The Book of Mysteries

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Sefer ha-Razim (the Book that sphere and the names of their officers,
(2) the nature of these angels and the range of
of Mysteries) (Jewish their authority, (3) the objectives that can be
magical text) achieved through the adjuration of the
angels and the exact ceremony required for
YUVAL HARARI
that. No magical rite is suggested in the seventh
heaven, where God is continuously glorified
Sefer ha-Razim (the Book of Mysteries) is the
and praised by the surrounding angels.
earliest Jewish magical treatise known to us. It
The range of aims mentioned in the Book
was composed in fine Hebrew, probably in
of Mysteries is very broad. Achieving each of
Egypt or Palestine, during the second third of
them is supposed to result from the per-
the first millennium. Its sources, however, may
formance of a certain, detailed ceremony.
have been much older. The book is rooted in the
Typically, these ceremonies combine the reci-
Jewish culture of the Greco-Roman world. Its
tation (or writing) of an adjuration addressed
author combined Jewish cosmology, angelology,
to specific angels with the ritual use of various
and magical technology with elements of Helle-
plants, minerals, liquids, and animal organs.
nistic magic. Many of the technical terms as well
Bound by the spell, the angels should react
as the professional ceremonies offered in it are
immediately and fulfill the adjurer’s request.
of Greek origin, as one can discern from
Sefer ha-Razim probably gained great
parallels in the Greek Magical Papyri.
popularity during the Byzantine period and
Although the text is assumed to have been
the subsequent centuries. Near the turn of
successfully reconstructed by Mordechai
the millennium it was mentioned by Karaite
Margalioth, there is no single manuscript that
leaders as a paradigm of the “Rabbanite books
preserves the text in its entirety. Its earliest
of magic.” It was repeatedly copied in both
fragments were found in the Cairo Genizah
Europe and the Muslim world and was par-
and are relatively late (see CAIRO GENIZAH, LATE
tially embedded in the most influential magic
ANTIQUE JEWISH TEXTS FROM). Based mainly on
compilation Book of the Angel Razi’el.
them, an eclectic edition of the book was first
published in 1966. SEE ALSO: Magic, Jewish.
Sefer ha-Razim is a fine example of the
literary stage in which scattered magical infor-
mation, apparently gathered for practical REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS
reasons, was embedded into a well-structured Alexander, P. S. (2003) “Sefer Ha-Razim and
treatise. The compilation leads the reader the problem of black magic in early Judaism.”
through seven heavens, starting with the lowest In T. E. Klutz, ed., Magic in the biblical world:
up to the seventh heaven, where God dwells. from the Rod of Aaron to the Ring of Solomon:
This tight structure is prefaced by a short intro- 170–90. London.
duction that enhances the authority of the book. Bohak, G. (2008) Ancient Jewish magic: a history:
It indicates the heavenly origin of the book, its 170–5. Cambridge.
delivery to Noah through the angel Razi’el as Harari, Y. (2010) Early Jewish magic: research,
method, sources: 215–20. Jerusalem.
well as its earthly chain of transmission, from
Margalioth, M. (1966) Sepher Ha-Razim:
Noah to King Solomon, and describes the main a newly recovered book of magic from the Talmudic
fields in which it might be used. period. Jerusalem.
Starting with the first level of the first heaven Morgan, M. A., trans. (1983) Sepher Ha-Razim,
the Book of Mysteries moves from one heav- the Book of the Mysteries. Chico, CA.
enly sphere to the next, indicating for each of Rebiger, B. and Schäfer, P. (2009) Sefer ha-Razim
them: (1) the names of the angels that dwell in I/II – Das Buch der Geheimnisse I/II. Tübingen.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition. Edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine,
and Sabine R. Huebner, print pages 6112–6113.
© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2013 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah11211

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