EUR  â¬151.20EUR  â¬126.00 excl. VAT
Jewish Love Magic
From Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages
Series:
Author:
Jewish Love Magic: From Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages is the first monograph dedicated to the supernatural methods employed by Jews in order to generate love, grace or hate. Examining hundreds of manuscripts, often unpublished, Ortal-Paz Saar skillfully illuminates a major aspect of the Jewish magical tradition.
The book explores rituals, spells and important motifs of Jewish love magic, repeatedly comparing them to the Graeco-Roman and Christian traditions. In addition to recipes and amulets in Hebrew, Aramaic and Judaeo-Arabic, primarily originating in the Cairo Genizah, also rabbinic sources and responsa are analysed, resulting in a comprehensive and fascinating picture.
âDue to the general neglect of the topic in previous scholarship, the richness of the research corpus and the scientific precision of the author, Saarâs Jewish Love Magic is an important volume that should be on the shelf of every scholar focusing on ancient Jewish magic, but also on Jewish culture and cultural history in general. Furthermore, the book is an enjoyable read also for a non-specialist audience thanks to its clarity and fluency.â - Alessia Belusci, Yale University, in: Journal of Semitic Studies 64.2 (2019)
âThis is a valuable foray into the relationship between institutionalised religion and magic and the complex question of âlegitimacyâ. Overall, the book presents a compelling case for the existence of Jewish âlove magicâ.â
-Ann Jeffers, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 43.5 (2019)
The book explores rituals, spells and important motifs of Jewish love magic, repeatedly comparing them to the Graeco-Roman and Christian traditions. In addition to recipes and amulets in Hebrew, Aramaic and Judaeo-Arabic, primarily originating in the Cairo Genizah, also rabbinic sources and responsa are analysed, resulting in a comprehensive and fascinating picture.
âDue to the general neglect of the topic in previous scholarship, the richness of the research corpus and the scientific precision of the author, Saarâs Jewish Love Magic is an important volume that should be on the shelf of every scholar focusing on ancient Jewish magic, but also on Jewish culture and cultural history in general. Furthermore, the book is an enjoyable read also for a non-specialist audience thanks to its clarity and fluency.â - Alessia Belusci, Yale University, in: Journal of Semitic Studies 64.2 (2019)
âThis is a valuable foray into the relationship between institutionalised religion and magic and the complex question of âlegitimacyâ. Overall, the book presents a compelling case for the existence of Jewish âlove magicâ.â
-Ann Jeffers, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 43.5 (2019)
Ortal-Paz Saar (Ph.D, 2009, Tel Aviv University) is a cultural historian researching Judaism and its contacts with other religious traditions. Her publications focus on ancient and medieval Jewish magic, and she currently researches Jewish diasporic identity at Utrecht University, Netherlands.
âDue to the general neglect of the topic in previous scholarship, the richness of the research corpus and the scientific precision of the author, Saarâs Jewish Love Magic is an important volume that should be on the shelf of every scholar focusing on ancient Jewish magic, but also on Jewish culture and cultural history in general. Furthermore, the book is an enjoyable read also for a non-specialist audience thanks to its clarity and fluency.â - Alessia Belusci, Yale University, in: Journal of Semitic Studies 64.2 (2019)
Acknowledgements List of Figures Abbreviations Introduction 1 What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Love (Magic)? A Survey of Ancient Love Magic â1âHistorical Background â2âMain Features of Love Magic â3âThe Magical Rationale â4âThe Uses and Abuses of Love Magic â5âThe Silence of the Targets: Reactions to Love Magic and Counter Spells â6âSummary 2 Making Love, Making Hate Practices of Jewish Love Magic â1âIntroductory Remarks â2âMagical Practices: An Overview â3âProducts of Magical Practices â4âFrom Theory to Practice 3 Of Loviel and Other Demons The Verbal Aspects of Jewish Love Magic â1âIntroductory Remarks â2âLinguistic Aspects â3âAppeals and Demands: The Magical Formulae â4âLiterary Devices in the Magical Formulae â5âMagical Signs 4 A Time to Love and a Time to Hate The Temporal Aspects of Jewish Love Magic â1âWritten in the Stars â2âThe Timing of Magical Practices â3âTemporal References in Magical Products â4âSummary 5 You Shall Not Walk in Their Statutes? The âJewishnessâ of Jewish Love Magic â1âIntroductory Remarks â2âProhibited or Permitted Love? The Legitimacy of Love Magic in Judaism â3âTraits of Jewish Love Magic â4âJewish and Non-Jewish Love Magic: Some Differences â5âConclusions Summary â1âIn the Previous Chapters ⦠â2âWhat is Jewish Love Magic? A Second Look Bibliography Index of Manuscripts Index of Subjects
Scholars and students of Jewish religion, magic, and mysticism, as well as anyone interested in ritual traditions. Additionally, the book will be of interest to Cairo Genizah researchers.