Ancient Jewish magic, to which Blau has devoted a special treatise, presents many features which are analogous to those of early Arabia just described. Indeed it is by no means an easy problem to determine how much of the latter came from Jewish, Babylonian, and Aramaic •O'lrces, and how far the .Jewish in ttirn became affected in very early times by Arabia.* There cac be little doubt that the main source of Jewish tradition in magic and demonology, in and after the Exile, was Babylonia, and that Babylonia also influenced Arabia.
The magical effect of spitting, to which Doughty
• According to the Talmud (SanJiedrin 61b, Ola) the Arabs were regarded &a endowed with magical powers. In the lir^t poattogc it is related that an Arab sorcerer cut his camel in pieces and then restore<l it to life. In the latter jiasnape it la 9tat«d that Abraham coinniunicatcd t^) the sons of his concubines the unclean name, i.e. the names of deities potent in magic ; cf. Blau, p. 48, and footnote 2.
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has referred (in the passages cited), was also an element in Jewish superstition. But what is most significant in Jewish sorcery is the belief in the magic power of words and names which was held almost universally, in the time of Christ, by the Jews in common with other contemporary nations. Pas- sages from Scripture were considered to be espe- cially effectual. These were constantly employed in bringing about cures. Thus the words in Lv 13' nv]>' ;■;: and also Lv 1' were considered etiicacious, thou"h forbidden by Rab and Kabbi Chanina {SnnJtcdrin lOlor). fix 15-° was employed in heal- ing wounds ; but when, in addition to this, sjiitting was resorted to, this was regarded as a forl>idden form of magic, and whosoever attempts it has no part or lot in the future life (Mishna Srinhed. xi. 1 ; fosrfta xii. 10). Of course special force belonged to the words, 'For I, Jehovah, am thj- healer.' Unclean water has a magical influence, which can be increa.sed or arrested by some incantation. Magic influence of a deterrent character was also attributed to iron. Iron has the power to wanl off evil spirits and to break spells. Spirits stand in fear of iron (cf. Blau, p. 159; and Bernkhoth 6r/, cf. Tosefta vi. 13). Tlie iron is cast between the graves, and the word hnda is pronounced ; for the graveyard has always been the place where sorcery is practised, since the spirits of the departed dwell there. Thither Canidia and Sagana, the sorceresses of Horace's muse, repair in the moonlight \,Sat. I. viii.); and Wellhausen {Ilcste^, p. 157) considers that close relations subsisted between jitin and spirits of dead men, the spirits of the departed becoming /inn.
The Talmud gives special recipes for turning a bad dream into one of good omen. One of these consists in repeating 9 verses (3 x 3) of the Bible. If .'i man sees a river in a dream, let him recite Is GO'- (in which peace is compared to a flowing stream) before he thinks of Is 59" ' When the enemy comes like a river.' It is dangerous to drink water on Wednesday or Friday night. If, however, one is comiielled to drink it, it is recom- mended that Ps 29'"'" should be recited, where the voice of Jehovah is mentioned seven times and also the waters, and it is said that Jehovah is enthroned above the flood.
Incantations were constantly employed in the art of healing. Most of these spells are derived from the teachers of the Talmud, who also prac- tised the medical art. As the remedy was applied, the incantation was whispered in tlie ear of the patient. The head of the operating physician was anointed with oil, and, if any unbidden or tin- initiated person heard tlie spell, its magical power was lost. Two examples of these magical remedies may be found in art. Magic, vol. iii. p. 211, and further illustrations will be found in lilau's mono- graph, pp. 72-77, l.Wfl'., and Breclier's Das Tran- sccn(lcnt(de,Magie u.mngischcHeilarlenimTalmud,
p. 198 ir.
Sorcery, in the narrower sense of ma"ic em- ployed with malignant or evil intent, would seek to accomplish such ends as causing one's neigh- bour's house to catch fire, bringing a hailstorm on his field, depriving his cows of milk, making his child die of illness, causing domestic brawls, or visiting himself with sudden death. In fact the .ancients were accustomed to attribute all such disasters to a malignant demon, sorcerer, or witch ; and the possession of any unusual phy.xical or mental quality, especially an uncanny look about the eyes, would expose the male or female possessor of these characteristics to the unenviable reputation of being a sorcerer or sorceress. Espe- cially old women of unusual ugliness were credited with dealings with the dark supernatural world. Even men distinguished by brilliant acquirement«
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SORCERY
SORCERY
or clever play would be liable to the suspicion of Borcerj'.
The chief motives to sorcery were love and hatred, and the result was frequently death or unfaithfulness to tiie marriage vow. .\fagic was employed to win forbidden love. Tlie chiel means to compass this end was mantlratjura, wliicli was universally regarded as an erotic plant (hence the Heb. name CNin Gn 30''"-). It was customary to re- cite verses from the Bible over this — a practice which the Talmud forbids {^/labbnf.k 86, 19). Tying of knots was sometimes resorted to in order to prevent childbirth. Cf. l,voran 113 (blowing on knots).