Author: Isaac Jack Lévy
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
ISBN: 9780252026973
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 292
Book Description
Winner of the Ellii Kongas-Maranda Prize from the Women's Section of the American Folklore Society, 2003. Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women preserves the precious remnants of a rich culture on the verge of extinction while affirming women's pivotal role in the health of their communities. Centered around extensive interviews with elders of the Sephardic communities of the former Ottoman Empire, this volume illuminates a fascinating complex of preventive and curative rituals conducted by women at home--rituals that ensured the physical and spiritual well-being of the community and functioned as a vital counterpart to the public rites conducted by men in the synagogues. Isaac Jack Lévy and Rosemary Lévy Zumwalt take us into the homes and families of Sephardim in Turkey, Israel, Greece, the former Yugoslavia, and the United States to unravel the ancient practices of domestic healing: the network of blessings and curses tailored to every occasion of daily life; the beliefs and customs surrounding mal ojo (evil eye), espanto (fright), and echizo (witchcraft); and cures involving everything from herbs, oil, and sugar to the powerful mumia (mummy) made from dried bones of corpses. For the Sephardim, curing an illness required discovering its spiritual cause, which might be unintentional thought or speech, accident, or magical incantation. The healing rituals of domesticated medicine provided a way of making sense of illness and a way of shaping behavior to fit the narrow constraints of a tightly structured community. Tapping a rich and irreplaceable vein of oral testimony, Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women offers fascinating insight into a culture where profound spirituality permeated every aspect of daily life.
Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women
Author: Isaac Jack Lévy
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
ISBN: 9780252026973
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 292
Book Description
Winner of the Ellii Kongas-Maranda Prize from the Women's Section of the American Folklore Society, 2003. Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women preserves the precious remnants of a rich culture on the verge of extinction while affirming women's pivotal role in the health of their communities. Centered around extensive interviews with elders of the Sephardic communities of the former Ottoman Empire, this volume illuminates a fascinating complex of preventive and curative rituals conducted by women at home--rituals that ensured the physical and spiritual well-being of the community and functioned as a vital counterpart to the public rites conducted by men in the synagogues. Isaac Jack Lévy and Rosemary Lévy Zumwalt take us into the homes and families of Sephardim in Turkey, Israel, Greece, the former Yugoslavia, and the United States to unravel the ancient practices of domestic healing: the network of blessings and curses tailored to every occasion of daily life; the beliefs and customs surrounding mal ojo (evil eye), espanto (fright), and echizo (witchcraft); and cures involving everything from herbs, oil, and sugar to the powerful mumia (mummy) made from dried bones of corpses. For the Sephardim, curing an illness required discovering its spiritual cause, which might be unintentional thought or speech, accident, or magical incantation. The healing rituals of domesticated medicine provided a way of making sense of illness and a way of shaping behavior to fit the narrow constraints of a tightly structured community. Tapping a rich and irreplaceable vein of oral testimony, Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women offers fascinating insight into a culture where profound spirituality permeated every aspect of daily life.
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
ISBN: 9780252026973
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 292
Book Description
Winner of the Ellii Kongas-Maranda Prize from the Women's Section of the American Folklore Society, 2003. Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women preserves the precious remnants of a rich culture on the verge of extinction while affirming women's pivotal role in the health of their communities. Centered around extensive interviews with elders of the Sephardic communities of the former Ottoman Empire, this volume illuminates a fascinating complex of preventive and curative rituals conducted by women at home--rituals that ensured the physical and spiritual well-being of the community and functioned as a vital counterpart to the public rites conducted by men in the synagogues. Isaac Jack Lévy and Rosemary Lévy Zumwalt take us into the homes and families of Sephardim in Turkey, Israel, Greece, the former Yugoslavia, and the United States to unravel the ancient practices of domestic healing: the network of blessings and curses tailored to every occasion of daily life; the beliefs and customs surrounding mal ojo (evil eye), espanto (fright), and echizo (witchcraft); and cures involving everything from herbs, oil, and sugar to the powerful mumia (mummy) made from dried bones of corpses. For the Sephardim, curing an illness required discovering its spiritual cause, which might be unintentional thought or speech, accident, or magical incantation. The healing rituals of domesticated medicine provided a way of making sense of illness and a way of shaping behavior to fit the narrow constraints of a tightly structured community. Tapping a rich and irreplaceable vein of oral testimony, Ritual Medical Lore of Sephardic Women offers fascinating insight into a culture where profound spirituality permeated every aspect of daily life.
A Russian Herbal
Author: Igor Vilevich Zevin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1620550520
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
The first guide to the ancient traditions of Russian herbal medicine and their extensive medicinal applications today. Drawing on a wealth of oral and written traditions, the authors examine the best-known Russian herbs (all of which are widely available in North America and Western Europe) and explain their folkways, properties, and uses. Offering time-tested advice for using herbs to maintain general well-being, they also give clear and simple recipes for treating specific health problems from asthma and migraines to influenza and high blood pressure. Blessed with a wide variety of climates, geography, and flora, early Russians developed a rich folk tradition of herbal healing that ranks among the most sophisticated in the world. Nearly every Russian medical school offers courses of study on the knowledge and application of herbs, and many maintain a special research department that investigates the properties and practical modern applications of herbal medicine. This is the first book to examine the traditions of Russian herbal medicine.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1620550520
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 248
Book Description
The first guide to the ancient traditions of Russian herbal medicine and their extensive medicinal applications today. Drawing on a wealth of oral and written traditions, the authors examine the best-known Russian herbs (all of which are widely available in North America and Western Europe) and explain their folkways, properties, and uses. Offering time-tested advice for using herbs to maintain general well-being, they also give clear and simple recipes for treating specific health problems from asthma and migraines to influenza and high blood pressure. Blessed with a wide variety of climates, geography, and flora, early Russians developed a rich folk tradition of herbal healing that ranks among the most sophisticated in the world. Nearly every Russian medical school offers courses of study on the knowledge and application of herbs, and many maintain a special research department that investigates the properties and practical modern applications of herbal medicine. This is the first book to examine the traditions of Russian herbal medicine.
The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism
Author: Karen M. Rose
Publisher: Fair Winds Press
ISBN: 0760371806
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
Guided by leading Black herbalistKaren Rose, discover how to harness the magic of plants and diasporic ancestral practices in remedies and ritual. Master Herbalist Karen Rose is a first-generation immigrant from Guyana with ancestors from Ghana, the Congo, China, and India who continues her grandmother’s legacy as a healer and herbalist. In The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism, she shares her wisdom on how to partner plants and rituals to guide the process of self-healing. As you alleviate physical symptoms and heal emotional and spiritual imbalances, you will see how plants can help you stand in your power, strengthen your intuition, and provide protection. This guide to harnessing the power of plants is a practical tool for working through the symptoms of body disease and the underlying emotional and spiritual issues. Organized by major body systems—circulatory, respiratory, digestive, liver, sexual, skin, nervous systems, and immune health—The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism gives a brief overview of the physical mechanisms of the system, the spiritual correspondences associated with that system, and the plants, remedies, and rituals that can be used to bring oneself back to healing and balance. Accompanied by beautiful color illustrations of the plants, the organs they affect, and their related spirits, or orishas, each plant profile includes: Botanical and pharmacological information Planetary correspondences Ethnobotanical and historical use Healing properties and indications Methods of preparation and dosage Applying this herbal wisdom, the recipes include: 4th Chakra Heart Oil for healing a broken heart, also helpful for healing generational trauma Inspired Sleep and Dreams Tea to inspire dreams Breathe Easy Steam to improve respiratory health Immunity Chai Tea to fight off cold and flu viruses Laying Hands Stomach and Womb Oil for indigestion and menstrual discomfort A Castor Oil Pack for Liver Health to remove pain and swelling from sprains and bruises Filled with stories, ancestral recipes, and accessible practices that anyone can use, The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism shows you how to use the power of plants for spiritual and physical healing.
Publisher: Fair Winds Press
ISBN: 0760371806
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
Guided by leading Black herbalistKaren Rose, discover how to harness the magic of plants and diasporic ancestral practices in remedies and ritual. Master Herbalist Karen Rose is a first-generation immigrant from Guyana with ancestors from Ghana, the Congo, China, and India who continues her grandmother’s legacy as a healer and herbalist. In The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism, she shares her wisdom on how to partner plants and rituals to guide the process of self-healing. As you alleviate physical symptoms and heal emotional and spiritual imbalances, you will see how plants can help you stand in your power, strengthen your intuition, and provide protection. This guide to harnessing the power of plants is a practical tool for working through the symptoms of body disease and the underlying emotional and spiritual issues. Organized by major body systems—circulatory, respiratory, digestive, liver, sexual, skin, nervous systems, and immune health—The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism gives a brief overview of the physical mechanisms of the system, the spiritual correspondences associated with that system, and the plants, remedies, and rituals that can be used to bring oneself back to healing and balance. Accompanied by beautiful color illustrations of the plants, the organs they affect, and their related spirits, or orishas, each plant profile includes: Botanical and pharmacological information Planetary correspondences Ethnobotanical and historical use Healing properties and indications Methods of preparation and dosage Applying this herbal wisdom, the recipes include: 4th Chakra Heart Oil for healing a broken heart, also helpful for healing generational trauma Inspired Sleep and Dreams Tea to inspire dreams Breathe Easy Steam to improve respiratory health Immunity Chai Tea to fight off cold and flu viruses Laying Hands Stomach and Womb Oil for indigestion and menstrual discomfort A Castor Oil Pack for Liver Health to remove pain and swelling from sprains and bruises Filled with stories, ancestral recipes, and accessible practices that anyone can use, The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism shows you how to use the power of plants for spiritual and physical healing.
Ashkenazi Herbalism
Author: Deatra Cohen
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1623175445
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 356
Book Description
The definitive guide to the medicinal plant knowledge of Ashkenazi herbal healers--from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Until now, the herbal traditions of the Ashkenazi people have remained unexplored and shrouded in mystery. Ashkenazi Herbalism rediscovers the forgotten legacy of the Jewish medicinal plant healers who thrived in Eastern Europe's Pale of Settlement, from their beginnings in the Middle Ages through the modern era. Including the first materia medica of 26 plants and herbs essential to Ashkenazi folk medicine, Ashkenazi Herbalism sheds light on the preparations, medicinal profiles, and applications of a rich but previously unknown herbal tradition--one hidden by language barriers, obscured by cultural misunderstandings, and nearly lost to history. Written for new and established practitioners, it offers illustrations, provides information on comparative medicinal practices, and illuminates the important historical and cultural contexts that gave rise to Eastern European Jewish herbalism. Part I introduces a brief history of the Ashkenazim and provides an overview of traditional medicine among Eastern European Jews. Part II offers a comparative overview of healing customs among Jews of the Pale of Settlement, their many native plants, and the remedies applied by local healers to treat a range of illnesses. This materia medica names each plant in Yiddish, English, Latin, and other relevant languages, and the book also details a brief history of medicine; the roles of the ba'alei shem, feldshers, opshprekherins, midwives, and brewers; and the remedy books used by Jewish healers.
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1623175445
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 356
Book Description
The definitive guide to the medicinal plant knowledge of Ashkenazi herbal healers--from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Until now, the herbal traditions of the Ashkenazi people have remained unexplored and shrouded in mystery. Ashkenazi Herbalism rediscovers the forgotten legacy of the Jewish medicinal plant healers who thrived in Eastern Europe's Pale of Settlement, from their beginnings in the Middle Ages through the modern era. Including the first materia medica of 26 plants and herbs essential to Ashkenazi folk medicine, Ashkenazi Herbalism sheds light on the preparations, medicinal profiles, and applications of a rich but previously unknown herbal tradition--one hidden by language barriers, obscured by cultural misunderstandings, and nearly lost to history. Written for new and established practitioners, it offers illustrations, provides information on comparative medicinal practices, and illuminates the important historical and cultural contexts that gave rise to Eastern European Jewish herbalism. Part I introduces a brief history of the Ashkenazim and provides an overview of traditional medicine among Eastern European Jews. Part II offers a comparative overview of healing customs among Jews of the Pale of Settlement, their many native plants, and the remedies applied by local healers to treat a range of illnesses. This materia medica names each plant in Yiddish, English, Latin, and other relevant languages, and the book also details a brief history of medicine; the roles of the ba'alei shem, feldshers, opshprekherins, midwives, and brewers; and the remedy books used by Jewish healers.
Herbal Revolution
Author: Kathi Langelier
Publisher: Page Street Publishing
ISBN: 1645670511
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 524
Book Description
A Modern Guide to Holistic Health + Wellness with Plants Discover the healing power of plants with Kathi Langelier, the award-winning herbalist behind Herbal Revolution Farm + Apothecary. In this beautiful and inspiring collection, Kathi shares her most popular and effective formulas to support your daily health and wellness. Renew each system of the body with uniquely crafted teas, tinctures, syrups, foods, body products and everything in between. Featured recipes include Elderberry Syrup with Reishi + Roots to strengthen the immune system, Gut-Soothing Tea to nourish your digestive system and Hang in There Elixir to help with anxiety. There is a magic to infusing plants in such simple solutions as water, oil or alcohol, and Kathi guides readers on their herbal journey with the kind of wisdom and care one can only acquire from many years of devoting their life completely to their art. Knowledge is power. Read these recipes, practice, get to know the plants living around you and listen to your body. By joining Kathi and gaining knowledge in this way, you create your own power to heal what troubles you, restore your vitality for life and maintain wellness throughout your body, mind and spirit.
Publisher: Page Street Publishing
ISBN: 1645670511
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 524
Book Description
A Modern Guide to Holistic Health + Wellness with Plants Discover the healing power of plants with Kathi Langelier, the award-winning herbalist behind Herbal Revolution Farm + Apothecary. In this beautiful and inspiring collection, Kathi shares her most popular and effective formulas to support your daily health and wellness. Renew each system of the body with uniquely crafted teas, tinctures, syrups, foods, body products and everything in between. Featured recipes include Elderberry Syrup with Reishi + Roots to strengthen the immune system, Gut-Soothing Tea to nourish your digestive system and Hang in There Elixir to help with anxiety. There is a magic to infusing plants in such simple solutions as water, oil or alcohol, and Kathi guides readers on their herbal journey with the kind of wisdom and care one can only acquire from many years of devoting their life completely to their art. Knowledge is power. Read these recipes, practice, get to know the plants living around you and listen to your body. By joining Kathi and gaining knowledge in this way, you create your own power to heal what troubles you, restore your vitality for life and maintain wellness throughout your body, mind and spirit.
Raise Your Vibes!
Author: Athena Bahri
Publisher: Watkins Media Limited
ISBN: 1786785250
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 243
Book Description
A fun and super-practical guide to getting healthier and happier by tapping into the incredible power of energy healing. The author is a qualified Reiki Master with a mission to make the healing power of Reiki, and energy healing in general, accessible to all. Fun and easy to use, this book enables everyone to take advantage of the healing and empowering energies gifted to us by the Universe, and to take their wellbeing into their own hands. Reiki Master Athena Bahri has developed an approach to energy self-healing that combines simple Reiki techniques that anyone can use with a range of different healing modalities, from crystals to lunar rituals. The book is aimed at all those people who are looking for ways of improving their lives that aren't too complicated and can be done without spending time and money on expensive courses. It includes a straightforward process of Reiki self-attunement that will enable readers to access the simple Reiki healing powers and combine these with the other techniques described. The emphasis is on empowering readers to use these tools to create a vibration-raising practice of their own, that they can then use in a range of different situations, from dealing with physical pain to ridding themselves of stress and lingering emotional upset to improving the vibes of their surroundings at work and at home.
Publisher: Watkins Media Limited
ISBN: 1786785250
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 243
Book Description
A fun and super-practical guide to getting healthier and happier by tapping into the incredible power of energy healing. The author is a qualified Reiki Master with a mission to make the healing power of Reiki, and energy healing in general, accessible to all. Fun and easy to use, this book enables everyone to take advantage of the healing and empowering energies gifted to us by the Universe, and to take their wellbeing into their own hands. Reiki Master Athena Bahri has developed an approach to energy self-healing that combines simple Reiki techniques that anyone can use with a range of different healing modalities, from crystals to lunar rituals. The book is aimed at all those people who are looking for ways of improving their lives that aren't too complicated and can be done without spending time and money on expensive courses. It includes a straightforward process of Reiki self-attunement that will enable readers to access the simple Reiki healing powers and combine these with the other techniques described. The emphasis is on empowering readers to use these tools to create a vibration-raising practice of their own, that they can then use in a range of different situations, from dealing with physical pain to ridding themselves of stress and lingering emotional upset to improving the vibes of their surroundings at work and at home.
Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch
Author: Elsie Wild
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1646042778
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 180
Book Description
Dive into the world of green witchery and uncover the destiny that awaits at the bottom of your tea cup with this guide to spells, rituals, and divination. Enter the enchanting world of herbal magic with this perfect book for present-day witches. This all-in-one guide will show you how to cultivate the use of various herbs, magical tea rituals, and the mystical art of tea leaf divination. Learn the perfect tea to brew for every occasion, from lunar readings to morning meditations. Master spells to heal and invigorate the spirit and uncover anyone’s destiny at the bottom of a teacup. Inside you’ll find: A comprehensive list of herbs and their magical properties A brief history of tea divination A symbol dictionary to assist in reading tea leaves Tea recipes, rituals, and spells And much more Packed with magic you can incorporate into daily life, this book is a must-have for tea lovers and aspiring witches alike!
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1646042778
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 180
Book Description
Dive into the world of green witchery and uncover the destiny that awaits at the bottom of your tea cup with this guide to spells, rituals, and divination. Enter the enchanting world of herbal magic with this perfect book for present-day witches. This all-in-one guide will show you how to cultivate the use of various herbs, magical tea rituals, and the mystical art of tea leaf divination. Learn the perfect tea to brew for every occasion, from lunar readings to morning meditations. Master spells to heal and invigorate the spirit and uncover anyone’s destiny at the bottom of a teacup. Inside you’ll find: A comprehensive list of herbs and their magical properties A brief history of tea divination A symbol dictionary to assist in reading tea leaves Tea recipes, rituals, and spells And much more Packed with magic you can incorporate into daily life, this book is a must-have for tea lovers and aspiring witches alike!
The Origin of Ashkenazi Jewry
Author: Jits van Straten
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110236060
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 249
Book Description
Where do East European Jews – about 90 percent of Ashkenazi Jewry – descend from? This book conveys new insights into a century-old controversy. Jits van Straten argues that there is no evidence for the most common assumption that German Jews fled en masse to Eastern Europe to constitute East European Jewry. Dealing with another much debated theory, van Straten points to the fact that there is no way to identify the descendants of the Khazars in the Ashkenazi population. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the author draws heavily on demographic findings which are vital to evaluate the conclusions of modern DNA research. Finally, it is suggested that East European Jews are mainly descendants of Ukrainians and Belarussians. UPDATE: The article “The origin of East European Ashkenazim via a southern route” (Aschkenas 2017; 27(1): 239-270) is intended to clarify the origin of East European Jewry between roughly 300 BCE and 1000 CE. It is a supplement to this book.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110236060
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 249
Book Description
Where do East European Jews – about 90 percent of Ashkenazi Jewry – descend from? This book conveys new insights into a century-old controversy. Jits van Straten argues that there is no evidence for the most common assumption that German Jews fled en masse to Eastern Europe to constitute East European Jewry. Dealing with another much debated theory, van Straten points to the fact that there is no way to identify the descendants of the Khazars in the Ashkenazi population. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the author draws heavily on demographic findings which are vital to evaluate the conclusions of modern DNA research. Finally, it is suggested that East European Jews are mainly descendants of Ukrainians and Belarussians. UPDATE: The article “The origin of East European Ashkenazim via a southern route” (Aschkenas 2017; 27(1): 239-270) is intended to clarify the origin of East European Jewry between roughly 300 BCE and 1000 CE. It is a supplement to this book.
Jewish Magic and Superstition
Author: Joshua Trachtenberg
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 0812208331
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 393
Book Description
Alongside the formal development of Judaism from the eleventh through the sixteenth centuries, a robust Jewish folk religion flourished—ideas and practices that never met with wholehearted approval by religious leaders yet enjoyed such wide popularity that they could not be altogether excluded from the religion. According to Joshua Trachtenberg, it is not possible truly to understand the experience and history of the Jewish people without attempting to recover their folklife and beliefs from centuries past. Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins with legends of Jewish sorcery and proceeds to discuss beliefs about the evil eye, spirits of the dead, powers of good, the famous legend of the golem, procedures for casting spells, the use of gems and amulets, how to battle spirits, the ritual of circumcision, herbal folk remedies, fortune telling, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg's study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding of folk beliefs that expressed most eloquently the everyday religion of the Jewish people.
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 0812208331
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 393
Book Description
Alongside the formal development of Judaism from the eleventh through the sixteenth centuries, a robust Jewish folk religion flourished—ideas and practices that never met with wholehearted approval by religious leaders yet enjoyed such wide popularity that they could not be altogether excluded from the religion. According to Joshua Trachtenberg, it is not possible truly to understand the experience and history of the Jewish people without attempting to recover their folklife and beliefs from centuries past. Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins with legends of Jewish sorcery and proceeds to discuss beliefs about the evil eye, spirits of the dead, powers of good, the famous legend of the golem, procedures for casting spells, the use of gems and amulets, how to battle spirits, the ritual of circumcision, herbal folk remedies, fortune telling, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg's study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding of folk beliefs that expressed most eloquently the everyday religion of the Jewish people.
A Frog Under the Tongue
Author: Marek Tuszewicki
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
ISBN: 1800858183
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 476
Book Description
Winner of the 2021 Gierowski-Shmeruk Prize Shortlisted for the Folklore Society's Katharine Briggs Award 2021 Jews have been active participants in shaping the healing practices of the communities of eastern Europe. Their approach largely combined the ideas of traditional Ashkenazi culture with the heritage of medieval and early modern medicine. Holy rabbis and faith healers, as well as Jewish barbers, innkeepers, and pedlars, all dispensed cures, purveyed folk remedies for different ailments, and gave hope to the sick and their families based on kabbalah, numerology, prayer, and magical Hebrew formulas. Nevertheless, as new sources of knowledge penetrated the traditional world, modern medical ideas gained widespread support. Jews became court physicians to the nobility, and when the universities were opened up to them many also qualified as doctors. At every stage, medicine proved an important field for cross-cultural contacts. Jewish historians and scholars of folk medicine alike will discover here fascinating sources never previously explored—manuscripts, printed publications, and memoirs in Yiddish and Hebrew but also in Polish, English, German, Russian, and Ukrainian. Marek Tuszewicki's careful study of these documents has teased out therapeutic advice, recipes, magical incantations, kabbalistic methods, and practical techniques, together with the ethical considerations that such approaches entailed. His research fills a gap in the study of folk medicine in eastern Europe, shedding light on little-known aspects of Ashkenazi culture, and on how the need to treat sickness brought Jews and their neighbours together.
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
ISBN: 1800858183
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 476
Book Description
Winner of the 2021 Gierowski-Shmeruk Prize Shortlisted for the Folklore Society's Katharine Briggs Award 2021 Jews have been active participants in shaping the healing practices of the communities of eastern Europe. Their approach largely combined the ideas of traditional Ashkenazi culture with the heritage of medieval and early modern medicine. Holy rabbis and faith healers, as well as Jewish barbers, innkeepers, and pedlars, all dispensed cures, purveyed folk remedies for different ailments, and gave hope to the sick and their families based on kabbalah, numerology, prayer, and magical Hebrew formulas. Nevertheless, as new sources of knowledge penetrated the traditional world, modern medical ideas gained widespread support. Jews became court physicians to the nobility, and when the universities were opened up to them many also qualified as doctors. At every stage, medicine proved an important field for cross-cultural contacts. Jewish historians and scholars of folk medicine alike will discover here fascinating sources never previously explored—manuscripts, printed publications, and memoirs in Yiddish and Hebrew but also in Polish, English, German, Russian, and Ukrainian. Marek Tuszewicki's careful study of these documents has teased out therapeutic advice, recipes, magical incantations, kabbalistic methods, and practical techniques, together with the ethical considerations that such approaches entailed. His research fills a gap in the study of folk medicine in eastern Europe, shedding light on little-known aspects of Ashkenazi culture, and on how the need to treat sickness brought Jews and their neighbours together.