Amulet for the Evil Eye

Unknown

16th or 17th Century

Amulets for the evil eye; tested. Write on either a kosher or deerskin parchment, on a day of [reading from] the Torah, before eating anything. And calculate in that hour which day it is and which planet is ruling that hour, and then begin and write:

In the name of God, Lord, Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, I adjure you, planet Saturn, and in the name of your ruling minister, the angel Kaftsiel, and I adjure the signs under Saturn, which are Aquarius and Aries, in the name of the powers that rule over them, Nafetsefsaria over Aries and Kalnomsalḥoia over Aquarius. And I adjure the minister of this day, Monday, the angel Yafiel, to expunge any type of evil eye from the carrier of this amulet so that it has no power over him and will not touch any of his belongings and will not come close to his domain, nor his two hundred forty-eight limbs. Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring (Genesis 49:22), blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever. Evil eye, evil eye, evil eye, you shall be banished if you come near the carrier of this amulet, and you shall have no power over any of his limbs, and furthermore in all his doings you shall not be involved. I come from the offspring of Joseph over whom the evil eye does not have dominion [b. Bava Metsia 84a]. Mim’ai, Wari, Tanmi, Wakah, Lehav, Kilo, Mapa, Kalnav, Wakabi, A’aimb. And all the simpletons of the land saw that you are called by the name YW''Y and they feared you.

Translated by
Levana
Chajes
.

Credits

Unknown, Amulet for the Evil Eye, Ms. Bar–Ilan 1053, 87r–v, 16–17th century, Ashkenazic script.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.

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