An Amulet for the Household

 

Most amulets are made for the use of an individual and to be carried on the person. However, the amulet we will discuss in this post is designed to provide the home and it's inhabitants with protection, blessing, health  and success. 

The amulet is printed on page 363 in Sefer Nehash HaNehoshet, a Hebrew work on practical Kabbalah and miscellaneous topics by the Yemenite/Israeli Rabbi Shalom Keter. 

The following description is given: 

A Jerusalemite amulet: For protection against disease, fires, pandemics, evil eye, harsh decrees, witchcraft. For all matters of  health of the youth; for sickness and aches, weakness of the body and it's limbs. This is a segula ("charm") for success and livelihood, for having children. For grace, kindness and mercy. Blessings and heavenly assistance, for the body's physical and spiritual health. Taken from the manuscript of Rabbi Y. Chama from the times of the Geonim.

The list of benefits of this manuscript is comprehensive, it's clearly a universal amulet for nearly everything. Rabbi Keter records this source for this as "the manuscript of Rabbi Y. Chama from the times of the Geonim." It is unclear to me who this Rabbi is. The Geonim was a time period consisting of the 6th to 11th centuries. The attribution suggests that there is a very old tradition for this amulet.

Analysis of the amulet

This complex amulet consists of six separate features. 

A full analysis and translation will be forthcoming and added to this post...

New edition of Magnus Liber Sigillorum!

 

As most of my readers know, I published an English  translation of parts of my Hebrew treatise (Sefer Chotamot Rabba) of Jewish magic as Magnus Liber Sigillorum back in 2018. 

I am pleased to announce that a new, expanded second edition is now available!! (Actually available for several months now, but for various reasons I didn't have time to make a public announcement)

This edition now includes more sections translated, indexes of topics, angelic and divine names, corrections to the (very few) printing mistakes in the first edition, page numbering and as a bonus, my treatise on magical rings, Behold With This Ring!

Available in two editions: Regular hardcover and Clothbound hardcover with dust jacket

Clothbound hardcover with dust jacket

In addition to the above link for the clothbound hardcover with dust jacket, it is also available from Barnes and Noble HERE and on Amazon HERE

Vampires in Jewish Lore

 

Vampires in Jewish Lore

Ever hear of a Striga? Few have nowadays. The Striga [old French: Estrie] (שטריאה) is a European supernatural creature that is essentially a woman that has been cursed into a vampire-like monster. Similar to the vampire, the Striga drinks blood to live. Armed with magical powers, the Striga has the ability to shapes-shift into a cat. Additionally, shaking  her hair out loose will give her the ability to fly, and keeping it bound up will stop that ability. Once a Striga has attacked someone, it is necessary to eat from her bread and salt. Likewise, the Striga must eat bread and salt of her victim to thrive. One source reports that if a Striga is found in the grave with an open mouth, it is necessary to stuff it with rocks. In fact, archeologists report this practice in “deviant” graves, i.e. people suspected of being vampires or the like. (For an example, see: http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/zombie-skeletons-ireland-grave-110916.htm ) The first three sources are culled from Sefer Hasidim, a late 12^th cent. text of Jewish ethics, laws and stories attributed to Rabbi Judah the Pious (Hasid). In some of the sources presented, the Striga is grouped with mares and werewolves who have similar characteristics.(Apparently, the werewolf mentioned is a male version of the Striga.)

 

Sefer Hasidim # 1465
There are women who are called Strigas (שטרייאס), mares (מרש) and werewolves (ורוולש) . They were created at twilight. They could perform a certain act and thereby change form. There was once a woman who was an Striga, and she was very sick. Two women were with her at night; one was sleeping and one was awake. And the sick woman stood up beside [the sleeping woman] and shook out her hair and tried to fly and tried to suck the blood of the sleeping woman. And the woman who was awake screamed and woke her friend and they grabbed the sick Striga, and after this she slept. And if she had been able to attack and kill the other woman, then the Striga  would have lived. But since she was not able to attack the other woman, the Striga  died, because one that issues from blood needs to drink the blood of living flesh. The same is true of the werewolf. And since the mare and the Striga need to shake out their hair before they fly, one must cause her to swear to come with her hair shaken out, so that she cannot go anywhere without his permission. And if one strikes an Striga or if one sees her, she cannot live, unless she eats of the bread and salt of the one who struck her. Similarly, if she attacks someone, he must eat from her bread and salt. Then the soul will return to the way it was before.

 

Sefer Hasidim # 1466
There was a woman who was suspected of being an Striga, and she would attack people. She appeared to a Jew as a cat and he hit her. The next day she asked him to give her some of his bread and salt, and he wanted to give it to her. An old man said to him “Be not overly righteous” (Ecc. 7:16). Where one has an obligation to others, one must not show excessive piety, for if she lives, she will harm people. Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, created her for you [as a test], just as he created Amalek for Saul and punished him for letting him live.

 

Sefer Hasidim # 1467
There was once a woman who was a Striga, but she allowed her victim to take from her bread and salt. In such case, one should have mercy on her.

 

Manuscript Oxford 1567, 41b
Know too that there was a witch, a Striga, who once was caught by a man. He said to her, Do not [try to] escape from my grasp, as you have caused numerous deaths in the world. What can I do to you so that after your death you will not consume [people’s flesh]? She said to him, If you find [a Striga] in the grave with her mouth open, there is no remedy, for her spirit will attack the living. And there is no remedy unless a spike is hammered into her mouth and into the earth. Then she will attack no more. And for this reason, one should fill her mouth with stones.

Sefer Ziyyoni (New 2005 Barzani pub. Edition, p.31-32) ספר ציוני
Rabbi Judah the Pious writes that from Japeth (יפת) issues the Mares –not those created at twilight, and the souls of the Strigas (שטיירש) …

The Dream Stones

“Dream queries”, שאלות חלום  in which some adjuration or ritual is performed to induce a heavenly answer in one’s dreams (or even written out on paper) is very commonly found in manuscripts of practical Kabbalah. In fact, an entire book entitled שאלות ותשובות מן השמים  Responsum from Heaven was authored by a medieval rabbi (Rabbi Jacob of Marseille , 12th cent.France) in which the author records his questions and answers produced through such means. Although the concept of a dream query is well attested in the Kabbalah, in this article we will focus on a very unique method to induce such dreams.

This method requires the use of three stones procured from a flowing brook in the name of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Next, certain sigils are to be written on the stones. The stones are then placed under the head at bedtime and one will have a dream containing the answer.  I have found this in two separate manuscripts. The seals are drawn very similar with just minor variations. Nevertheless, I faithfully recorded both versions down in my collection of sigils, Magnus Liber Sigillorum as #310 and #317. 

The first manuscript, is Gross #282 fol. 22b

The second manuscript, is Moussaieff #1053 fol. 51 (and also mentions this is בדוק, meaning this was been tested)

I myself tried using the stones and will share my experience.

 There is a large park just a five minute walk from my house that actually has a natural, flowing brook in it. Thus, getting the stones was easy. Many of the stones were not the right size (too small or too big) or just oddly shaped which wouldn’t be conducive to writing on, so I took my time to select stones till I found some that “felt right”. Since the manuscripts didn’t mention if I need to verbalize that these stones are for the sake of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob or just have in mind, I decided to play it safe and say this was my intention out loud. Next, after bringing the stones home I left them to dry well before writing the sigils. I used a medium tip black permanent marker for this. Although I was hoping to able to draw all the seals on one side, I needed to have the seals “wrap around” the stones a little. Although the majority of amulets make no mention, sometimes, amulet instructions require the sigils to be written all on one line. Since there was no mention of writing all on one side of the side of the stones, I see no reason the sigils can’t be written around the stones the way I did. I tried to take pictures from a few different angles/sides  so you can see how I drew them. 

My results: Every night that I tried using the stones under my pillow I did dream. I had thought I would hear or see something which would be a definitive “yes” or “no” to my questions or some direct guidance. Perhaps I was so busy looking for a simple yes or no that I missed the answer! It is also possible that I the other version of the sigils is the correct one and maybe nothing happened at all, or I messed it up some other way by mistake. Although I won’t discount those possibilities, I feel that the truth is something was going on in those dreams –it is I who didn’t understand them. 

If you do decide to try out the Dream Stones for yourself, take heed to keep your intentions pure and holy, this is not some “cool” parlor trick to try for fun. If you have any experience with the stones you’d like to share, please leave a comment! 

“Use of the Demon Princes”, An overview of שמושי שרים

 

An overview of שמושי שרים , “Use of the Princes” 

In this post, we will examine some magical material regarding the demon princes.

The manuscript we will discuss in this post is Ms. YM.011.083 (Gross ms. #373) Fol. 1a –5a 

 An total of eight demonic princes, some with multiple versions of how to conjure them, appears in the first five folios of this manuscript. Interspersed amongst the princes are ten other magical operations. I have transcribed the non-prince material in italics for aid in distinction. The Princes of oil on folio 4 has become well known via the publication of many such variant versions published in Babylonian oil magic in the Talmud and in the later Jewish literature (Daiches, 1913). Indeed, the use of the black handled knife (athame), use of the magical circle and involvement  of a young boy (or girl) discussed there in use in the conjuration of the oil prince plays an important role in many of the other princes discussed in this collection as well. Although the remainder of this manuscript consists of various spells, amulets and other magical operations typical of other Jewish magical manuscripts, no further Princes are to be found.

Regarding the First Prince, of “Bedolach”, The Hebrew word Bedolach is commonly translated as Bdellium, which is a gum resin. However, it should be noted that both Septuagint (Gen. 2:12) and Rashi understand Bedolach to be an actual stone. Alternatively, Rashi translates it as crystal. 

List of Princes in order of appearance

(Fol. 1a)

שרי בדולח Princes of “Bedolach”

שרי מראה Princes of mirror (Involves the use of a large copper mirror-plate with the name Ashmodai etched in the center with other demonic names around the circumference.)

שרי שינה Princes of sleep

(Fol. 1b)

שרי עוגה Princes of the circle

(Fol. 1b-2a)

פועל המראה Operation of the mirror

לראות הרוחות To see the spirits

(Fol. 2a-2b)

אם If you are in need of something

(Fol. 2b)

שרי אשישה Princes of flagon (version I)

(Fol. 2b-3a)

שרי כוס Princes of cup (version I)

(Fol. 3a)

אחר Another [version of the Princes of cup]

להביא שד בצורת כלב To summon a demon in the appearance of a dog

לעשות שיבוא לך רוח בלילה How to summon a spirit at night

 (Fol. 3b)

שרי אשישה Princes of flagon (version II)

לראות שדים To see demons

אחר Another [version of Princes of flagon (version III)]

(Fol. 3b-4a)

לדבר עם עשרת (משרת?) To speak to ten (or an official? Unclear to me what the first letter is)

(Fol. 4a)

אחר אם תרצה לדבר עם הרוח בליל ו' Another. If you wish to speak with a spirit on Friday night

אחר שרי חרב Another. Princes of sword 

I translated this section on my blog post on magical swords (Nov. 2019)

אחר another [prayer to be said upon seeing a shooting star]

אחר אם תרצה לראות שדים Another. If you want to see demons

(Fol. 4a-4b)

שרי כוס Princes of cup (version II)

(Fol. 4b)

אחר  Another. Princes of cup (version III)

שרי שמן וכף Princes of oil and the palm (i.e., the palm of one’s hand)

אם If you write the names Adam and Eve on your wall, you can be certain that neither Lilith nor an evil spirit will ever enter your house.

(Fol. 4b-5a)

שרי כוס Princes of the cup (version IV)

 In addition to the Princes of the sword mentioned above, here are translations of two more examples: 

(Fol. 2a-2b) If you are in need of something and need assistance, write this sigil at midnight with ink with your left hand on your right hand. Afterwards, stand at the opening [of your house] and call out to the Great Satan and he will come immediately. He will ask you: what do you need? Do not answer him the first time. However, the second time answer and say thus: Bring one of your comrades, as the sign above. And they will come. Only know, that you can command them as you wish and this is the sigil:

 

 

(I have recorded this operation in my collection of magical seals, Magnus Liber Sigillorum, as entry #291. This one wasn't included in the 1st edition I printed in 2018. However, I'm getting ready to re-release it in an expanded edition with more material from my original manuscript. I'll post updates on that in future posts!)

(Fol. 2b-3a)

שרי כוס Princes of cup (version I)

Take a knife with a black handle and make this shape on the ground

and place a cup of fresh water with a grain of salt and a drop of oil and repeat with the water and salt three times. Light a wax torch and place on (or near?)the edge  of the cup and take a young boy who has not seen a seminal emission and tell him all the questions you have. Afterwards, place him in the circle before the cup and say this adjuration in his ear: I adjure thee Princes of the Cup in the name of Samael Hatafiel and in the name Yah Yahah Adonai Elohim and by the Shem Hamephorash engraved upon the Tablets and by the names of the holy angels Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Nuriel that you come and tell this lad all that I inquire of thee and do not hold back from me. Repeat this twice or thrice.