Hallo-week study of Talmudic DEMONS

The Sages taught: Six statements were said with regard to demons: ...In three ways they are like ministering angels: They have wings like ministering angels; and they fly from one end of the world to the other like ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like ministering angels...And in three ways they are similar to humans: They eat and drink like humans; they procreate like humans; and they die like humans.

It was also said with regard to the manna: ...There are those who say that the word is written as shed and means literally a demon. How so? Just as a demon changes into different forms and colors, so too, the manna changed into different flavors.

(2) These “demons” were primarily composed of only 2 of the 4 elements which man is made of, i.e. of fire and air (spirit). Seeing that they are also light in weight they can fly all over at will. At the time of their creation they were composed of only two elements instead of the four elements which human beings, animals, as well as the plants have in common. As a result, instead of possessing solid bodies such as human beings and animals which therefore are tangible and easily recognizable, these demons are of such transparent shape that they cannot be easily seen and identified. However, they are able to assume a visible form when they so desire by “dressing up” as if they were humans or animals.

The Sages taught in another baraita: If one drinks in pairs, his blood is upon his head, i.e., he bears responsibility for his own demise...Rav Yosef said: Yosef the Demon said to me: Ashmedai, the king of the demons, is appointed over all who perform actions in pairs...

Rav Pappa said: Yosef the Demon said to me: If one drinks two cups, we demons kill him; if he drinks four, we do not kill him. But this person who drank four, we harm him...

Yosef the Demon - who doesn't observe Shabbat:

(4) וקטב מרירי means the destruction caused by a demon whose name is M'riri. The word קטב denotes “cutting off”, “destruction”, as in (Hosea 13:14) “I will be thy destruction (קטבך) O grave”.

Our sages say it's a demon...Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Yosi said: Ketev M'riri is covered in peeling scabs, hair, and eyes…and he rolls like a ball, and he rules from 4 to 9 hours of the day, and from the 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av. And anyone who sees him falls down dead on his face.

It is necessary to be careful from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av not to go out alone from the 4th to 9th hour of the day (because the demon M'riri rules) and do not hit students on these days.