Conference paper

MIRACULOUS HEALING IN JUDAISM

Kotel Dadon orcid.org/0000-0002-3542-3754 ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Chair of Judaic studies, Zagreb, Croatia The Bet Israel Jewish Community of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

This paper explores and discusses the miraculous powers attributed to certain figures in Judaism, a power to revive or kill, heal,
or harm. This idea already appears in the Bible, but also in many places all over the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Sometimes, the
action performed is passive, the sages do not ask for it directly, while sometimes it is active and deliberate.
Since Judaism is known for its attitude to witchcraft, which is explicitly prohibited in the Torah, it is clear that such powers are
not based on magic. If so, what forces are involved and what is their origin?
In this paper, we attempt to answer these questions and discuss other issues, such as the relationship between medicine and
Jewish law, the attitude of Judaism toward m􀁈􀁇􀁌􀁆􀁄􀁏􀀃􀁋􀁈􀁄􀁏􀁌􀁑􀁊􀀃􀁄􀁑􀁇􀀃􀁌􀁑􀁗􀁈􀁕􀁙􀁈􀁑􀁗􀁌􀁒􀁑􀀃􀁌􀁑􀀃􀀪􀁒􀁇􀂶􀁖􀀃􀁄􀁉􀁉􀁄􀁌􀁕􀁖􀀏􀀃􀁋􀁈aling and the power of prayer and
healing as a fulfillment of the obligation to save lives. The main part of this paper examines miraculous healings in the Bible, in the
Talmud and during the rabbinic period. The last part investigates the source of the righteous metaphysical power and the attitude of
Judaism regarding sorcery.
Finally, in the end of this paper we attempt to define the appropriate attitude toward those who seek blessings for medical
healing from rabbis.

Keywords

magic; sorcery; miraculous healing; medicine; Torah; Talmud; rabbis

Hrčak ID:

272506

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/272506

Publication date:

19.10.2021.

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