Demons in Jewish Mythology- Ashmedai -Part 1
Posted by Eli Dahan on July 14, 2009 under Jewish Folklore | 
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Ashmedai is a Hebrew word which means “destroyer.” Ashmedai, also known as Asmodeus, is a king of demons.He first appears in an Apocryphal book called the The Book of Tobit. According to Tobit, the evil spirit Asmodeus fell in love with Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, and for that reason prevented her from having a husband. After killing seven men successively on the nights of their marriage to her, he was rendered harmless when Tobias married her, following the instructions given him by the angel Raphael.
The Testament of Solomon
In the Testament of Solomon, the king calls Ashmedai to aid in the construction of the Temple. Ashmadai appears and predicts Solomon’s kingdom will one day be divided .When Solomon interrogated Ashmedai further, the king learns that Ashmedai is thwarted by the angel Raphael, as well as by sheatfish found in the rivers of Assyria. He also admits to hating water. This is how Ashmedai describes himself in the Testament Of Solomon :
“ אני נולדתי מזרע מלאכים על ידי בת אדם…שמי אשמדאי…ותפקידי הוא לפעול נגד זוגות שזה עתה נשאו, כך שהם לא ידעו זה את זו.אני מטיל עליהם רעות רבות, אני נוטל את יופיין של הבתולות..אני מביא את הגברים עד טרוף ותאוה כך שכאשר יש להם נשים משלהם
הם עוזבים אותן, והולכים ביום ובלילה אל אחרות השייכות לגברים אחרים…
רפאל המלאך העומד לפני כסא הכבוד, והכבד והמרה של דג גורמים לי לעוף, כאשר מעשנים אותם מעל גחלים”
“I was born an angel’s seed by a daughter of man… I am called Asmodeus… among mortals, and my business is to plot against the newly wedded, so that they may not know one another. And I sever them utterly by many calamities, and I waste away the beauty of virgin women, and estrange their hearts… I transport men into fits of madness and desire, when they have wives of their own, so that they leave them, and go off by night and day to others that belong to other men…. By Raphael, the archangel that stands before the throne of God. But the liver and gall of a fish put me to flight, when smoked over ashes of the tamarisk”
To be continued…
main phrases of the post + transcription + translation
|
Hebrew |
Transcription |
Translation |
|
שֵׁד |
šēd |
demon |
|
אַשְׁמְדַאי |
šməd‘ay ‘ |
Asmodeus |
|
רְפָאֵל |
rəpā’ēl |
Rephael |
|
סֵפֶר |
sēper |
book |
|
טוֹבִיָּה |
tôbyāh |
Tuvia, tobit |
|
נָשׂוּי |
nāśûy |
married |
|
מֶלֶךְ |
melek |
king |
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