The Babylonian Talmud which was completed between the years 500-600 C.E. which deals extensively with matters of Halacha also provides a great deal of knowledge and insight into Jewish life in ancient times. Among other subjects that we see discussed are various types of medicine and healing. Perhaps, due to the influence of Babylonian culture we find many references to the use of Amulets over many years and in all periods. Archeological digs have found Amulets from ancient times and even today Amulets are used by many communities and cultures including Jews. Many claim that the idea of Amulets was adopted by the Jews influenced by the Babylonians during their exile in that country. The root of the word Amulet is the word "tie" in Aramaic as it is usually tied to or worn on the body. Another explanation attributes the root to the word of "little" in Aramaic as usually only a small amount is written in the Amulet. Special powers are attributed to the Amulet and usually a short blessing is written on a piece of paper or parchment and inserted within. Often a combination of letters or sentences are included as are the names of angels, holy people or pictures to insure protection from the "evil eye", ghosts and/or spirits.
The Jewish attitude regarding Amulets is not uniform. The Sages of the Talmud did not dismiss Amulets completely and some of the later day halachaists and geniuses ("Gaonim") viewed them in a positive manner. In one of the "responsas" of the "Gaonim" it is written "when writing an Amulet include the names of angels so that they may help in the matter." The Rambam (Maimonides) refers to Amulets in a complex manner. On the one hand he rejects them in a very definite manner but on the other hand he accepts t...
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... biblical verses in order to heal is thought of as a proselyte since according to Jewish principles it is impossible to compress the Torah and use it as a healing mechanism. The Talmud explains that this refers only to verses mentioning God's name.
Whisperings were common in the time of the Talmud for other things such as: someone with a bone caught in his/her throat, a similar bone is brought to him, placed on his head and the following incantation is said: "one-one-swallow-swallow-rest". According to the Sabbath tractate of the Talmud page 67a the meaning of this incantation is: "move down, move down and swallow".
In the Mishna, tractate Gittin page 7a it is written: "he who holds kordicos, if he gives it to his wife as well has done nothing". The sages ask what a kordicos is and answer that it is a spirit that causes madness for a short period of time. It is
The cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia developed into successful civilizations because they had rivers for mandatory needs like food and transportation, they had their own ruler, laws of civilization for the people, jobs for people, and temples for jobs and shelter for some.
is common knowledge that the druids had nothing to do with these rings. The Druids
I will be looking at magic in prehistoric Europe and the part it played in pre-Neolithic/Neolithic cultures. From this, I hope to reach an understanding of the part magic played in this time and how it progressed into later cultures. As there is no literary evidence for this time frame we must rely on the archaeological finds, in particular various phallic imagery, statuettes, cave art and monuments. These elements all point in one way or another towards an involvement with the religious beliefs of the time. It is hard to draw ‘definite conclusions’ about the people of this era as the relevant evidence does not exist in sufficient quantities to validate any claim to ‘definite fact’. However, with the evidence mentioned above I intend to provide a possible religious background to prehistoric magic.
Hi everyone! My name is Tom and today I'll be talking about the Code of Hammurabi. Imagine what it would be like if we didn't have any laws. If people did just as they pleased without any regard for others, life would probably get pretty chaotic. Law is one of society's most basic and necessary institutions. It establishes a person’s duties and obligations. The law also sets penalties for those who violate the rules. It helps teach us right from wrong. One of the earliest known written set of laws was composed by Hammurabi. Today my speech will cover who Hammurabi was, what his codes were, examine some of his most important and influential laws, and finally I'll discuss the significance it had moving forward.
Or when forged in silver, it is then linked to the Moon and psychic energies. While it is a protection charm, its uses can vary depending on the materials used to create
A strong influence of Wiccan and Pagan worship traditions makes this a symbol recognized and respected in different world
Magic originated with paganism, which was a pantheism view; they believed in more than one god. When the Christian church took over paganism they deemed all there practices and rituals to be satanic and that they used demons. The church had a monotheism view; they believed in only one god. The threat to the church was the notion of gnosis; that an initiate could unveil the
Jerusalem is a very old city, that well all know to be the capital of Israel. In fact Jerusalem is considered one of the oldest cities in the entire world. Having a past that traces back to the 4th millennium BCE (www.ancient.eu/jerusalem). Jerusalem has a very spiritual background, being the holiest city in Christianity and Judaism. The second king of Israel David, who was a very proficient military leader grew the city greatly. David battled Jebus during the year 1000 BC, later appointing it as the capital. The reason that David choose this location for his capitial was because it rested in between two territories, reason being so that neither tribe would gain too much power. Later, King Solomon in an act to bypass possible wars, married many royal familys.
He was killed by one of his slaves and one of his sons took his place on the throne
Muhammad, a prophet of Allah started the religion and empire of Islam. All of this happened due to his life as a child, prophethood, the rejection he faced, and battles.
when counseling people. And according to the word of God, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is God breathed and is useful
if it is truly a gift from God or not. All gifts serve a separate purpose and 1 Corinthians
The term occult means ‘knowledge of the hidden’, as opposed to knowledge of what is measurable, or scientific. These beliefs of magic, astrology, alchemy and other supernatural studies have been in practice as far as recorded human history goes. Primitives believed external manifestations of fearful and capricious spirits must be supplicated, and so a caveman would record his belief system on his walls as a daily reminder of his dependence upon these unseen forces. His superstitions and expectations led him to illusory interpretations of natural events. Thus as his mental and artistic developments advanced, his spirits became gods, then...
Body piercings originated in the Middle East around 4000 years ago. The earliest known form of piercing was the nose piercing. Mogul Emperors brought piercings to India in the 16th Century. Ayurveda, which is a traditional medicinal practice native to India, believed that piercing the left nostril of a woman acted as an acupuncture to ease the pain of child birth (Painful Pleasures Inc.). The art of body piercing was also practiced in parts of Africa. The size of the nose ring in African tribes signified the wealth of the family. After a marriage the husband gave the wife a nose ring, which was security in case of a divorce. In ancient times, piercings have also denoted socio-political status. Body piercings mainly represented some kind of social status. Septum and nipple piercings was a mark of the strength and power of a Roman gladiator. Figures like the Pharaoh were the only ones allowed to have belly button piercings, to showcase their God-like status. The Bible mentions body piercings as well. Body jewelry was a symbol of wealth and beauty in the Old Testament. Back then, anyone of a low social status who had a piercing was punished or even executed (WATConsult).
Occult is gotten from the Latin word “occulere”, this means to conceal, it can also mean secret or hidden. According to the book, the belief in occultism is more than that of God; the practitioners see themselves as scientists, philosophers and religious leaders. This chapter tells us about the connection between Christianity and occultism, “what is being rejected by the by the occultists according to Whitehead, is the doctrine of atonement and the belief that the unrepentant will be consigned to some sort of eternal punishment.”(Lehmann 376)