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Description: |
In the twentieth-century, rabbis constructed an amulet against Hitler. The Hebrew Bible expressly forbids the use of magic and witchcraft. At the same time, Jewish textual and material sources reveal a world teeming with angels, demons, exorcism rituals, amulets and spells that go against the grain of normative religion. In this course, we will examine the place of magic in Judaism from the Bible, Talmudic sources, Babylonian incantation bowls, to medieval and early modern books of secrets and magic. Throughout the course, we will consider the relationship between Jewish and non-Jewish forms of magic, attitudes to the natural and supernatural worlds, as well as the use of plants, animals, and other substances in magical procedures. Questions that will frame our discourse: What is the relationship between magic and normative religion? What purpose does magic serve in Jewish life and lived religion? Who are the Jewish magicians? Does gender play a role in Jewish magic? |