Jewish Magic and Superstition

Joshua Trachtenberg's study examines the magical practices, charms, amulets, and folk beliefs found in Jewish life from antiquity through the medieval period. It remains a classic historical survey because it treats these materials as part of lived religious culture, and readers will find careful discussions of demonology, protective rites, magical names, and popular customs.

Joshua Trachtenberg (1904–1959) was an American scholar and rabbi known for his studies of Jewish folklore and the history of anti-Jewish legend. His work is important for the academic treatment of magic, superstition, and popular religious imagination in Jewish cultural history.