Jewish Research Articles

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Judaism is one of the most mysterious religions in the world. Despite the large number of Jews in the world, people are generally unable to know about Jewish customs and traditions. There are many reasons for this mystery. One of them is that this religion only accepts people of a certain race, due to which other people are generally ignorant of their religious thought, philosophy, and practice. The other reason for their mysteriousness is their different religious calendar system. Their names of months, counting of years, and festivals are neither entirely on the solar calendar nor entirely on the lunar calendar. The books of the People of the Book have been of great importance to the people of Islam because our book, the Holy Quran repeatedly refers to them. Christian literature is easy to obtain as it is available in every language. In contrast, Jewish literature has been available only in Hebrew. And the translations in English are not available to the common man. But for the past two or three years, English translations of Jewish religious books have become available online. The Jewish religious literature is indeed divided into two main parts: the Tanakh and the Talmud. The Tanakh, also known as the Hebrew Bible, is further divided into three sections: the Torah, the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings). Each section contains various books and writings that are significant to the Jewish faith. The Torah, which is the first part of the Tanakh, consists of the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It contains the foundational laws, commandments, and teachings that guide Jewish religious practice. The Nevi'im, or the Prophets, includes books that contain the messages, prophecies, and narratives of the Jewish prophets throughout history. It provides insights into the moral and spiritual guidance of the Jewish people. The Ketuvim, or the Writings, consists of various books, including Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and others. It contains poetry, wisdom literature, songs, and stories that offer spiritual and practical guidance to Jewish individuals and communities. The Talmud is a compilation of Jewish teachings and discussions that expand upon the laws and principles outlined in the Tanakh. The Talmud is divided into two main parts: the Mishnah and the Gemara. The Mishnah is a collection of oral traditions and teachings of Jewish law, while the Gemara provides commentaries and discussions on the Mishnah. Together, the Tanakh and the Talmud form the foundation of Jewish religious literature, providing guidance, teachings, and insights into the faith and its practices. They are essential sources for understanding Jewish theology, ethics, and legal principles.

Философия события «Последнего Бога» М. Хайдеггера в контексте теологии «после Освенцима»

Theological components of the historical memory of the Holocaust are the most important constitutive elements of the socio-political and value-ideological forms of understanding the causes and nature of the unprecedented evil committed by Nazism and ways of further development of the human community. Frankly false concepts and analogies that directly affect the memory of generations about the Second World War and are authorized to exist in Western society require raising questions about the specifics of the connection between the existing forms of theological intentions of understanding the Holocaust and the philosophical discourse associated with them with the features of social-political construction narrative of historical memory of this event. The attempted interpretation of the texts by M. Heidegger, which contain intuitions about the ontological-theological essence of the coming historical catastrophe, aims to identify the specific features of the existing ‘Post-Auschwitz’ theology, which legitimize the value-worldview negative transformations in the self-consciousness of Western society. The main method of research is the hermeneutic-phenomenological method, according to which the meaning, directly assimilated from the actual side of the event, cannot be identical to the constitutive meaning, which appeals to the essence of the event that is not revealed through facticity. The constitutive meaning of the event in this study is based on a comparison of the Thinker’s onto-theological intuitions about the essence of an event that has not yet occurred with the circumstances of its actual implementation. The specificity of hermeneutic work in relation to the correlation of the onto-theological contours of the tragic unity of human’s and God’s being revealed in the philosophy of the event ‘The Last God’ by M. Heidegger is determined by the correlation of these contours as constitutive elements of meaning with the event of the Holocaust, linking the fate of the Jewish people with the fate of God. In contrast to similar hermeneutic intentions present in the theology of the ‘Death of God’, M. Heidegger’s philosophy emphasizes the effective nature of human existence, which performs an act of gifting its own essence, leading it to death. The result of this gift is an act of ontological transcendence of human nature and the assimilation of divine nature, carried out by ‘The Last God’. As a development of this concept, an assumption is made about the act of ontological restoration by a person of the existence of God before the event. The interpretation of the difference of divine essences is carried out in a Trinitarian context. The interpretation and development of the philosophy of the event of ‘The Last God’ by M. Heidegger, proposed in this article, are a priority form of development of theology, which aims at the categorical hermeneutic construction of the theodicy of the Holocaust event, determining the essence of the object of faith, as well as preventing value-worldview and socio-political insinuations associated with the transformation of the discourse of ‘guilt and forgiveness’ in Western society.

A Smothering Embrace? Hermeneutical Issues in Catholic Discourse about Jews and Judaism

AbstractThis article examines how Jews and Judaism are envisioned in the Catholic imagination, through a critical reading of contemporary Catholic discourse on Judaism. It identifies three problematic areas. The first concerns the tendency of Catholic discourse to project a specifically Christian vision of salvation history onto the Jewish people, which reflects Christian rather than Jewish self-understanding. Second, this article analyzes patterns in language and imagery in Vatican documents about Judaism, alert to troubling allusions implicit in the texts. The third area concerns a hermeneutical obstacle to deep interreligious understanding, one which may be ultimately insurmountable: namely, the challenges of understanding the religious other according to its own self-understanding. This article reaches an ambivalent conclusion, conceding that the goal of recognizing the self-understanding of another religious tradition may ultimately be impossible.

Müverrih Ebü’l-Ferec’in Yahudi Kökeni ve İbnü’l-İbrī Nisbesi Hakkında

The renowned thirteenth-century Syriac historian Gregory Abū al-Faraj was an encyclopaedic and prolific author, writing in fields as diverse as theology, history, literature and philosophy. This multifaceted approach makes him a forerunner of the Renaissance concept of “homo universalis”, embodying the quest for “universal knowledge”. Among his notable works, the Makhtebhanūth zabhne, written in Syriac by Abū al-Faraj, is a cornerstone of Turkish and Islamic historical studies. The article explores the semantic nuances behind his relativity, Ibn al-Ibri, and summarises the prevailing discussions. It also examines the claims made by European orientalists to Abū al-Faraj’s Jewish ancestry, as well as the counter-arguments put forward by opposing scholars. Most importantly, this article offers fresh and original insights into this complicated subject, thus broadening the discourse surrounding Abū al-Faraj’s background.

Adult-onset Alexander disease among patients of Jewish Syrian descent.

Alexander disease (AxD) is a rare autosomal dominant leukodystrophy caused by heterozygous mutations in the glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) gene. The age of symptoms onset ranges from infancy to adulthood, with variable clinical and radiological manifestations. Adult-onset AxD manifests as a chronic and progressive condition, characterized by bulbar, motor, cerebellar, and other clinical signs and symptoms. Neuroradiological findings typically involve the brainstem and cervical spinal cord. Adult-onset AxD has been described in diverse populations but is rare in Israel. We present a series of patients diagnosed with adult-onset AxD from three families, all of Jewish Syrian descent. Five patients (4 females) were diagnosed with adult-onset AxD due to the heterozygous mutationc.219G > A, p.Met73Ile in GFAP. Age at symptoms onset ranged from 48 to 61 years. Clinical characteristics were typical and involved progressive bulbar and gait disturbance, followed by pyramidal and cerebellar impairment, dysautonomia, and cognitive decline. Imaging findings included medullary and cervical spinal atrophy and mostly infratentorial white matter hyperintensities. A newly recognized cluster of adult-onset AxD in Jews of Syrian origin is presented. This disorder should be considered in differential diagnosis in appropriate circumstances. Genetic counselling for family members is required in order to discuss options for future family planning.

The Holocaust, the Socialization of Victimhood and Outgroup Political Attitudes in Israel

How does historical victimization and its memorialization impact present-day outgroup attitudes in conflict-riven societies? This study explores this question using a survey experiment with a representative sample of 2000 Jewish Israelis—half of whom are direct descendants of Holocaust survivors—and a content analysis of 98 state-approved school textbooks, examining how histories of victimization become socialized and shape political attitudes. We find that, in Israel, family victimization during the Holocaust plays surprisingly little role in shaping present-day attitudes toward outgroups. Rather, perceived historical victimization of the Jewish and Israeli people is broadly socialized among the Israeli public and is a stronger predictor of outgroup (in)tolerance. These findings shed light on the power of societal victimhood narratives—even in the absence of personal family histories of victimization—to shape political attitudes in conflict contexts, with long-term implications for intergroup cooperation and conflict.

Assimilation/Appropriation: What Jewish Discourses in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing Studies Tell Us about the Limitations of Inclusion

Drawing upon original post-structural phenomenological research, this article explores how Jewish discourses are pathologized and marginalized in rhet/comp spaces in ways that impact theorizing, pedagogy, professional interaction, and disciplinary knowledge production and how the academy’s white Christian hegemony reifies itself through these processes. As the limited assimilative success of Jewish people demonstrates, inclusion is not inherently equitable, nor does it necessarily change the structures of white supremacy. Ultimately, I suggest that cultural rhetorics contributes a more critical conceptualization of “inclusion” for the academy that acknowledges the limitations and dangers of assimilation into whiteness.

Jewish Diversity in Israel

Abstract This article explores complementary dimensions of Jewish diversity in Israel. In the past two decades Jews have evolved in polarising directions: whereas the fringes of ultra-Orthodox and the secular widened, the traditional middle narrowed. Within each sector, religious identification across an individual's life cycle is dynamic, with the ultra-Orthodox and religious bolstering their religiosity and the secular and traditional moving away from any religious patterns. Alongside some significant differences among the religious sectors in attitudes and behaviours, such as the importance of being Jewish or the observance of ongoing rituals, there are broad consensuses on matters of belonging to the Jewish people, the importance of remembering the Holocaust, and the celebration of the major Jewish holidays. Still, Israeli society sees disagreements over values and institutions that the state should maintain, and over tension between Judaism and democracy. The discussion assesses differences in religious identity between Israel and Europe and the implications of this for European Jewry.

The City of Bălți on the Pages of the Newspaper „Бессарабское слово” (year 1936)

The Bessarabian press from the interwar period represents an important source in studying the socioeconomic and cultural aspects that took place in society. For example, the newspaper „Бессарабское слово” (eng. – Bessarabian word), a daily newspaper published in Chișinău, with a page dedicated to the county centers of Bessarabia. With reference to the year 1936, the correspondents responsible for Bălți County elucidated the current problems of Bălți society: the city budget and the distribution of money for administrative-economic problems, the road repairs, solutions for electrification, the sanitary and epidemiological situation, school, cultural and philanthropic events, the problems of the Jewish society, the strikes and social tensions, but also a series of other aspects that required the involvement of the local authorities or the Bălți society.

The effect of a prior e-learning tool on genetic counseling outcomes in diverse ethnic couples with abnormal Down syndrome screening tests: A randomized controlled trial.

Genetic counseling (GC) following abnormal Down syndrome (DS) screening tests aims to ensure learning of complex medical concepts and discussion of counselees' personal desires. Pre-GC use of electronic learning tools (e-learning tools) can facilitate GC sessions by allowing more time for dialogue rather than learning medical and genetic concepts, enabling greater focus on the counselee's decisional, psychological, and personal needs. Few studies have investigated such tools for DS screening tests and those who have focused on screening uptake rather than abnormal results and implications. This study evaluated prenatal GC outcomes following implementation of an e-learning tool utilizing an educational animated movie for couples of varied ethnic backgrounds in northern Israel, with abnormal DS screening tests. E-learning tool impact was assessed as knowledge level, informed choices, satisfaction with the intervention and GC process, the state of anxiety and duration of the GC meeting. The 321 study participants were randomized to three groups: animation movie, booklet, and control. All participants had been asked to complete pre- and post-counseling questionnaires. Outcome scores were compared between the research groups. Results showed increased knowledge level in general among participants in the animation group; among minority participants, the highest knowledge level was in the animation group. Anxiety levels and informed choices were not statistically different among the groups. However, watching the animation, Jewish ethnicity, good level of genetic literacy, and academic degree were significant predictors of informed choice, and those who watched the animation were three times more likely to make an informed choice than the control group. Our findings suggest that this e-learning tool is efficient and acceptable for the general population. Special attention is needed for minorities with lower genetic literacy and education.

Severe early-onset Wilson disease caused by a common pathogenic variant in the Bukharan Jewish population in Israel

BackgroundWilson disease is caused by pathogenic variants in the ATP7B gene which encodes a copper-transporting ATPase. AimsDescribe a common founder pathogenic variant among Bukharan Jews and to assess its prevalence, clinical features, and outcome. MethodsThe cohort consisted of patients of Bukharan Jewish descent diagnosed with Wilson disease at a tertiary pediatric medical center in 2013–2018. Clinical and genetic data were collected and analyzed. ResultsSix patients from 4 unrelated families who were homozygous for the c.3784G > T p.(Val1262Phe) pathogenic variant in ATP7B were identified. Five presented with elevated aminotransferase levels, and one, with acute liver failure. Mean age at diagnosis was 8.7 years (5–12.5). Serum ceruloplasmin level was extremely low in all patients (1.9–7 mg/dL; mean 3.2(. The variant was identified in a heterozygous state in 5/153 Bukharan Jews; 2/33 from our local exome database and 3/120 healthy unrelated Bukharan Jews in another cohort, for an estimated carrier frequency of ∼1:30. ConclusionsWe report a common founder pathogenic variant in the ATP7B gene among Bukharan Jews associated with severe early-onset Wilson disease. Given the clinical severity, high frequency of the variant, and being a treatable disease, its inclusion in pre-symptomatic screening in the Bukharan Jewish community should be considered. Furthermore, WD should be part of future genetic newborn screening programs in Israel and worldwide, to enable early treatment and prevention of future life-threatening complications.

Loyalitas Dan Mentalitas Abraham Dalam Mengikuti Panggilan Allah

The presence of a chosen nation that began with God's covenant with Abraham, also began with God's promise to Abraham about descendants who would become Abraham's heirs in the future. Of course this begins with God's promise to the descendants of Eve who will be the savior (Genesis 3:15). So that there is a development of God's statement in a specific and representative manner with the presence of Abraham's descendants. When God appeared to Abraham after arriving in Shechem, the promise of descendants was repeated (Genesis 12:7). This means that the presence of heirs will determine the blessing of the nations. In the development of the theological world, there is a common misconception that the Old Testament (OT) does not have a mission mandate and that the OT is a book dedicated only to the Jewish people and Jewish history. However, this view does not match the claims made by the Old Testament itself. If you pay close attention to the beginnings of the Old Testament then it would be a mistake to judge that the Old Testament lacked a mission challenge. The message in the earliest chapters of Genesis is that there is a universal and global audience. Didn't God deal with "all the peoples of the earth" when God acted in saving at the three incident points, namely the fall of mankind, the flood event and the tower of Babel in Genesis 1-11? God directs the great message of salvation to all mankind (Genesis 3:15; 9:17; 12:1-3).
 The presence of a chosen nation that began with God's covenant with Abraham, also began with God's promise to Abraham about descendants who would become Abraham's heirs in the future. Of course this begins with God's promise to the descendants of Eve who will be the savior (Genesis 3:15). So that there is a development of God's statement in a specific and representative manner with the presence of Abraham's descendants. When God appeared to Abraham after arriving in Shechem, the promise of descendants was repeated (Genesis 12:7). This means that the presence of heirs will determine the blessing of the nations. In the development of the theological world, there is a common misconception that the Old Testament (OT) does not have a mission mandate and that the OT is a book dedicated only to the Jewish people and Jewish history. However, this view does not match the claims made by the Old Testament itself. If you pay close attention to the beginnings of the Old Testament then it would be a mistake to judge that the Old Testament lacked a mission challenge. The message in the earliest chapters of Genesis is that there is a universal and global audience. Didn't God deal with "all the peoples of the earth" when God acted in saving at the three incident points, namely the fall of mankind, the flood event and the tower of Babel in Genesis 1-11? God directs the great message of salvation to all mankind (Genesis 3:15; 9:17; 12:1-3).

Management of risk factors and pharmacological therapy in oral pemphigus vulgaris: A Case Report

Introduction: The incidence of pemphigus vulgaris is rare. It often occurs in middle age and the elderly or in the 4th to 5th decades. Women experience it more often than men. Pemphigus vulgaris predominates in patients of Ashkenazi Jewish, Asian or Mediterranean descent. The etiology of pemphigus vulgaris remains unclear, but it can be triggered by several risk factors, such as drugs, radiation, surgery, and some foods. This case report aims to describe a case of oral pemphigus vulgaris caused by stress and food and its management. Case: a 45-year-old woman who was hospitalized at Dr. Hasan Sadikin hospital referred from Dermatology and Venerology department to Oral Medicine department with diagnosis pemphigus vulgaris. The risk factors were emotional stress and food preservated. Pharmacology therapy including steroids, anti-fungal, and vitamins. Discussion: The management of this patient was carried out by a multidisciplinary team, dermatologist collaborate with oral medicine specialist to support comprehensive therapy. Identification and controlling emotional stress and cessation of food which was suspected as the cause, were the important aspect as an addition to the given pharmacological therapy led to significant improvement of oral pemphigus vulgaris. Conclusion: Oral pemphigus vulgaris as a chronic autoimmune disease can be cured if the risk factors can be controlled and close monitoring of pharmacological therapy can be carried out by a team.
 Keywords: pharmacology, risk factor, oral pemphigus vulgaris

Criticism and fiction: An autofiction experience. Serge Doubrovsky and Raymond Federman

The article looks at the origins of the concept of autofiction and compares S. Doubrovsky’s and R. Federman’s theories, emphasising the influence of American criticism on the concept’s development. Although often referred to as a hybrid genre first emerging in France in the 1970s and combining fictional and factual events, ‘autofiction’ at its inception was understood as a special narrative practice of traumatic self-reflection through the concept of fiction. In Doubrovsky’s critical works, fiction emerges not as a product of imagination but as a psychoanalytical practice of entrusting one’s experiences to writing. In parallel with Doubrovsky, another scholar, the French-American novelist of Jewish descent Raymond Federman, challenges the limitations of the traditional autobiography. His manifesto, Surfiction (1973), reflects on the boundaries between reality and fiction and questions the very possibility of an autobiographical experience representation. Along with Doubrovsky, Federman views autobiographical writing as an attempt to render a not-to-be-represented and traumatic experience.

“I don’t need any more unknowns hanging over my head”: Views of patients with cancer on variants of uncertain significance and low/moderate risk results from genomic sequencing

PurposeWe sought to explore patient-reported utility of all types of cancer results from genomic sequencing (GS). MethodsQualitative study, using semi-structured interviews with patients who underwent GS within a trial. Thematic analysis employing constant comparison was used. Two coders coded transcripts, with use of a third coder to resolve conflicts. Results25 patients participated: female (22), >50 years (18), European (12), Ashkenazi Jewish (5), Middle Eastern (3), or other ethnicity (5), with breast cancer history (20).Patients’ perceptions of the utility of cancer GS results hinged on whether they triggered clinical action. For example, when patients were enrolled into high-risk breast cancer surveillance programs for low/moderate risk breast cancer genes, they perceived the results to be very “useful” and of moderate-high utility. In contrast, patients receiving low/moderate risk or primary variants of uncertain significance results without clinical action perceived results as “concerning,” leading to harms, such as hypervigilance about cancer symptoms.Overall, having supportive relatives or providers enhanced perceptions of utility. ConclusionPatients’ perceptions of cancer GS results hinged on whether they triggered clinical management. Consequently, patients who received results without clinical action became hypervigilant, experiencing harms. Our findings call for a need to develop practice interventions to support patients with cancer undergoing GS.

Holokost Sonrası Yahudi Diasporasında Din ve Dinî Değişimler

The Holocaust has left a deep scar in the history of the Jewish people, representing a dark period that resulted in the loss of millions of lives. After this traumatic period, the surviving Jewish diaspora found themselves confronted with the challenge of rebuilding their religious identities and beliefs alongside their survival. This paper is written with the aim of understanding and evaluating the religious and religious changes that occurred in the Jewish diaspora after the Holocaust. This study focuses on the religious and religious changes that took place in the Jewish diaspora after the Holocaust. The research encompasses efforts to preserve religious identities, adapt religious practices, cope with the influence of the modern world, and understand the emergence of new religious movements. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, Jewish communities faced a significant religious crisis. The devastation caused by the genocide, the loss of religious leaders, and the dispersal of communities created significant challenges in preserving religious identities and maintaining religious life. This study holds great importance in understanding the reasons and consequences of religious changes in the post-Holocaust period and evaluating the measures taken to strengthen the religious identities of Jewish communities. This research aims to examine in detail the religious and religious changes that occurred in the post-Holocaust Jewish diaspora. By addressing fundamental issues such as changes in religious practices within and outside communities, the balancing of religious values with the modern world, the reconstruction of religious identities, and the emergence of new religious movements, this study aims to comprehend and evaluate this process. The study is designed as a qualitative research. Historical documents, academic articles, research reports, and other reliable sources will be used to conduct a literature review of religious changes in the post-Holocaust Jewish diaspora. In the post-Holocaust period, religious and religious changes occurred in the Jewish diaspora. Communities engaged in efforts to preserve and reconstruct their religious identities, resulting in variations in religious practices both within and outside these communities. The influence of the modern world necessitated a balance of religious values, and the emergence of new religious movements was observed in some communities. This study provides an important perspective for understanding the reasons, consequences, and reactions of communities to religious changes in the post-Holocaust period. This perspective could contribute to future religious changes and the efforts of communities to preserve and strengthen their religious identities.bDuring the post-Holocaust period, communities undertook efforts to preserve and reconstruct their religious identities, leading to variations in religious practices due to migration to different countries. The influence of the modern world made it crucial to balance religious values, and innovative methods were developed for religious education and learning. Additionally, the emergence of new religious movements was notable in certain communities. These findings underscore the complexity and significance of religious changes in the post-Holocaust period. In conclusion, the religious and religious changes in the post-Holocaust Jewish diaspora are a significant research topic from historical and sociological perspectives. This study has been conducted to understand the steps taken by Jewish communities to preserve and strengthen their religious identities and provide important insights for the future. Understanding this process could support the efforts of communities to strengthen their religious identities and pass on religious values to future generations.

The worlds of Edward Said

Edward Said achieved international renown with his book Orientalism, destined to become a bible of postcolonial studies, and as an advocate of Palestinian rights. The scholar was dubbed a nationalist and supporter of Islam. His essays, however, reveal a cosmopolitan Said who abhors the ‘politics of identity,’ Islamism, and religious parties. He expressed his admiration for Jewish philologists and philosophers, felt compassion for the suffering of the Jewish people and championed a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian problem. He borrowed Goethe’s concept of Weltliteratur. In Said’s interpretation, it transcends the boundaries of national literatures without obliterating their individual character. Assassination of either of the culture’s ‘two souls,’ the national and the cosmopolitan, may lead to cultural devitalisation and stagnation. Humanism constituted a dominant concept in Said’s works. Although ridiculed by postmodernist literary criticism, humanism is hailed by Said as essential for understanding literature. The dilemma at the core of the scholar’s work remains just as relevant to this day: how to combine cosmopolitism with the love for one’s own nation and how to fight for the rights of your own people without spewing hatred at others.

MEMORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN CONTEMPORARY KHARKIV

The proposed article examines the place of commemoration of the Second World War in the urban space of modern Kharkiv on the example of memorials and monuments. In the Soviet and post-Soviet period, the memory of the war was reflected in the names of streets, memorials, monuments and other "places of memory". In particular, they are devoted to the war as a whole, as well as to its various events. They are dedicated to the heroism of Soviet soldiers, the tragedy of Polish officers and other victims of Soviet totalitarianism, the tragedy of the Jewish people – the Holocaust, the Ukrainian liberation movement – the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, etc. The article analyzes the changes that took place in the commemoration of the war after Ukraine gained independence. It is assumed that the modern Russian war will also have an impact on the memory of the Second World War in Ukraine and Kharkiv, in particular.

Slavuta, Zhytomyr, and Vilna: The Intersecting Stories of the Romm and Shapira Publishing Houses

Abstract The article outlines key intersections between two Eastern European Jewish printing businesses during the nineteenth century. The first is the Shapira printing house, located first in Slavuta, and later in Zhytomyr. The second is the Romm printing and publishing house, Vilna, the largest Jewish printing house in Eastern Europe at the time. The first significant interaction between these two printing houses was a fierce disagreement over the printing rights of the Babylonian Talmud. However, they progressed to an economic cooperation in further printings of the Babylonian Talmud. Eventually, Romm’s printing house purchased Shapira’s printing house and closed it as part of preparations for the printing of another edition of the Talmud. The cultural contexts discussed in the article are part of and shed light on predominant tensions within European Jewish society at the time: the dispute between the Ḥasidim and the Mitnaggedim, and the dispute between maskilim and traditionalists.

Angels of Destruction (Mal’akhei Ḥabalah): Two Millennia of Jewish Horror

Abstract This article traces the meanings and uses of the Hebrew concept mal’akhei ḥabalah [angels of destruction], a common designation for monsters that has been mentioned in Jewish texts for over two millennia. Thus far, scholars have considered mal’akhei ḥabalah only in isolated contexts. In contrast, we examine these monsters’ long history, which provided Jews with familiar horror images and figures to visualize and embody experienced and anticipated fears and threats. We argue that Jewish references to them were intended to horrify in order to deter people from sin and to express God’s might and authority, thus maintaining religious and communal order in Jewish societies. At the same time, mal’akhei ḥabalah were used to articulate the crises that threatened and challenged the existing social and political order. Although mal’akhei ḥabalah developed within religious interpretations, by the modern era they expanded their applications and relevance for various avenues of Jewish life.