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Mazzikin
In Jewish mythology, mazzikin (, borrowed as ) are invisible demons that can create minor annoyances or greater dangers. This Aramaic term, which is found in the Talmud, means "damagers" or "those who harm". It is generally understood to mean harmful invisible demons that a person could encounter in daily life. While Judaism today does not often directly discuss evil spirits, as late as the Geonic period, incantation bowls made by Aramaic-speaking inhabitants of Mesopotamia and the Levant (including both practicing Jews and rabbis) were a method of protecting individuals from a large array of demons and similar spirits, such as disease spirits, mazzikin, lilin, and shedim. Description The Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, contains various descriptions of mazzikin throughout its pages. While these descriptions may not present a uniform or consistent portrayal, they provide insights into the understanding and beliefs about mazzikin in Jewish tradition during the time o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Demons In Judaism
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, television, and video games. Belief in demons probably goes back to the Paleolithic age, stemming from humanity's fear of the unknown, the strange and the horrific.. In ancient Near Eastern religions and in the Abrahamic religions, including early Judaism and ancient-medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity that may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. Large portions of Jewish demonology, a key influence on Christianity and Islam, originated from a later form of Zoroastrianism, and was transferred to Judaism during the Persian era. Demons may or may not be considered to be devils: minions of the Devil. In many traditions, demons are independent operators, with different demons causing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shedim
''Shedim'' (; singular: ''šēḏ'') are spirits or demons in Judaism, demons in the Tanakh and Jewish mythology. Shedim do not, however, correspond exactly to the modern conception of demons as evil entities as originated in Christian demonology, Christianity. While evil spirits were thought to cause maladies, shedim differed conceptually from evil spirits. Shedim were not considered evil demigods, but the gods of foreigners; further, they were envisaged as evil only in the sense that they were ''not God''. They appear only twice (and in both instances in the plural) in the Tanakh, at Psalm 106:37 and Song of Moses, Deuteronomy 32:17. In both instances, the text deals with child sacrifice or animal sacrifice. Although the word is traditionally derived from the root ( ''shuḏ'') that conveys the meaning of "acting with violence" or "laying waste," it was possibly a loanword from Akkadian language, Akkadian, in which the word ''shedu'' referred to a spirit that could be eith ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shema Yisrael
''Shema Yisrael'' (''Shema Israel'' or ''Sh'ma Yisrael''; , “Hear, O Israel”) is a Jewish prayer (known as the Shema) that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. Its first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: YHWH our God, YHWH is one" (), found in . The first part can be translated as either "The our God" or "The is our God", and the second part as either "the is one" or as "the one " (in the sense of "the alone"), since Hebrew does not normally use a copula in the present tense, so translators must decide by inference whether one is appropriate in English. The word used for "the " is the tetragrammaton YHWH. Observant Jews consider the ''Shema'' to be the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a ''mitzvah'' (religious commandment). Also, it is traditional for Jews to say the ''Shema'' as their last words, and for parents to teach their children ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pesachim
Pesachim (, lit. "Paschal lambs" or "Passovers"), also spelled Pesahim, is the third tractate of '' Seder Moed'' ("Order of Festivals") of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. The tractate discusses the topics related to the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the Passover sacrifice, both called ''"Pesach"'' in Hebrew. The tractate deals with the laws of ''matza'' (unleavened bread) and '' maror'' (bitter herbs), the prohibitions against owning or consuming ''chametz'' (leaven) on the festival, the details of the Paschal lamb that used to be offered at the Temple in Jerusalem, the order of the feast on the first evening of the holiday known as the Passover seder, and the laws of the supplemental " Second Pesach". Two reasons are given for the name of the tractate ''Pesachim'' being in the plural: either because the tractate originally comprised two parts, one dealing with the Passover sacrifice, and the second with the other aspects of the holiday, before they were combined into a single ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Berakhot (tractate)
Berakhot (, lit. "Blessings") is the first tractate of '' Seder Zeraim'' ("Order of Seeds") of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. The tractate discusses the rules of prayers, particularly the Shema and the Amidah, and blessings for various circumstances. Since a large part of the tractate is concerned with the many ''berakhot'' (), all comprising the formal liturgical element beginning with the words "Blessed are you, Lord our God....", it is named for the initial word of these special form of prayer. ''Berakhot'' is the only tractate in ''Seder Zeraim'' to have Gemara – rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah – in the Babylonian Talmud. There is however Jerusalem Talmud on all the tractates in ''Seder Zeraim''. There is also a Tosefta for this tractate. The Jewish religious laws detailed in this tractate have shaped the liturgies of all the Jewish communities since the later Talmudic period and continue to be observed by traditional Jewish communities until ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rav Huna
Rav Huna (Hebrew: רב הונא) was a Jewish Talmudist and Exilarch who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the second generation and head of the Academy of Sura; he was born about 216 CE (212 CE according to Gratz) and died in 296–297 CE (608 of the Seleucidan era) or in 290 CE. Biography He lived in a town, identified by Wiesener with Tikrit. He was the principal pupil of Rav, under whom he acquired so much learning that one of Rava's three wishes was to possess Rav Huna's wisdom. Mo'ed Katan 28a He was also styled "one of the Babylonian Hasidim," on account of his great piety. The esteem in which he was held was so great that, though not of a priestly family, he read from the Torah on Shabbat and holy days the first passage, which is usually read by a Kohen (priest). Rav Ammi and Rav Assi, honored Israeli Kohanim, considered Huna as their superior. Although Rav Huna was related to the family of the exilarch he was so poor at the beginning of his career that in ord ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amoraim
''Amoraim'' ( , singular ''Amora'' ; "those who say" or "those who speak over the people", or "spokesmen") refers to Jewish scholars of the period from about 200 to 500 CE, who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral Torah. They were primarily located in Babylonia and the Land of Israel. Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara. The ''Amoraim'' followed the '' Tannaim'' in the sequence of ancient Jewish scholars. The ''Tannaim'' were direct transmitters of uncodified oral tradition; the ''Amoraim'' expounded upon and clarified the oral law after its initial codification. The Amoraic era The first Babylonian ''Amoraim'' were Abba Arikha, respectfully referred to as ''Rav'', and his contemporary and frequent debate partner, Shmuel. Among the earliest ''Amoraim'' in Israel were Johanan bar Nappaha and Shimon ben Lakish. Traditionally, the Amoraic period is reckoned as seven or eight generations (depending on where one begins and en ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abaye
Abaye () was an amora of the fourth generation of the Talmudic academies in Babylonia. He was born about the close of the third century and died in 337. Biography Abaye, according to Talmudic tradition, was the head of the Pumbedita Academy until the day of his death. He was known as a modest and honest man, supporting himself through farming. He lived most of his life in poverty. Abaye was born as the only son of Kilil.Bavli, Zevachim 118b. His father died before Abaye was born, and his mother died during childbirth; he was adopted by his uncle, Rabbah bar Nahmani. His name Abaye was often called "Nahmani" by his friends. According to one opinion, first mentioned by Rashi, he was called Nahmani because he was raised by Rabbah bar Nahmani, but according to another opinion, his original name was actually Nahmani. To avoid confusion with the name of his adoptive father, he was given the nickname "Abaye," which is an acronym of the verse: "Asher-Bkha Yerukham Yatom" (Hosea 14:4) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baraita
''Baraita'' ( "external" or "outside"; pl. ''bārayāṯā'' or in Hebrew ''baraitot''; also baraitha, beraita; Ashkenazi pronunciation: berayse) designates a tradition in the Oral Torah of Rabbinical Judaism that is not incorporated in the Mishnah. ''Baraita'' thus refers to teachings "outside" of the six orders of the Mishnah. Originally, "Baraita" probably referred to teachings from schools outside the main Mishnaic-era yeshivas – although in later collections, individual barayata are often authored by sages of the Mishna (''Tannaim''). According to Maimonides' ''Introduction to Mishneh Torah'', the barayata were compiled by Hoshaiah Rabbah and Bar Kappara, although no other compilation was passed down that was similar to the Tosefta. Because the Mishnah encapsulates the entire Oral Law in a purposely compact form (designed to both facilitate ''and'' necessitate oral transmission), many variant versions, additional explanations, clarifications and rulings were not inclu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jewish Mythology
Jewish mythology is the body of myths associated with Judaism. Elements of Jewish mythology have had a profound influence on Christian mythology and on Islamic mythology, as well as on Abrahamic culture in general. Christian mythology directly inherited many of the narratives from the Jewish people, sharing in common the narratives from the Old Testament. Islamic mythology also shares many of the same stories; for instance, a creation myth, creation-account spaced out over six periods, the legend of Abraham, the stories of Moses and the Israelites, and many more. Tanakh The writings of the biblical prophets, including Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, express a concept of the divine that is distinct from the mythologies of its neighbors. Instead of seeing the god of Israel as just one national god, these writings describe Yahweh as the one god of the universe. The prophetic writings condemned Hebrew participation in nature worship, and did not completely identify the divine with n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hagigah
Hagigah or Chagigah () is one of the tractates comprising Moed, one of the six orders of the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish traditions included in the Talmud. It deals with the Three Pilgrimage Festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot and the pilgrimage offering that men were supposed to bring to the Temple in Jerusalem. In the middle of the second chapter, the text discusses topics of ritual purity. The tractate contains three chapters, spanning 27 pages in the Vilna Edition Shas of the Babylonian Talmud, making it relatively short. The second chapter contains much early aggadah, discussing the Genesis creation narrative and early merkabah mysticism. Its content is relatively light and uncomplicated except for the third chapter. References External links Mishnah Chagigah text in Hebrew [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
