The Legend of the Golem
The legend of the Golem takes us to Prague at the end of the 16th century, during the reign of Emperor Rudolf II. During this tumultuous time, numerous Jewish communities from Russia and the Balkans streamed into the Jewish ghetto of Prague, along with Jewish hunters seeking refuge from across Europe. Tensions ran high as the local Czech population often revolted against the Jewish community, leading to violent anti-Jewish pogroms.
In this challenging environment, Rabbi Judah Löw ben Bezalel, known for his wisdom and mystical powers, emerged as a beacon of hope for his people. He offered not only spiritual solace but also wise counsel and fair judgment. Living near the Old Synagogue, tales of his sagacity spread beyond the ghetto, reaching even non-Jewish circles.
As waves of hatred surged against the Jews of Prague, it seemed that the rabbi could not avert the impending calamities facing his people. Many nights were spent poring over ancient texts in search of answers to their plight.
Rabbi Löw had a dream
One night, the rabbi received a divine sign in a dream: "Create a being from clay that will help you against all your enemies!" Awakened by this vision, Rabbi Löw rose from his bed and spent hours among his old books and manuscripts until he uncovered the knowledge he sought. He inscribed sacred words on a piece of parchment and finally returned to bed with a sense of peace.
The golem
The next day, the rabbi enlisted the help of two assistants to begin crafting the Golem. He brought the creature to life by placing a "shem," a piece of parchment inscribed with God's name, in its mouth. The Golem would obey anyone who inserted the shem and carry out assigned tasks. It remained motionless in the corner of the room until given new orders, and could be rendered immobile by removing the shem.
As the week drew to a close, just before the onset of the Sabbath, it was essential to remove the shem from the Golem's mouth; otherwise, the creature would gain a will of its own and disrupt the sacred day of rest.
The Golem Turns Against the People
One day, the rabbi's only daughter fell gravely ill. Her desperate father cared for her day and night, but her condition continued to worsen. On the Friday evening before the Sabbath, he had to leave her bedside to attend the traditional prayers. Distracted by his daughter’s illness, he forgot to remove the shem from the Golem's mouth.
As a result, the clay creature came to life.
Without any useful tasks assigned to it, the Golem began to wreak havoc, destroying the precious furniture and artifacts in the rabbi’s home. The terrified maidservant rushed to the synagogue, pleading with the rabbi to stop the Golem’s rampage. In a panic, he shouted at the Golem to cease its destruction and swiftly removed the shem from its mouth. However, because this removal occurred during a Jewish holy day, the Golem crumbled to dust.
Heartbroken, the rabbi returned to the synagogue to complete his prayers. Yet upon returning home, he found that he no longer lamented the loss of his cherished possessions or the clay giant. Miraculously, his daughter began to recover.
The legend of the Golem of Prague has its roots in the Middle Ages but became associated with the figure of Rabbi Löw only in the 18th century. According to the legend, the Golem was buried in the attic of the Old Synagogue.
Watch the animation about the legend of the Golem:
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