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- Title
Incantations, Lists, and 'Gates of Sermons' in the Circle of Rabbi Nehemiah ben Shiomo the Prophet, and their influences.
- Authors
Idel, Moshe
- Abstract
In two manuscripts, MS. London, British Library, 752 (Add. 15299), and MS Sasoon 290, there are several incantations that scholars have ascribed to a Provençal background. However, I maintain that their terminology is similar to that found in the writings of an early 3th century Ashkenazi figure named R. Nehemiah ben Shlomo the Prophet, especially in the proliferation of new names for angels; this proliferation may be explained as part of a resort to magic in order instantly to master the burgeoning Halakhic literature. In those two manuscripts, as well as in some few others, additional magical charms are found, Shem ha-Doresh, which served for magical preaching, and Shem ha-Kotev, which served for magical writing. The assumption of this study is that these Ashkenazi texts and practices found their way to Spain, especially to Castile, and contributed to the cultural effervescence that culminated with the Zoharic literature. This study provides evidence of a cultural dynamic in thirteenth century Jewish culture that relates Halakhic studies to use of magic; it demonstrates the impact of magical practices on the development of Kabbalistic literature, be it the Zoharic literature, or the ecstatic Kabbalah; and it points to fertile interaction between the Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewish cultures at that time.
- Subjects
HEBREW manuscripts; PROPHETS; SCROLLS; ASHKENAZIM; HEBREW incantations; JUDAISM &; culture; JEWISH preaching; RELIGION &; culture; COLLECTION development in libraries; BIBLE. Nehemiah; BRITISH Library
- Publication
Tarbiz, 2008, Vol 77, Issue 3/4, p475
- ISSN
0334-3650
- Publication type
Article