For the source text click/tap here: Sanhedrin 101
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Demons in ancient Judaism have been a subject of interest for centuries. According to Jewish tradition, demons are supernatural beings that can cause harm to humans. The Talmud, a central text of Judaism, describes a rich and varied demonology. The demons of Jewish tradition are not necessarily evil, but they are often associated with negative qualities such as jealousy, anger, and lust.
We review the use of incantations and spells on our daf and review the work of Prof Meir bar Ilan
If familiarity with magic was previously associated with curiosities lacking real value, it now seems generally agreed that knowledge of magic in the past is but one aspect of knowledge of religion and also of the society in which magic is investigated. This condition also applies to magic in the world of the Talmudic sages, a broad culture of many years with many receptors for magic. One of the questions that have occupied investigators for over a century is: to what extent were the sages of the Mishna and Talmud participants in magic activity and was there a gap between religion and magic in antiquity. The thrust of the following treatment is to add to this subject, the investigation of the Jewish religion in antiquity, by focussing on textual analysis and methodological examination of the problems facing the student of the sources.