside chapters devoted to dream interpretation, medical beliefs, necromancy, and forms of divination. Written by a Reform rabbi on the east coast of the United States, the work represents an expanded version of Trachtenberg’s Columbia University Ph.D. thesis and remains a foundational study of Jewish magical tradition.
- Formats
- PDF, EPUB, AZW3
- Page Count (PDF)
- 227
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