Of Mice and Magic

 

The Jewish holiday of Passover is fast approaching and with it comes the cleaning of ones house and belongings of any bread or leaven food. Back in the day, the possibility of mice or other vermin moving around crumbs was a real concern and is one of the first discussions in the Talmud tractate of Pesahim (which deals with the laws of Passover). 

What about magically keeping mice away? Is there any practical kabbalah to keep those pesky varmints away? Lets take a look....

Rabbi Chaim Vital in his personal notebook of kabbalah known as Sefer HaPeulot does indeed have a solution. In section 4:4 #203 we find the following:

To remove mice from the house: Write these four shapes of mice on uncooked pottery vessels and place in the four corners of the house. Over the first one say: "Leave this house and never return forever!". Over the second one say: "Mice! Mice! Leave this house with the secret that God created you, and return not henceforth." Over the third say: "Mice! Mice! Leave this house and do not return to it from this day till the day of the resurrection of the dead.". Over the fourth say: "Mice! Mice! Make haste, not one of you may remain in this house! Quickly! Quickly!"

Sefer HaPeulot of Rabbi Chaim Vital. Fol. 95b

I'll also mention he quotes this formula in the name of "Rabbi Nathanel". I don't know who he is referring to.

We find one more example of magical pest control on fol. 52b in mss. Cod. Heb. 214 (Bayerische StaatsBibliothek). 

Tilsam [Arabic, Talisman] To send away the mice: Engrave these shapes [i.e. the sigils] on a red copper foil when the face of Leo rises for the first time. And these shapes are from the stars (?). Place it in the place that you wish and then the mice will flee from that location.

This one involves the engraving of three sigils on a reddish copper foil during a astrologically significant time ("face of Leo"). Unfortunately there are few words I can't make out (as of now) where I left the question mark. 

Bayerische StaatsBibliothek  Cod. Heb. 214, fol. 52b

But wait, I have one more "amulet" against mice to share:

This is a picture of the Krerestir Rebbe, Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner (1852-1925). This Hasidic rebbe of Hungary was considered a miracle worker amongst his followers. The story goes something like this: Someone complained to the Rebbe that mice were ruining his granary and Rabbi Steiner told him to tell the mice in his name to leave right away, which they did. After that incident, some Hungarian Jews decided to keep a picture of the Rebbe in their house as a charm against mice!  

Coffee Time! Summoning the Princes of Coffee: A Purim Parody

 Summoning the Princes of Coffee: A Purim Parody

The Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates the events recorded in the biblical book of Esther. It is a holiday of great merriment, traditionally with the wearing of costumes, feasting and the drinking of wine. Some medieval rabbis wrote short parodies of the Talmud, using the same language and style to create funny "spoofs", often involving discussions of drinking wine from silly names like "rabbi wine", "rabbi beer" and "rabbi barrel" for example. This got me thinking, wouldn't it be fun to recreate a magical adjuration as a parody as well?  There are many adjurations for demonic princes over various reflective surfaces, why not coffee?!  Although this blog is a serious blog on magical topics, I've decided, in the Purim holiday spirit, to compose an adjuration over the "princes of coffee" in Hebrew with an English translation!  Enjoy! 

Using freshly brewed coffee, take a black handled spoon and recite the following incantation over the cup of coffee while stirring the cup: 

O Princes of Coffee, I adjure thee, Coffeiel, Caffeineiel, Arabicaiel and Robustael to answer my question. Answer me with the full strength of the caffeine in this cup and not in prevarication  as the decaffeinated demons of falsehood are wont to do. 

Gaze into the cup and Princes will answer your question. Then, bade them farewell and say: "Go in peace, as it is written my cup runneth over (Psalm 23:5)."

One may add some milk and sugar, but one who adds too much angers the Princes of Coffee and puts his life in danger [lit. his blood is on his head].

שרי קפה

על  כוס קפה מבושל חדש קח כף עם קתא שחורה ואמר זה הלחש על הכוס של קפה בשעת ערבוב הכוס עם הכף 

שרי קפה הרי משביע אני עליך קופהיאל קפאיניאל ערביקהיאל רובוסטהיאל לתרץ שאלאתי. ענני בכח העוצמה של הקפאין בכוס זו ולא בכזב כמו שעושים שדי הנטול

הסתכל בתוך הכוס והשרים מתרץ שאלתך. אחר כך שלח להם בשלום ואומר להם לך  צאתכם לשלום כמו שכתוב כוסי רויה

ואפשר להוסף קצת חלב וסוכר אבל מי שמוסיף יותר מדי מכעיס את שרי הקפה ודמו על ראשו

Magic use of Wells and Communicating with Gigantic Spiritual Beings

Magic use of Wells and Communicating with Gigantic Spiritual Beings

There are many methods for trying to access information via magical means. In this post, I'll be sharing two interesting ways of getting in communication with gigantic spiritual entities by use of water wells! This is something I have so far not found in any of my research and studies thus far. 

Both follow the same set of concepts: 1. A well of water 2. The placing of a piece of pottery with magical names and sigils into it while no one else is around. 3. The appearance of seven giant "spiritual entities" that will answer your questions.  The only main difference (besides for what exactly is to be written on the pottery is that the second segment can only be done at night. What or who these seven giants are is not explained.

Both operations are found together on the same page of the manuscript. The entire manuscript, from the Moussaief Collection ms. #1222, has been digitally scanned and available here:  http://moussaieff.biu.ac.il/he/?item=%2FMoussaieff_1222

In addition to translating each segment below, I also typed the names in an enhanced image of each part to make it easier to read. 

To preform a question from a well: Write this seal on new pottery and place it in a well of fresh water. [You are to] preform this alone. Immediately seven exceedingly tall men will come to you. Do not be afraid of them and inquire of them all that you wish [to know]. They will reply truthfully. Afterwards, tell them they should go on their way [back] to their place in peace. This is the shape of the seal and you should write thus:

To preform a question from a well: Write these names and drop them into a well of water when you are alone at night. Immediately seven tall men will come. Do not fear them  and inquire of them all that you wish [to know]. They will reply very clearly without fear. And these are them [i.e. the names]:

European Influences on Jewish Magic

 

European Influences on Jewish Magic

At times, the transmission of different magical traditions blur as information is shared between cultures. In this post, I will highlight just a few examples of gentile European influences that found it's way into  Jewish magical manuscripts. 

The first three example comes from a 16th/17th cent. mss. in cursive Ashkenazi script.

Bar-Ilan University Library, Israel Ms. 1053 fol. 92

For love between man and his wife: write on virgin parchment these names in the gentile language: halgo algat algario algar marib

For h'[atred]: write on a piece of tin his and her name and place under the doorway of the house. They both need to pass under it. eny rox [or cox? followed by several sigils]

In order that he not perform [sexually?]: Take an  and divide it in two. On one half write his and her name,  and on the other [half write] these names: qura cana Biari nas rper spern sensiem 

In all three examples I'm not sure if the words are nomina barbaria or actually mean something. Have a suggestion? Please leave a comment!

Moving on to the next manuscript, this one from the 18th cent. in an Italian script, we find the following:

Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, Ms. 8822 Fol. 71a

Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, Ms. 8822 Fol. 71b

To cause hail to stop: Make this shape [see the magic circle image in the manuscript] on the ground and thrust a knife in the middle of the line opposite the cloud. One needs to use a knife with a white handle to make the circle and to thrust in the ground. Hail will not fall within the boundary of the line.

[Protection] against a sword: Write [these names] on the edge of the sword. When your enemy is struck with this sword it will appear to them as a tower on their shoulders. Afrecs Afres sabeot [see the image in the manuscript].

For sickness [or weakness?] of the thighs: Write this on the crosta of bread [crosta קרוסטא is Italian for crust] and eat for three mornings. So shall you do for three mornings like this: Mifac tefac tefac Mifac [see the image in the manuscript].

This next one is an incantation to heal burns. It's found in a manuscript entitled Etz HaChayyim ("Tree of Knowledge") by Elisha ben Gad of Ancona (written in Safed, 1535-1536). 

British Library, Or 12362, f. 41r

The British Library discussed this mss. on their blog and translated a few spells and amulets. This one was likewise translated and I quote directly from that blog for this translation. It's Italian written in Hebrew letters. For those interested in reading the British Library blogpost, you can find it HERE.

Here is from their blog:

A wonderful incantation, tried and tested many times. For small and big burns. With these words complete recovery without pain! Say these names [i.e. the incantation] seven times:

Agrifuk agrifar agripyri chi vol tu fer di pyro nocesti di acaro fosti generato, e elo fonti fosti portato, all'acqua fosti gettato, non fossi far più male qua (?) chi fai la!

And then blow on the burn with the breath of your mouth and repeat again the incantation seven more times, and the fire will not damage him.

"Agrifuk agrifar agripyri whom did you want to hurt with fire? You were generated from an acarus [probably from Greek akarḗs, meaning “tiny”), you were brought forth from such a source, [and] you were thrown into the water. You cannot do any more harm...!"

End quote from their blog. Now, on to another Italian incantation!

In the last  source for this post, I have found in Rabbi Chayim Vital's handwritten manuscript known as "Sefer HaPeulot" an incantation for some sort of fever in Italian. This is an exceptionally interesting incantation as it is the only one I have found that involves a knife (athame) with a black handle along with it.  

The "Sefer HaPeulot" mss. fol 54a column 1

The last of the incantation continues onto column 2 on the page

The incantation wording is written in Hebrew letters yet it was obvious to me that it was either Latin, Italian or some similar language/dialect. Many are unaware that even though Chayim Vital lived in Israel, his parents were Italian expats from Calabria, South Italy. He himself latter in life was Rabbi of a synagogue of the Italian rite, so my first assumption was that this was going to be Italian. First, I transliterated the Hebrew into Latin characters. Being that I don't know Italian other than a few words, I decided to run it through "Google Translate" to see what would happen. Now, I know Google Translate isn't perfect, but it should at least be able to identify the language and hopefully give a rudimentary translation to get the idea. Before going further please understand this caveat: I'm relying on Google Translate for the translation! If any of the readers understand Italian and can refine the translation, then please do so in the comment section, I'd love to polish up the translation! Google translate was more helpful in the first part than the second. Doing a little research, I discovered that  Calabrian (aka Calabrese) is the dialect from where the Vital family hailed from. Like I said, I'd love some assistance from anyone with any linguistic background in this. Below is the text:

An incantation for "foreign fire" called homra:  Incant [literally "whisper"] with a  knife with a black handle and touch it to him. Say the incantation seven times and at the end of each time spit  on the ground and touch the ground with the knife. [It is to be done] in the morning before sunrise and at sunset but not night. This is the incantation: 

אין נומברי דיל דייו אלטו / In nombri del deo alto / In numbers of the high god [1]

לא רוזא אינקאנטו /  lo rosa incanto / the red enchantment

אינקנטוטי פירקאנטו /  incantoti pircanto / charm pircanto [2]

לא רוזא אינקאנטו / lo rosa incanto / red enchantment

 אינקנטו לא רוזא מאלורי דא /  incanto lo rosa malori da / sick from red enchantment

פור דונדי אקי פואי ויני דא / Por dondi aci poai vini da / that's where you come from [3]

די שיירטו טירו דירי /  di certo tiro diri / certainly I would say

קון לייובייאש אי ויינטוש אקי אינטרי / con liobias ei vintos aci intri / ??? [4]

קוגלייו די קאגאש פירטאש טומרי / coglieo di cogas pirtas tomri / ??? [5]

איז טי קורטארי אי אלוש קאנפוש טי איגארי / is ti cortari ei alos conpos ti eigari / It will Cortaro to alos Should you eigari [6]

אונדי פאדרי אה היגו נו לייאמא / ondi (or, onde?)  padri ah hego no leoama / ?? father ? [7]

אונדי פירו נו ?רא / ondi pyro  no ?ra / ?? fire ?? [8]

אונדי גאלייו נו קאנטא / ondi galeo no canta / ?? ?? no sings [9]

אונדי וואקא נו אמא / ondi vaca no ama  / ondi cow doesn't love [10]

אלייא וואייא טו מאל אה לאש פור פונדינאש דילא מאר אונדי גידיו נו איי / aleo vaeo tu mal ah los por fondinas di lo mar ondi gideo no ai / ?? your bad" ?? say the sea ?? [11]

Notes

[1] Google detected this particular line as Esperanto. Esperanto is an artificial language mostly based off of the Romance languages, so obviously Chaim Vital wasn't speaking Esperanto! There are many local and regional dialects of Italian and Google only uses the standard type in it's AI. What this most likely means is the incantation is in a regional dialect.

[2] Google didn't translate pircanto. Maybe an archaic word? I would say maybe "picanto" as in "heat" which would make sense for a fever. Any ideas, dear readers?

[3] Google detected this particular line as Corsican, which is an Italian dialect.

[4] Google couldn't understand this line. I'm sure I'm transliterating some wrong. The closest I got to anything was for the second part "vintos aci intrii" meaning "come here" in Romanian. 

[5] Although Google recognized this as Italian, it didn't offer a translation.

[6] I had to change "ti" to "te" to get any translation. Google then recognized it as Latin. I'm most likely transliterating some words wrong here.

[7] See note 5. "onde padri" got me "where father" (Portuguese) or "waves fathers" (Italian).

[8] pyro is fire. That's all I'm able to get out of this line.

[9] Gibberish google translation. All I'm able to get out of it is  "no canta" means doesn't sing in Spanish. "Non canta" means the same thing in standard Italian. Again, I understand I'm dealing with what is most likely some local Italian dialect that Google isn't programmed with.

[10] Obviously something went amiss here in Google translate! Also, detected it as Portuguese. I will note that "vacca" is Latin for cow.

[11] Google detected this line as Spanish but it was basically gibberish except for the two short phrases.

Book Review #1 The Book of Seals & Amulets

 

Book Review #1 The Book of Seals & Amulets by Jacobus Swart

One aim of my blog that I have yet to devote any posts is to review pertinent books in this field of study that I think the readership will find worthwhile and interesting. Moreover, not all publications regarding Kabbalah and Jewish magic are, at least from the Jewish tradition, accurate which is another reason I felt it would be important to review selected books on the topic.

For this first post, I am pleased to review The Book of Seals and Amulets by Jacobus Swart! First, let me introduce our author: Mr. Swart of South Africa has an extensive background on Kabbalah and esoteric studies in general, and had studied with the English ceremonial magician William Gray. In addition to publishing many of the writing of his teacher William Gray, Jacob Swart is a prolific author in his own right and I hope to review some of his other books in the future. Over the last few years, Jacob Swart and I have been in communication and I can attest to his true friendly demeanor and desire to really get things accurate.

Now, let's get to this book. The Book of Seals & Amulets is a large 472 pages neatly organized into seven chapters. The 1st chapter deals with many of the sacred names used in the amulets. In my opinion this  is an excellent way to begin this book because without at least a basic understanding of the significance and origin of the Names  the power of the amulet would be severely stunted (if it would even work at all).  Names covered in this chapter are: Adonai, Ehyeh, YHVH, Shadai, Agla, Taftafyah, Matzpatz, Tzamarcad amongst others. 

The 2nd chapter deals with magic squares consisting of word and number squares. In addition to how magic squares are formed, the author gives many examples of such squares and their uses. Material from Cornelius Agrippa is likewise included and discussed as well as a discussion of the magic word squares from the Book of Abramelin which I think really rounds out the study.  

3rd chapter is devoted to the magical usage of Psalms. After that, the 4th chapter discuses the magical angelic alphabets of which I am so very fond of. Many examples are taken from Rabbi Moshe Zacuto's Sefer Shorashei HaShemot. Also, a summary or paraphrase of sorts of a medieval commentary on the shapes of Metatron's alphabet is translated into English. (This medieval commentary is printed in full in the original Hebrew in Temirin vol. 2, 1981. You can download this hard to find book here). 

The 5th chapter discusses angels and their inclusion in amulets as well as demons and amulets for protection against them. Amulets for healing, health, wealth and success are discussed in the 6th chapter. The final chapter describes amulets that were written in particular patterns, such as a menorah or Star of David design. The book concludes with the method of disposing of amulets after use.

I very much enjoyed this fantastic book and recommend it. As someone who is familiar with the original source material I recognize the accuracy and authenticity throughout. Also, I really like that text material is usually presented in the following manner: 1) Original Hebrew 2) transliteration into English and 3) in  English translation. I think this really makes the texts suitable for a larger audience and allows those who can't read Hebrew to pronounce it Hebrew if they chose to. Footnotes throughout the book reference back to source material. Not a big deal, but personally I would have liked the references to include not just the books used but the page number(s) as well to make it easier to look up. Lots of nicely rendered illustrations of  various amulets, magic squares, sigils etc. are to to be found throughout the book. 

I found some small typos which I had previously pointed out to the author who told me he plans on fixing in future printings. I'll point them out here so readers can amend their copies: 

On pp. 54-55 The author speculates what the term יער נער "forest youth" is referring to. In truth, this term refers specifically to the angel Sandalfon and should be corrected as such.

On p. 99  שמרו והצילו וחלצו את ברכה בנת שרה  is translated as “guard and save and deliver the sanctity of the daughter of Sarah” etc. In truth,  בנת is the Aramaic singular and not plural and that ברכה בנת שרה is actually the personal name of this particular amulet and should be translated thus: as “guard and save and deliver Bracha the daughter of Sarah”. It should be noted that  the recipients own name is to be substituted.

On page 283, lines 11 and 12 counting from the top: "the beating of the Willow branches on Rosh HaShana". Rosh Hashana should be corrected to Hoshana Rabba, (the last day of Sukkot).

All in all, a real 5 star read! 

Everyone has their own favorite place to buy books so I've decided that my policy on the blog is not to post links, but rather give the relevant information to put into your favorite bookseller website. I recommend just copy/paste the ISBN number in the search feature on your preferred website and the book should pop up.

Title: The Book of Seals & Amulets

Author: Jacobus Swart 

Publisher, year: Sodality Press, 2017

ISBN: 9780620596985