Arapov, A. V. Golem: History of a Mythological Image

Abstract: Golem is one of the most known mythological images. The present article is devoted to the history of that image from Ancient times to the middle of the XIX century, before the appearance of the first literary sources mentioned it. During the medieval period the book by Sefer Yetsira was considered as a key to creation and revival of the golem. It was assumed that the golem could be woken by using various letters of the Jewish alphabet. Process of revival of the golem was associated with mystical experience. According to ashkenazi tradition golems were the creation of righteous persons who, because they were close to God, possessed some part of his wisdom and force. One of manifestations of Divine force is the ability to create living beings. However, even the righteous person could create only a weak reminder of Divine creations. One of shortcomings of the golem was his inability to speak. The earliest known written mentioning of creation of the Golem by the historical person refers to Rabbi Eliyahu from the Hill (1550–1583), and the most known history is the history about the Prague golem. His founder was Judah Loew ben Bezalel (the MaHaRal). Based on the dominating among historians and philologists opinion, the history of the Prague golem was first mentioned in German-speaking Jewish literature of the XIX century. In the 1830-1840’s there was a number of writing where that story was described. Origin of such stories was due to the folklore movement which was famous in Jewish literary communities back in those times. The earliest known source for the story thus far is the 1834 book Der Jüdische Gil Blas by Josef Seligman Kohn. Cathy Gelbin finds an earlier source in Gustav Filippson’s story «The Golem and the Adulteress» published in the Jewish magazine Shulamit» in 1834, however this dating is doubtful. The legend was transferred before orally; probably it goes back to times the MaHaRal.

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