The Golem of Prague

The mysterious legend of the Golem of Prague was always a story that had fascinated me to some degree throughout my studies. Just the prospect alone of a living creature made from inanimate matter - reminiscent of late night movies like the Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, and Re-Animator - was enough to make any occult freak jump for joy. But the Golem was even more fascinating because of its origins. Unlike most tales of magick and monsters, which grow out of pagan and gypsy folk tales, the Golem originated from Jewish sources. This means that the same Judeo-Christian foundation that laid the groundwork for modern sectarian Christianity, also spawned a little occult lore of its own.

The most prominent interpretation of the legendary story of the Golem revolved around an enigmatic figure named Rabbi Loew in the year 1580.

Amidst the malicious nature and torturous ways of a priest by the name of Thaddeus, who was busy persecuting the Jews, Rabbi Loew was desperately searching for some way to protect his people from further harm.

Through stout faith and diligent prayer, Rabbi Loew received a visionary dream ordering him to create a Golem out of clay as his people's champion.

Loew, who was rumored to have been gifted with adept powers of air, gathered together two disciples who were each gifted with the powers of water and fire respectively.

The three of them meditated for seven days, and then, at four after midnight, they traveled to the riverbank and created a man out of the wet clay. Each person circled the clay figure seven times while repeating a combination of words. Soon after, they all stood together at the feet of the figure and recited Genesis 2:7:

"And God (YHVH Elohim) formed the man out of dust from the ground, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

Once the Golem opened its eyes, Rabbi Loew ordered him to his feet. This voiceless figure - for he did not have the ability to speak - was sent off to end the Jewish suffering.

Ten years after the creation of the Golem, the Jews were apparently now safe. It was decided by Rabbi Loew that the Golem was no longer needed, so he fetched those that originally helped in the creation ritual and they performed an equally powerful ritual that rendered the Golem completely inert. From the dust he came; and from the dust he returned.

It is important to note an alternate ending to the tale of the Golem; and one which I find a little more interesting.

To begin with, when the creature was created, the word emeth (Hebrew for truth) was inscribed on its forehead. This was basically the Golem's power center, and the inscription of the word emeth was an important part of the ritual that brought the creature to life.

The alternate legend states that when the Jews were safe, the Golem got out of hand (since it no longer had a goal) and Loew was forced to destroy it by erasing the letter aleph ("e") and leaving only meth (death) remaining.

Is the story of the Golem to be trusted? It's hard to say. Obviously the story we now hold is not the originally intended tale. We have the modified version that seems to contain some inkling of Qabalistic truth. However, since we do not hold the original version, it would be impossible to determine whether the author was trying to relay some miraculous tale of a clay figure come to life, or an allegory of hope in a time of trouble.