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Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Safed spells to protect from plagues

APOTROPAIC MAGIC: Prayers, amulets and spells to ward off plagues The sages of Safed created amulets, the Jews of Italy wrote prayers and other Jews warned of less conventional plagues (CHEN MALUL, Jerusalem Post).

The sages of Safed (also spelled Zefat, Szfat, Tzfat and Sfat) flourished in the sixteenth century. Past PaleoJudaica posts on Isaac Luria and Lurianic Kabbalah are here and links.

In Jewish magic, healing spells are common, going back to late antiquity. But I don't know offhand if any include spells to ward off plague.

The Talmudic-era magical handbook Sefer HaRazim has healing rites for individuals; rites for foreknowledge of coming disasters, including abundant death among mortals (presumably plagues); and a spell to protect cities from wild animals and floods. It has nothing specific about protection from plagues.

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