The Supernatural Power of Language: Jewish Magic from Antiquity to Present Day

Can words summon protection, healing, or harm? In this seminar we will examine Jewish traditions that attribute supernatural power to language, letters, and sacred texts. We will engage with fundamental questions, including the tension between biblical prohibitions against practicing magic and the widespread use of magical practices up to the present day. We will explore spells, divine names, prayers, rituals, and magical texts, as well as the materials and media on which they were written, asking how words are believed to shape reality and mediate between human and divine realms. Using a community of learners approach, the course emphasizes both individual and collaborative inquiry through scholarly readings, primary sources, and digital media.