Diseases? Charms? Bad luck? Eastern Europeans had many opportunities. They could seek help from both their Slavic and Jewish neighbors.
Neither origin nor religion stood in the way of supernatural powers.
A force enchanted in language
Even 100, 200 years ago, was not in the slightest doubt that words have power . How big? Certainly enough to keep the formulas a secret. Hence, the whispers were transmitted mainly orally, preferably within the family. This was a safeguard against the loss of magic what could happen if the knowledge was acquired by someone unauthorized. And while the emphasis on orality favored the local healers, it turned out to be a serious obstacle for scientists. Ethnographers who in the 20th century undertook research on the Jews living in Volhynia, most often simply pretended to be sick to describe the actions of the women who lived in Volhynia.
In addition to good acting skills, describing magic also required ... being a polyglot. In healing and enchanting it was not only the words used that mattered, but also the language in which they were spoken . The same formulas were used in Hebrew, in various Slavic and Yiddish versions. And, as is the case with word of mouth, they often mixed up with each other. There is no shortage of Slavic influences in the preserved Jewish spells from Eastern Europe. This is how the Ukrainian invocation of mullein for cattle parasites got entangled in the oral tradition.
In healing and enchanting, it was not only the words used that mattered, but also the language in which they were pronounced
However, purely Hebrew formulas were considered the most powerful, which revealed two things. First, this fact contradicts the modern stereotype that magic is an exclusively female occupation . The Jews had their healers, and the Slavs had sorcerers and ... sheepdogs. Secondly, the language indicates a certain hierarchy among Jewish buyers and buyers . Why? According to tradition, Hebrew is used by men. It is up to them to perform the traditional rites in the holy language. Not only that, although learning the alphabet and prayers was a compulsory part of every boy's upbringing, it was not enough. Only the wealthy and persistent were able to use Hebrew efficiently. The rest knew the absolute basics, which actually put them very close to women who could only speak the local languages and Yiddish.
Handwriting magic
The emphasis on word of mouth did not mean, however, that there were no records of magic. On the contrary - the knowledge of the Hebrew manuscripts was even more valuable than the heard spells. Books and other records were considered so powerful that the mere funding of the Torah and the Talmud was treated as a prescription for childlessness . Reading the scriptures, on the other hand, was supposed to improve the quality of the seed and it was a remedy for any problems with marriage. When, after paying the appropriate fees and reading the appropriate number of verses, a couple managed to father a child, the question of childbirth remained. The woman had to have a holy book under her head during it. At the same time, no particular attention was paid to what. The Bible, psalters, and prayer books were just as well suited to this as the Kabbalistic Sefer Raziel and Hasidic Noam Elimelech.
Knowledge from Hebrew manuscripts was more valuable than heard spells
How to store such powerful items? It was just a lot easier than it might seem. There were two rules. Before leaving the house, do not forget to close the book or cover it with something. Otherwise, the angel will deprive man of all or part of the written knowledge. It was also necessary to make sure that small children did not play on the tabletop on which the scriptures were placed. Otherwise, they might start to stutter.
Virtually any properly written paper was good for diseases. Especially for fever. This belief has become very deeply rooted in people's consciousness. So much so that when the Russian peasants managed to reach educated doctors… they ate the prescriptions they gave them. However, the villagers were more likely to rely on themselves and local healers. At that time, they would steal mezuzahs, i.e. containers with rolls of paper attached to the doors of Jewish houses, on which fragments of the Torah were written.
How scare it… anywhere
For example, to the inn. It happened that their owners collaborated with local healers. Hence the saying in some areas: "Old babies are easy to find at a bar" . But what did local pump rooms have to do with treating disease? Easy access to hot water facilitated a lot. Like long benches, maybe even beds. In the tavern you could sometimes meet ordering people and orderlies, and even the landowners recognized their role. Whoever had a problem with infertility or, on the contrary, awaited childbirth, should find a pious Jew and send him a gift for the so-called "Redeem your soul."
Nationality and religion did not matter much. People in need cling to whatever methods are available. And what if it will work ...? Both among Jews and Slavs it was considered a good method of chasing away melancholy by bleeding blood from a vein in the leg . Urinary tract ailments were treated with goose tongues and radish. In the case of nosebleeds, it is best to use the patient's blood to write the name of a god or angel from the Kabbalistic tradition on their forehead. This was supposed to close the broken vessels in a short time.
At the inn, you could sometimes meet contractors and buyers working.
Why so many recommendations and prejudices regarding health in folk traditions? The answer is simple - through the limited availability of official medical knowledge. Distance, money, and a load of work were barriers through which few could afford contact with a doctor . And the Jews in this case were in an even worse position than the rest of society. According to data collected in 1897 in the Romanov Empire, only 24.6% of the Jewish population could read and write in Russian. This is the average result. While in the cities the situation was a bit better, in the provinces almost no one knew the alphabet. Especially in Polish governorates.
Fortunately and fortunately
The children were already learning to protect themselves from unclean forces. And in the rules passed on to descendants, religion was mixed with the occult, superstition, and herbalism. Girls learned all the rules even earlier than boys in order to be able to relieve their mothers in their household chores sooner. Among the obligatory knowledge for children there was, among others, protection against "charming eyes", also referred to simply as "evil gaze" . The daily routine was ritual nail brushing . Orders before dogs were taught just as universally. Not only could they bite, but they were also unclean animals.
Jewish superstitions did not lack mention of followers of other religions. Both positive and those that warned against the dangers. A pregnant Jewish woman should not stay in Christian homes and when you see a priest or a pop, it is better to make a brief gesture or throw a pin. Just in case, to ward off evil powers. On the other hand, it was worth burying a rich goy's shoe filled with wheat at the doorstep. It attracted wealth to the family. Apparently, it was lucky to ask a Christian for the time, provided that he replied, of course. Best of all ... take him under the roof during a storm. This will cause lightning to pass a wide arc around the house.
Sources:
- Tuszewicki M., Poles - Jews. Cultural and literary contacts , Krakow 2014.
- Tuszewicki M., Non-Jewish languages of Jewish magic. About familiarity, alienness and translation [in:] "Przelaniec" No. 29/2014.
- Schwartz H., Tree of Souls:The Mythology of Judaism , New York 2004.
- Słomka J., Memoirs of peasants. From serfdom to the present day , Warsaw 1983.