Ancient Jewish Magic
Gideon Bohak gives a pioneering account of the broad history of ancient Jewish magic, from the Second Temple to the rabbinic period. It is based both on ancient magicians' own compositions and products in Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek, and on the descriptions and prescriptions of non-magicians, to reconstruct a historical picture that is as balanced and nuanced as possible. The main focus is on the cultural make-up of ancient Jewish magic, and special attention is paid to the processes of cross-cultural contacts and borrowings between Jews and non-Jews, as well as to inner-Jewish creativity. Other major issues explored include the place of magic within Jewish society, contemporary Jewish attitudes to magic, and the identity of its practitioners. Throughout, the book seeks to explain the methodological underpinnings of all sound research in this demanding field, and to highlight areas where further research is likely to prove fruitful.
- Was the first scholarly history of ancient Jewish magic
- An accessible account which assumes no prior knowledge of Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek and only a general acquaintance with ancient Judaism
- Utilises numerous ancient and medieval sources, and much research
Reviews & endorsements
"... this brilliant work will become the touchstone for current and future scholarship. Essential."
Choice
"...this is a lively, exhaustively researched, theoretically mature, and always informative book. ...rich and fascinating..."
BMCR
"A pioneering work to be commended for its attention both to detail and the broader picture."
International Review of Biblical Studies
Product details
March 2011Paperback
9780521180986
494 pages
229 × 152 × 28 mm
0.77kg
15 b/w illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- List of figures
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1. Jewish magic: a contradiction in terms?
- 2. Jewish magic in the Second Temple period
- 3. Jewish magic in late antiquity - the 'insider' evidence
- 4. Non-Jewish elements in late antique Jewish magic
- 5. How 'Jewish' was ancient Jewish magic?
- 6. Magic and magicians in rabbinic literature
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index.