Jewitch Love Spells & Divination Rituals

Shabbat Shalom - 6.28.24 - Fast Facts

Did you know that I spent over fifteen months doing a deep dive on everything Jewish magic, folklore and superstition in order to write Magical Meet Cute, my witch romance from a Jewish lens?! Well, in honor of all that learning, I thought it would be fun to depart from our Torah learning today, in order to return to another fabulous round of FAST FACTS. Today, we're talking... JEWITCH LOVE SPELLS AND DIVINATION RITUALS!!!

Before I begin, though, a very important PSA about Jewitch magic!

Jewish magic is always done within the sphere of Judaism. The rituals presented below were part of Jewish practice. They were practiced and recorded throughout the ages, including during Talmudic times and forward. You will also see that many of these folk traditions were likely influenced by Jewish law and life. For example, the use of words and candles to create holy spaces, such as one does on Shabbat. Or, the use of knots to provide protection, likely influenced by the wearing of tzitzit.

That being said, Judaism has always been a civilization that is influenced by its neighbors. Many of these more esoteric were forgotten or downplayed during the Haskalah, or Jewish enlightenment movement, and as larger society sought to remove women from the sphere of an educated spiritual life.

Finally, if you like what you read here, please consider preordering Magical Meet Cute. You’ll get even more great tidbits of Jewitch history… along with a hilarious and swoony story!!!

Shabbat Shalom!

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*Judaism has always seen witchcraft as the domain of women. However, Jewish attitude on witches has varied over time. While the Rabbis of the Talmud generally looked down on witchcraft, most agreed that their wives engaged in magical practices. (M. Sanh 7:4, 7:11) During the Ottoman empire, witchcraft was more accepted. It was not unusual for great Kabbalists to seek out the expertise of wise women.

*Rabbis urged men to be cautious around women because of the high-likelihood of them being witches. This was not because the Rabbis were worried about women’s spiritual souls. Rather, it was an attempt by the rabbis to ward off men from certain behaviors around women, including polygamy and adultery. (Avot 2:7)

*In Judaism, it is customary to identify oneself by a Hebrew name and the father’s name. (For example, my Hebrew Chaya Bat Yacov, or Chaya daughter of Jacob) When casting a spell, one should always use the name of the mother. (IE. Chaya bat Leah, or Chaya daughter of Leah.)

*A German-Jewish ritual instructs woman who are looking for love to do the following spell. Take a hot bath, cover your entire body with flour, then get as sweaty as possible. Wipe the sweat off with a clean, white linen cloth, and wring all the items into a dish. Mix in one egg. Cut off the nails from your feet and hands, and remove all pubic hair. Burn the nails and hair into a powder. Bake everything together and serve

*For a man who wants to know what his future spouse will look like, he should do the following ritual. Take bread, salt and a knife that have been left behind on a table, and place them beneath your pillow while sleeping. Your future wife will be lured by the images of a household and appear to you as an apparition.

*The incantation, or use of words and speech to cast a spell, is the most important part of any Jewitch ritual. However, numbers are also very powerful. Three is a very mystical number. Nine is especially good for dealing with demons. However, seven is the best and most magical number of all. Indeed, the Midrash teaches, “All sevens are beloved."

*If you must invoke a demon, circles are very helpful. Draw a circle around you so that the demon is not capable of trespassing from a public area into a private area. Or, if you are simply looking for a way to vanquish an enemy, try this easy spell instead. Stand in the shadow of the person you wish to curse then proceed to strike and stab their shadow. Your enemy will soon come to know misfortune.

*Want to know the future? Simply grab your closest copy of the Hebrew Bible. Ask your question aloud, close your eyes, open the book, and allow your fingers to find a verse. Whatever verse your finger lands on is the answer to your question.

I hope you enjoyed this quick trip into fast facts about Jewitch magic. Happy spellcasting and Shabbat Shalom!