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Witch Ma'agal: Love/Sex Magic

אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: לֹא הָיוּ יָמִים טוֹבִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּאָב וּכְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁבָּהֶן בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יוֹצְאוֹת בִּכְלֵי לָבָן שְׁאוּלִין — שֶׁלֹּא לְבַיֵּישׁ אֶת מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ. כׇּל הַכֵּלִים טְעוּנִין טְבִילָה. וּבְנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יוֹצְאוֹת וְחוֹלוֹת בַּכְּרָמִים. וּמָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרוֹת: בָּחוּר, שָׂא נָא עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה מָה אַתָּה בּוֹרֵר לָךְ. אַל תִּתֵּן עֵינֶיךָ בַּנּוֹי, תֵּן עֵינֶיךָ בַּמִּשְׁפָּחָה. ״שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת יהוה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״תְּנוּ לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ״.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no days as joyous for the Jewish people as the fifteenth of Av and as Yom Kippur, as on them the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in white clothes, which each woman borrowed from another. Why were they borrowed? They did this so as not to embarrass one who did not have her own white garments. All the garments that the women borrowed require immersion, as those who previously wore them might have been ritually impure. And the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards. And what would they say? Young man, please lift up your eyes and see what you choose for yourself for a wife. Do not set your eyes toward beauty, but set your eyes toward a good family, as the verse states: “Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30), and it further says: “Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:31).

A geniza is a repository of Jewish sacred texts stored for eventual burial. The Cairo Geniza is the largest and most diverse collection of medieval manuscripts in the world. It contains many magic spells, including spells for love and sex.
A spell for erectile disfunction from the Cairo Geniza shared inGeniza Magical Documentsby Ortal-Paz Saar:

For releasing someone who is bound.

Let him write on a leaf of a pomegranate and drink in wine.

This is what you should write: [ANGEL SCRIPT]

You, holy symbols and all the knots, loosen and make fit the big sinew of ____ son of _____

that performs among his bones.



A(men) A(men) S(elah)



***

One of the spells in the Cairo Geniza refers to "Lahaki'el" as the “great angel who is said to be appointed over love."
***
Some Observations on Jewish Love Magic: The Importance of Cultural Specificity

Ortal-Paz Saar



[T]he main trait of Jewish magical formulae was the use of analogies and of biblical quotations or allusions... A popular formula stated: “And the Lord was with Joseph and showed him favor (Genesis 39:21), so shall there be grace and favor upon X son of Y.” .... Other analogies employed biblical couples known for their strong love, and equated them to the pair of contemporary lovers targeted by the magical practice. One amulet requests that the love between two persons be “as the love of Abraham and Sarah, and as the love of Isaac and Rebecca, and as the love of Jacob and Rachel.”

Here are some examples of Biblical phrases we might use in our own love spells:

(א) וַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן נִקְשְׁרָ֖ה בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד (ויאהבו) [וַיֶּֽאֱהָבֵ֥הוּ] יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן כְּנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

(1) When [the warrior David] finished speaking with (King) Saul, (Prince) Jonathan’s soul became bound up with the soul of David; Jonathan loved David as himself.

(סז) וַיְבִאֶ֣הָ יִצְחָ֗ק הָאֹ֙הֱלָה֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִמּ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־רִבְקָ֛ה וַתְּהִי־ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֶּאֱהָבֶ֑הָ וַיִּנָּחֵ֥ם יִצְחָ֖ק אַחֲרֵ֥י אִמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}

(67) Isaac then brought [Rebekah] into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her, and thus found comfort after his mother’s death.

(ו) שְׂמֹאלוֹ֙ תַּ֣חַת לְרֹאשִׁ֔י וִימִינ֖וֹ תְּחַבְּקֵֽנִי׃

(6) Their left hand was under my head, their right arm embraced me.

(טז) ע֤וּרִי צָפוֹן֙ וּב֣וֹאִי תֵימָ֔ן הָפִ֥יחִי גַנִּ֖י יִזְּל֣וּ בְשָׂמָ֑יו יָבֹ֤א דוֹדִי֙ לְגַנּ֔וֹ וְיֹאכַ֖ל פְּרִ֥י מְגָדָֽיו׃

(16) Awake, O north wind, come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, that its perfume may spread. Let my beloved come to their garden and enjoy its luscious fruits!

(יא) אֲנִ֣י לְדוֹדִ֔י וְעָלַ֖י תְּשׁוּקָתֽוֹ׃ {ס}

(11) I am my beloved’s, and their desire is for me.

(ד) וְהִתְעַנַּ֥ג עַל־יהוה וְיִֽתֶּן־לְ֝ךָ֗ מִשְׁאֲלֹ֥ת לִבֶּֽךָ׃

(4) Take delight in Goddess, and She will grant you the desires of your heart.

(ד) כִּמְעַט֙ שֶׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי מֵהֶ֔ם עַ֣ד שֶׁמָּצָ֔אתִי אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י אֲחַזְתִּיו֙...

(4) Scarcely had I passed [the guards] when I found the one I love. I held them fast...

(ג) הָ֭רֹפֵא לִשְׁב֣וּרֵי לֵ֑ב וּ֝מְחַבֵּ֗שׁ לְעַצְּבוֹתָֽם׃ (ד) מוֹנֶ֣ה מִ֭סְפָּר לַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים לְ֝כֻלָּ֗ם שֵׁמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃

(יד) אוֹדְךָ֗ עַ֤ל כִּ֥י נֽוֹרָא֗וֹת נִ֫פְלֵ֥יתִי נִפְלָאִ֥ים מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יֹדַ֥עַת מְאֹֽד׃

(14) I praise You, for I am awesomely, wondrously made; Your work is wonderful; I know it very well.

The 19th c. mystical master Reb Nachman taught a number of spells and talismans for love and marriage:

(יא) יא. הַשּׁוּם מְסֻגָּל לְאַהֲבָה.

(11) Garlic increases love.

(א) א. מִי שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לוֹ לִמְצא זִוּוּגוֹ יאמַר בְּכַוָּנָה שִׁירַת הַיָּם.
(ב) ב. קִדּוּשׁ לְבָנָה – סְגֻלָּה שֶׁיִּמְצָא אָדָם אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ. וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: "לְבָנָה" – בְּ'תוּלָה נִ'שֵּׂאת לַ'יּוֹם הָ'רְבִיעִי.

(1) A person who has difficulty finding a marriage partner should recite “The Song at the Sea” (Exodus 15:1-19) with concentration.
(2) Reciting the Sanctification of the New Moon is a segulah for finding one’s match. This is hinted at by the Hebrew word for moon—LeVaNaH—which is spelled with the first letters of “B’tulah Ni’sait L’yom Har’ve’ee (A young woman marries on the fourth day of the week)” (Ketuvot 2a; see Glossary, “B”).

(ו) ו. מִי שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לוֹ לִמְצא זִוּוּגוֹ, יַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ לִקְרוֹת בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הַנְּשִׂיאִים.

(6) A person who has difficulty finding a marriage partner should recite the Torah section about the Temple sacrifices brought by the princes of the twelve tribes (Numbers 7).

In some communities, practices of love magic continue. One tradition instructs someone searching for love to pray for 40 days at the tomb of Yonasan ben Uzziel that located in Amuka in the Galilee, based on the homophonic reading of this following text:

שהכל פונים שם - כל פסולין שאין מוצאין אשה פונין והולכין שם: והיא עמוקה..

What is the meaning of the name Harpanya? Rabbi Zeira said: It means the mountain to which all turn. Rashi says: All who are unqualified and cannot find a wife, they turn there. This isamuka/deeper....

Listen to Amy Klein's account of using contemporary Jewish love magic to find her husband.

What qualities of love and sex are the ancient women of the Song of Songs calling in with their incantations?

(ב) יִשָּׁקֵ֙נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹת פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טוֹבִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן׃

(2) Kiss Me, make Me drunk with your kisses! Your sweet loving is better than wine.

(ו) אַל־תִּרְא֙וּנִי֙ שֶׁאֲנִ֣י שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת שֶׁשְּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ בְּנֵ֧י אִמִּ֣י נִֽחֲרוּ־בִ֗י שָׂמֻ֙נִי֙ נֹטֵרָ֣ה אֶת־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים כַּרְמִ֥י שֶׁלִּ֖י לֹ֥א נָטָֽרְתִּי׃

(6) Don’t stare at Me because I am sunburnt, because the sun has stared at Me. My mother’s sons quarreled with Me, they made Me guard the vineyards; so My own vineyard I could not guard.

(ו) שִׂימֵ֨נִי כַֽחוֹתָ֜ם עַל־לִבֶּ֗ךָ כַּֽחוֹתָם֙ עַל־זְרוֹעֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־עַזָּ֤ה כַמָּ֙וֶת֙ אַהֲבָ֔ה קָשָׁ֥ה כִשְׁא֖וֹל קִנְאָ֑ה רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ רִשְׁפֵּ֕י אֵ֖שׁ שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה׃

(6) Bind Me as a seal upon your heart, a sign upon your arm, for love is fierce as death, passion is mighty as the grave; its darts are darts of fire, a blazing flame.

This instruction is repeated three times in the text:

(ה) הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּע֥וֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ {ס}

(5) Swear to Me, O maidens of Jerusalem, by gazelles, by the deer of the field: do not wake or rouse love until it please!

(ג) כְּח֤וּט הַשָּׁנִי֙ שִׂפְתוֹתַ֔יִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵ֖ךְ נָאוֶ֑ה כְּפֶ֤לַח הָֽרִמּוֹן֙ רַקָּתֵ֔ךְ מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵֽךְ׃ (ד) כְּמִגְדַּ֤ל דָּוִיד֙ צַוָּארֵ֔ךְ בָּנ֖וּי לְתַלְפִּיּ֑וֹת אֶ֤לֶף הַמָּגֵן֙ תָּל֣וּי עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל שִׁלְטֵ֥י הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃ (ה) שְׁנֵ֥י שָׁדַ֛יִךְ כִּשְׁנֵ֥י עֳפָרִ֖ים תְּאוֹמֵ֣י צְבִיָּ֑ה הָרוֹעִ֖ים בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים׃ (ו) עַ֤ד שֶׁיָּפ֙וּחַ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְנָ֖סוּ הַצְּלָלִ֑ים אֵ֤לֶךְ לִי֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר הַמּ֔וֹר וְאֶל־גִּבְעַ֖ת הַלְּבוֹנָֽה׃

(3) Your lips are like a crimson thread, Your words are beautiful. Behind Your veil, Your cheek glows like a slice of pomegranate. (4) Your neck is like the Tower of David, built to hold weapons, hung with a thousand shields—all the quivers of warriors. (5) Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, grazing among the lilies. (6) When the day gently exhales, and the shadows flee, I will go to the hill of myrrh, to the sacred-Goddess-hill of frankincense.

(יא) אֶל־גִּנַּ֤ת אֱגוֹז֙ יָרַ֔דְתִּי לִרְא֖וֹת בְּאִבֵּ֣י הַנָּ֑חַל לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲפָֽרְחָ֣ה הַגֶּ֔פֶן הֵנֵ֖צוּ הָרִמֹּנִֽים׃ (יב) לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי נַפְשִׁ֣י שָׂמַ֔תְנִי מַרְכְּב֖וֹת עַמִּ֥י נָדִֽיב׃

(11) I went down to the nut grove to see the fresh green of the valley, to see if the vines had blossomed, if the pomegranates were in bloom. (12) Before I knew it, She sat me in the most lavish of chariots.

In "The Song of Songs: A Female Composition, "S.D. Goitien points out how radical* verse 7:11 is--- as a direct reversal of the great patriarchal curse when the first humans are expelled from Eden. Perhaps it is a kind of undoing spell.



*(Sabbatean?)

(יא) אֲנִ֣י לְדוֹדִ֔י וְעָלַ֖י תְּשׁוּקָתֽוֹ׃ {ס}

(11) I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.

(טז) אֶֽל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אָמַ֗ר הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֵ֔ךְ וְה֖וּא יִמְשׇׁל־בָּֽךְ׃ {ס}

(16) And to the woman [God] said, "I will greatly expand your hard labor—and your pregnancies; In hardship shall you bear children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.

***
Before casting your spell, you might offer the following incantation traditionally recited before Kol Nidrei, an unbinding spell, as a reminder to ensure your spell is ground in ethical intentions:
על דעת המקום ועל דעת הקהלAl da'at ha-Makom v'al da'at ha-kahal על דעת המקום ועל דעת הקהלWith awareness of this sacred place* and with social awareness
*The word Makom can mean place, God, or female sex organs