The Golem: Legends of the Ghetto of Prague
In the ghettos of medieval Germany the first traces of the Golem Story are to be found. It was there that the ‘pious’ spiritual leader appeared, the Hasidic master of magic, of occult lore, a prime goal of his efforts at ‘practical’ kabbala being the ‘creation’ of a Golem, a servant who would serve his people in their sufferings and struggles, bringing help to the community in its hour of great need. From these somewhat obscure beginnings, the Golem story passed down the centuries, extending beyond the confines of Jewish mystical lore, eventually finding literary expression, for example, in Goethe’s well known tale of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, in The Journal for Hermits by the Brothers Grimm of fairy-tale fame, and in a variant form in Mary W. Shelley’s Frankenstein. The Golem-saga has provided the motivation for a wealth of stories, plays, novels and occult studies, from the Renaissance to our day. The fascination of the Golem-figure is undeniable; the timeless element of mystical pathos, pointing to profound esoteric realities surrounding it, makes an indelible impression upon every sensitive student of mystical lore.
About the Author
Chayim Bloch was ordained as a rabbi and emigrated to Vienna in 1915. He served as a chaplain in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, and afterwards worked as an author in Vienna. Most prominently, he wrote a book about the Golem of Prague. In 1939, Bloch emigrated to Great Britain and then moved on to the United States, where he continued his literary work.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet