Spells, Demons and Dybbuks: Magic in Judaism

We know what you’re thinking: “There are spells and demons in Judaism?”

In taking a step back, one realizes that the religion is full of what some would call magic — from Moses to the Hanukkah story to the Leviathan, a primordial sea serpent that appears in multiple books of the Bible. And the Talmud is full of tales of demons and spirits, haunting dark places and even our own consciousness.

More contemporary fields of study, including Kabbalah and other forms of mysticism, have added a rich new layer of supernatural questioning to the magical Jewish mix.

In this unique new three-part course from My Jewish Learning, Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis — an expert on all things mystical and magical in Jewish lore — will teach us about the basics, from dybbuks (soul possessors) to golems (creatures made out of clay, often to defend Jews from antisemitic attacks) to Jewish grimoires (books of spells, charms and amulet-making instructions). Yes, they all exist.

We can’t cast our own spells here at My Jewish Learning — but we know you’ll leave the course with a deeper understanding of the richness of Judaism and its many different realms.