The Name Shadai in Hebrew Amulets - Part 1

As can be expected, Hebrew Divine Names comprise the major portion of material addressed in "The Book of Seals and Amulets." The Name  (Shadai) is certainly considered amongst the most important in Hebrew Amulets. As noted in my "Book of Sacred Names," this Divine Name refers to the “All-sufficient Unlimited One,” and whilst there have been a lot of debate and speculation as to what this very ancient Divine Name really signifies, "it is generally accepted that it means 'Almighty'," and "some scholars conjectured that the Name was derived from Shadu, the ancient Akkadian word meaning 'mountain.' Thus the 'Almighty' would be seen to be strong, fortified, immutable....." As it is, the power of protection is associated with this Name, hence it appears as the single Divine Name engraved on the surface of small metal Kameot of all shapes and sizes. I have inspected several such Shadai amulets in the magnificent collection of Hebrew amulets housed in the Magnes Museum in Berkeley.

Be that as it may, (Shadai), or at least the capital of this Divine Name, adorns the front of every Mezuzah, an item comprised of a biblical inscription which is affixed to the doors of Jewish homes. Whilst it fulfills a religious function in our day, there are many still who, like our mediaeval ancestors, still consider it to be a protection amulet of the most potent kind. As in the case of the Monogrammaton in which a (Heh) is the single letter abbreviation of the Ineffable Name, the initial (Shin) represents the Name Shadai, and both of these Hebrew letters appear in this singular format on many ancient and modern amulets.

The letters comprising the Name (Shadai) are also sometimes arranged in the form of a letter square. In this regard, I have recently perused an amulet ring the front of which is comprised of the following Shadai square:

The Divine Name in question comprises six permutations, which can be traced on this chotam (magical seal). However, the listed format of the Shadai square is by no means standard. For example, this letter arrangement is very different from the following version presented in the famous Toldot Adam:

The six permutations of Shadai () are also at times employed in Kameot. Consider the following amulet, the intention of which is to save oneself from plagues and epidemics. The amulet comprises the following Divine Names:

This set of Divine Names were constructed from the initials of the words comprising Leviticus 26:5 reading:

Transliteration:

v'hisig lachem dayish et batzir uvatzir yasig et zara va'achaltem lach'm'chem lasova vishav'tem lavetach b'artz'chem

Translation:

And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and ye shall eat your bread until ye have enough, and dwell in your land safely.

The six permutations of the Name Shadai () in the earlier mentioned Divine Name construct, refer to the word (dayish—“threshing”) in the associated biblical verse, this term being itself one of the permutations of the Divine Name in question. As it is, the mentioned six permutations relate to the twelve zodiacal periods, of which I have perused two versions. In one version the zodiacal months are aligned in pairs in direct order to the six permutations of Shadai, i.e. Aries/Taurus—; Gemini/Leo— ; etc. I was taught the following order of Shadai/Zodiacal affiliations, which was said to be correct. It also agrees with related details addressed in "The Book of Sacred Names":

We are informed the Divine Names should be written on a kosher lambskin scroll together with the Shadai permutation pertaining to the month or zodiacal period in which you are constructing the amulet. It is understood that the listed Divine Names act in conjunction with the said permutation, in order to protect a home and all within it from an epidemic or plague. Afterwards it is located at the entrance of ones own or any other residence.

Should you be in any doubt regarding the correct Shadai permutation aligned with the specific period in which you might be composing this amulet, you could simply include all six permutations of the said Divine Name. In this manner, the correct one will be effective at the time, and the rest will, as it were, join the “process of empowerment” over the succeeding months, all depending on how long the amulet remains on your front door.

(More to follow)

The Ineffable Name and Situations of War

Following a recent conversation on the tragic events which recently beset the City of Boston, in which we witnessed again the dastardly deeds of mayhem and destruction intolerant religionists work on their fellow humankind, I was asked whether there are techniques in "Practical Kabbalah" which could be effectively employed in "Situations of War." As it is, Moses Zacutto delineated in his mammoth "Shorshei ha-Shemot" a practice pertaining to the magical use of the Ineffable Name, which is said would determine the outcome of a battle.

Considered the most powerful Divine Name in existence, the Ineffable Name is included in numerous amulets for a variety of purposes of both the constructive and destructive kinds. In this regard, the following magical activity may be considered a misapplication of the Tetragrammaton, yet it should be understood that this Unique Name is considered the most potent "Spiritual Force" determining the beneficial outcome of any honourable purpose, so why should it not be employed for purposes of effective resistance toagainst the military might of crazed dictators, etc.? Whilst such a defensive measure might turn out to be destructive, it could equally be enormously beneficial in the preservation of the life and limb of oneself and ones kin. Hence it should come as no surprise that the magical applications of the Ineffable Name includes the following chotam (magical seal) employed as a defense against an enemy at war:

This seal appears to be the Ineffable Name written in magical script, but I have not been able to ascertain the exact magical alphabet it might have been derived from. However, in terms of the talismanic use of this magical image, we are told it has the power to destroy the camp of the enemy in war situations.

To affect this outcome, one has to collect four fairly large stones from a dirt road or cobblestone track. On each of these stones is inscribed the magical seal conjointly with specific phrases. On the first stone is written (Exodus 15:3):

Transliteration:

YHVH ish milchamah YHVH shemo l’olam va’ed Yah Omein Omein Omein Selah Selah Selah

Translation:

YHVH is a man of war, YHVH is His Name throughout eternity Yah Amen Amen Amen Selah Selah Selah

On the second is written the portion from Isaiah 41:2 reading (yiten ke’afar charvo—“his sword maketh them as the dust”), whilst on the third is inscribed another portion of the same verse reading (K’kash nidaf kashto—“his bow as the driven stubble”), and on the fourth stone the opening phrase from Psalm 11:2 reading (Ki hineh har’sha’im yid’r’chun—“For, lo, the wicked bend the bow”).

As said, the magical seal is written on all four stones conjointly with their respectively associated biblical phrases. On the completion of this task, the stones are cast into the zone of the enemy.

Curiouser and Curiouser! cried Alice.....!

Shiviti Amulets to "Open the Heart"

Responding to a query posted on the "Concepts of Kabbalah" Yahoo egroup, I shared a unique Shiviti amulet which I thought would be of particular interest to readers of this blog. Considering the fact that the construct comprises primary kabbalistic teachings, I suppose it was quite inevitable that certain fundamental Kabbalistic doctrines regarding Divine Names should have come to be considered to embody "amuletic" virtues. In this regard we might consider the four "milui," i.e. the full spellings of the letters comprising the Ineffable Name, aligned with the "Four Worlds" concept, as featured in this Shiviti amulet for "purity of thought":

I am addressing this Shiviti Kamea, as well as another of a similar nature, in my "The Book of Seals and Amulets," and should mention that the details employed in this amulet necessitate careful consideration.

We are informed that the attainment of greater understanding necessitates "purity of thought," and that it is good to work with Kavvanah, i.e. powerful attention conjoined with willful intention. These qualities of mind are generally understood to be powerfully engendered by Shiviti plaques and amulets, which we have already noted can be large sacred wall-hangings comprised of arrangements of Divine and Angelic Names, often beautifully illuminated with a selection of artistic adornments specifically meaningful to the composer of the item.

We also noted that all constructs of this nature are named after the inscription usually located in the upper portion of the item. In this regard, we observe in the top centre of the Shiviti amulet, the four large letters comprising the Ineffable Name, (YHVH), directly below the words (l'tahar ha-machshavah—"for the purification of thought"), this being the fundamental purpose of the amulet under consideration. Conjoined with the words on either side and underneath the Ineffable Name, we read the earlier mentioned biblical phrase after which the construct is named: (Shiviti YHVH l'negdi tamid—"I have set YHVH before me always" [Psalm 16:8]).

Besides the fundamental intention of all Shiviti plaques, which is for us to daily keep our heart/mind focus on the Ineffable Name, the Kamea requires the owner to not only read, but to actually enunciate the Divine Name with the vowels indicated, i.e. chirik (ee) and patach (ah), thus sounding the Name "YiH’VaH" in the mind during the reading of the opening phrase.

This action is followed by tracing and contemplating the displayed arrangements of component letter combinations and milui ("fillings"—full spellings) of (YHVH), as well as the two Divine Names here affiliated and conjoined with the Tetragrammaton. The basic reasoning is that the different spellings of two of the three letters comprising the Ineffable Name, i.e. , are fundamental in ascertaining the "levels of expression" of the Ineffable Name, in which the letters (Heh) and (Vav) have different "fillings" (spellings).

Traditionally the letter (Heh) can be spelled (Heh-Alef), (Heh-Heh) or (Heh-Yod), and (Vav) can be spelled (Vav-Alef-Vav), (Vav-Yod-Vav) or (Vav-Vav). The three variations of spelling are termed:

Milui d’Alfin (Alef filling);
Milui d’He’in (Heh filling); and
Milui d’Yodin (Yod filling).

Applying this to the relevant letters in (YHVH), the Sacred Name can be expanded into what is traditionally termed the "Forty-Five Letter Name of God," "Fifty-Two Letter Name of God," "Sixty-Three Letter Name of God," and "Seventy-Two Letter Name of God." In fact, each of these expanded Names are understood to pertain to one of the "Four Worlds" of Kabbalah, respectively the worlds of Asiyah, Yetzirah, Bri’ah and Atzilut, as shown below:

(Yod-vav-dalet Heh-heh Vav-vav Heh-heh) comprises the "Fifty-Two Letter Name of God," and in gematria the combination , this being representative of the "Fifty-Two Letter Name of God."

(Yod-vav-dalet Heh-alef Vav-alef-vav Heh-alef) comprises the "Forty-Five Letter Name of God," which corresponds in gematria to .

(Yod-vav-dalet Heh-yod Vav-alef-vav Heh-yod) comprises the "Sixty-Three Letter Name of God," represented by the combination .

(Yod-vav-dalet Heh-yod Vav-yod-vav Heh-yod) comprises the "Seventy-Two Letter Name of God," which is related to the "Name of Seventy-Two Names." This milui of the Ineffable Name is appropriately represented by the combination .

As delineated in both my "Book of Sacred Names" and "Book of Seals and Amulets," such extended spellings of a number of Divine Names, e.g. (YHVH), (Ehyeh), (Elohim), (Adonai), etc., have been employed for both contemplative and amuletic purposes in Kabbalah.

Be that as it may, the design of the current Kamea is comprised of three basic sectors. The upper portion encompasses the earlier mentioned opening biblical phrase, below which is located three sets of full spellings of the letters of the Ineffable Name (milui d’alfin) as follows:

As clearly indicated, the full spelling in this instance is Milui d’Alfin, the expanded format of the Tetragrammaton titled the "Forty-Five Letter Name of God" or "Mah"-expansion. Contemplating the entire combination we read the full spelling of (Yod Yod-Heh Yod-Heh-Vav Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh), a format of letters comprising the Ineffable Name which is sometimes depicted:

Referring to this image as the "Tetragrammaton Tetractys," I noted in "The Book of Self Creation" that "this image was often engraved on silver triangles and worn on the body as protective amulets," and further mentioned that "the four layers of Hebrew glyphs represent the 'Four Worlds,' four principles of manifestation, and four aspects of ones being, i.e. Tzelem or Guf, Nefesh, Ru'ach and Neshamah." Hence tracing the expanded spellings of this pattern in our amulet, is said to not only align the practitioner with the universal order of the "Four Worlds," but to actually trigger within every aspect of his being the Divine Power inherent in the mentioned expansion of the Tetragrammaton. After all, the "Mah"-expansion of the Ineffable Name pertains to ones own hands—the organs of conscious action or of giving and receiving which should be governed by mindfulness.

The second and central portion of the amulet comprises the listing of three Divine Names and their unification into one great name in the following manner:

In Kabbalah these three special Divine Names are considered instrumental in the flow of Divine Abundance from Keter (Crown), the loftiest sphere on the sefirotic Tree, via Tiferet (Beauty) the central sphere, down into Malchut (Kingdom), the earthly realm of physical existence. Each of these spheres are aligned with one of the three listed Divine Names, specifically:

(Ehyeh) — Keter (Crown)

(YHVH) — Tiferet (Beauty)

(Adonai) — Malchut (Kingdom)

In seeing these three primary Divine Names and their ultimate union displayed centrally in the amulet under consideration, I am reminded of the Kabbalistic doctrine regarding the outpouring of "Divine Abundance" from its source in the Ultimate Unmanifest, and its flow into physical manifestation down the "Central Pillar" on the sefirotic Tree. In this regard, we are informed that the initial (Alef) of both the Names (Ehyeh) and (Adonai) is a reference to the "Divine Essence" of (Ain Sof) being funnelled as infinite Shefa (Abundance) into the realms of manifestation. In delineating this unique force-flow from Ehyeh via YHVH and Adonai into the whole of physical manifestation, Joseph Gikatilla wrote: "Know that the activity of the upper Name which is Ehyeh is the activity of absolute mercy, and that this is the Name that brings good and gives for free and has mercy not out of judgment but out of absolute mercy....." [Gates of Light]

Of course, as I noted elsewhere, "in the entire concept of Ain Sof (the Infinite No-Thing) pouring out Shefa (divine abundance), the basic idea is infinity without any limitation whatsoever. There is simply no underlying motive of God being obliged to pour out Shefa because of a sense of pity for that which He emanated into existence. The basic function of divine creative emanation is Chesed, an enormous loving-kindness, not for any specific reason as such, but simply for itself alone." [The Book of Sacred Names]

In this regard, I believe what is of paramount importance here is the location of the Ineffable Name, aligned as it is in this instance with Tiferet (Beauty). Again it was noted that the concept of Beauty should "not be perceived in a limited manner" since it "has something to do with things being harmoniously related together." Underlying this concept is a sense of absolute "oneness." "What I find so amazing about the way Shefa is being funneled down into manifestation is that, whilst it is being expressed in all the realms of manifestation in an infinite, ‘all-possible-possibilities’ number of ways, the 'many ways' are harmoniously related in a universal 'oneness,' and this is called 'Beauty'." [The Book of Sacred Names]

As I gaze at the three unique Divine Names listed in the centre of a Kamea created with the intention of not only clarifying (purifying) mind, but also to "open the heart" to greater understanding, I am again brought to the realisation of how our sense of "separateness" in this world have lead to the loss of our primordial recognition of the divine unity between all aspects of incarnate existence, and how, "in order to restore the flow of 'Divine Abundance,' we have to realign ourselves with the perfect unity of the 'All,' i.e. reestablish balance with the 'Beauty' and 'Loving-kindness' of the Eternal One." [The Book of Sacred Names]

Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum: Chasid & Miracle Worker!

I recently paid an extensive visit to Hungary. During the last days of the trip, two fellow Companions and I visited the gravesites of a couple of two highly esteemed Kabbalists. One in particular, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum(1759 - 1841), is particularly well remembered for his skills in the realm of "Practical Kabbalah." Rabbi Teitelbaum, nicknamed the "Yishmach Moshe" ("Moses Rejoiced") after the title of one of his works, signed himself "Tamar," this Hebrew term being equivalent to the Yiddish "Teitelbaum" (Dattelbaum in German), all referring to the date palm.In his early years Rabbi Teitelbaum was a Misnaged, a staunch opponent of Chassidism. We are told that as a young boy Rabbi Teitelbaum visited Elijah, the Gaon of Vilna, who was the greatest opponent of the rise of the Eastern European Chassidim. Apparently the young man was allowed entry into the presence of the Gaon, and he requested to be admitted as a student [see "In Our Leaders Footsteps" Volume 2 by Menachem Gerlitz]. Some reports have it that the Yishmach Moshe was returned home, whilst others maintain that the Gaon of Vilna recognised the genius of the young man and that he "was given custody in Hagra's Beit Midrash in Vilna."

Rabbi Teitelbaum commenced his rabbinical career in Przemysl, his birth city in south-eastern Poland, and was later appointed Rabbi of nearby Sieniawa. In 1808 he migrated to the Hungarian town of Satoralja-Ujhely, where he spent the rest of his days, and his successors became the founders of the Sighet and Satmar chassidic dynasties. In this regard, it should be noted that Rabbi Teitelbaum himself became a Chassid at a relatively late age. This occurred after his daughter married Rav Aryeh Leib Lipshitz. The odd religious behaviour of his son-in-law attracted the attention and disapproval of the Yishmach Moshe. We are informed that Rav Aryeh Leib acquiesced to relinquish his Chassidic ways, but would do so only after Rabbi Teitelbaum travelled with him to visit his Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhak ("the Seer") of Lublin. This visit to the famous Polish Chassid resulted in Rabbi Teitelbaum having a change of heart, and to him becoming a Chassid himself. Hence it was in the town of Satoralja-Ujhely that the Yishmach Moshe established a Chassidic community, one which was quite independent from the Galitzianer Chassidim, i.e. those who were residing in Poland and the Ukraine and who were calling the shots, so to speak.

The Yishmach Moshe was a remarkable leader who was highly esteemed as "the Light of all of Hungary." He had a profound comprehension of the meaning of "Now." In this regard he said that "were we to ask someone 'How long will you live?' he would likely take a total of the years he has already lived, add on to them an estimate of how long he figures he will still live, and give you a rough total. If you were to ask me, however, I would answer you, 'One second.' After all, what has already past is of no consequence. And as far as the future: how am I to know if I will even live to see tomorrow? What I do know is that this very moment, I am being given the gift of life. This moment is all I have. So, right now, this is my whole life." We are told that the great Rabbi considered this a "mussar haskeil," i.e. "penetrating insight," regarding which Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann of Torah.org commented that "were a person to really value each moment, to realize that all he has in life is this very moment, which fool would while away his 'moments' with idleness and meaningless distractions. One who adapts this approach, his life becomes a collection of thousands of meaningful moments, threads of time, which, when woven together, yield an exquisite fabric, the likes of which could not have been produced by anyone else but him." The commentator reminds us that "man receives his moments one at a time. 'The past is gone, the future is yet to be, and the present is as quick as the blink of an eye.' The nature of man is to underestimate the significance of a minute. What is a minute, anyway? Many people seem to feel that a minute is not so terrible a thing to waste. Yet, as life 'flies' by, these are the minutes that must be utilized. They are our life. And using them properly and constructively is all we have to show for ourselves." [Mashal ve-Nimshal, Likutei Peshatim]

The grandson of the Yishmach Moshe maintained that his grandfather had total recollection of three earlier incarnations. Rabbi Teitelbaum apparently recalled being a sheep in the flock of Jacob, the Biblical Patriarch, and taught his disciples a song which he maintained Jacob sang as he looked after his sheep. As you probably know, kabbalistic tradition has it that Jacob's sheep were comprised of the root souls of the nation of Israel. The second incarnation apparently pertained to the time of Moses, specifically to the "Dor Ha-Midbar" (Generation of the Desert), i.e. the Israelites who wandered in the desert after being freed from slavery in Egypt. In this regard, the good Rabbi recalled witnessing the famous rebellion of Korach against Moses as recounted in the Bible, and in this regard he related details to his grandson, whom he scolded for expressing his dislike for Korach, maintaining that we do not comprehend just how great Korach really was. In fact, the Yishmach Moshe maintained that since the mentioned conflict between Korach and Moses was between the greatest minds of the time, he himself had difficulty deciding which side he was on. We are informed his grandson asked whose side he was on, and apparently received the reply "My child, you cannot imagine what a revered man Korach was. He was held in great esteem by many important people, and had a large following. And on the other side was the holy leader Moshe Rabbeinu! I decided that the best way to deal with such a division was to stay out of it. Throughout the entire controversy, until Moshe and his brother Aharon, the High Priest, were affirmed as the leaders, I remained inside my tent. I did not go out even once. And you, my dear grandson, should do the same. Learn a lesson for life: Whenever there is divisiveness, keep away. Lock yourself in your house if necessary so that you are not forced to join one side!"

Apparently this advice stood the grandson of Rabbi Teitelbaum in good stead. Some years later, when he witnessed a dispute between his own Rebbe (the Sanzer) and the children of Rabbi Chaim Halbertstam of Sanz, he refused to get involved in the incident, and would not support either of the disputing parties. When quizzed on why he did not support his own Rebbe, he replied "The Rebbe is great, but he is not greater than Moshe Rebbeinu! I learned from my grandfather not to get embroiled in quarrels, even if it involves Moses himself!" [see "Reincarnation and Judaism: The Journey of the Soul" by DovBer Pinson, and "Gut Woch" by Avrohom Barash]. Regarding the third incarnation, it appears that the Yismach Moshe lived at the time of the desolation of the First Temple, but we are informed that he did not disclose anything regarding this to his followers. However, we are told that he was identified as having been the Prophet Jeremiah who prophesied the destruction of the Temple, and his contemporaries maintained that the soul of the Prophet still resided in him.

As said, Rabbi Teitelbaum was considered a most remarkable miracle rabbi, i.e. wonder-working tzaddik or simply a "practical kabbalist." In this regard, we might recall the saga of his meeting with the 9 year old Lajos Kossuth whom he cured from a childhood illness. Kossuth became Governor General of Hungary in 1848, and was also leader of the Hungarian Revolution. He is not only considered a great hero, but was greatly beloved for his fair behaviour towards all the citizens of his country, Jews and gentiles alike. As it is, when the Hungarian War of Independence failed, Kossuth was exiled to Turkey where he died in Rodosto in 1894. Regarding the meeting of the good Rabbi with the young Kossuth, a rather self-indulgent newspaper reporter, who wrote as if he had personally witnessed the incident he delineated, and whose beligerent intentions to besmirch the Rabbi is plainly visible, wrote the following article titled "Kossuth and the Rabbi" which was published in the Jewish Chronicle (December 14, 1849), and afterwards republished in several British Papers. The article reads:

"The following sketch, taken out of Kossuth's boyhood, which he derived from an authentic source, affords a characteristic illustration of that sympathy which the old and pious Jews manifested for their agitator up to the last hour of his dictatorship. Whilst patriotism animated the younger branches, whilst considerate calculations stimulated middle-aged men, cabalistic interpretations actuated the hoary and the aged.

Kossuth's father was an attorney, and resided in a northern department of Hungary, chiefly inhabited by Jewish emigrants from Poland, who have settled there. Among these settlers there is a sect called 'Chassidim' (the pious), who are known by their long gowns, fur caps, and curly locks - their appearance being altogether different from that of native Jews. Kossuth's father conducted a vexatious lawsuit against the Chief Rabbi of Aphely. The cause of it is not known, but it lasted many years, and was carried on with great obstinacy by both parties. In the course of the process, two sons of the attorney died, and, very shortly after, the father also. Prejudice and bigotry spread a report to the effect that this heavenly visitation was in consequence of a curse by the Rabbi; and even the Catholics and Calvinists began to dread the power of the Jewish ecclesiastic. The sick and unfortunate of all religious professions flocked to the Rabbi's house, to be cured and assisted by his wondrous spells.

The Rabbi enjoyed the greatest respect and reverence: he was a shrewd and experienced man, and turned the ignorance of the people to his advantage, as is not unfrequently done by political and ecclesiastical leaders of other creeds. The widow of the attorney, fearing that her last boy, Louis Kossuth, would also fall a victim to the curse of the Rabbi, was induced by maternal love to pay a visit to the bearded Rabbi, and seek his pardon for the offence given to him by her late husband. The Rabbi received the sad widow very graciously, and even favorably, which emboldened the mother to request a blessing for her son. The shrewd Rabbi hesitated, gazed at the boy, and conversed with him. Veracity and high spirit then already distinguished the lad, and the respectful confidence with which young Kossuth surveyed the Rabbi and his suite, had a favorable effect on the venerable ecclesiastic. We omit to portray the state of mind of the wise Rabbi, the anxious mother, and the high-minded lad at that moment - we leave this to a more poetical pen than ours. We will but state the fact, that the Rabbi laid his hands on the head of the child and blessed him. This was considered so great an event in the country, that the family of Kossuth carefully noted down the Psalm quoted by the Rabbi, which was the 60th, and the passage, verse 4, 'Natutta liraecha nes lehisnoses mipne Koshet Selah.' - ('Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.') The Rabbi then impressed on Kossuth's youthful mind not to entertain hostile feelings towards the poor Jews: this injunction was obeyed, and even at school Louis Kossuth distinguished himself by tolerance. These little traits, connected with the boy's growing up a bright and vigorous man, gave the Rabbi a great name and authority.

When Kossuth commenced his political career, he expressed himself at once liberally towards the Jews, who understood how to keep Kossuth's attachment alive, by continually chanting the renowned verse in the synagogues and on all solemn occasions. Kossuth soon promised the Jews the boon of emancipation. He loved the Jews, and they loved him. They shed their best blood in the struggle for Hungary's independence; they rendered him many services, and even his private secretary was a Jew. The emancipation of the Jews in Hungary was proclaimed at Szegedin just before the Russian invasion. The Austrian Government saw the necessity of soothing the fermenting element. Stadion, who had an opportunity, during his residence in Poland, to study the Jewish character, recognised the danger of driving the Jews ( a body of people full of mind and courage), back into their Gheto. It was known at Vienna that Pillersdorf's fall was owing to the non-execution of the principles of religious liberty embodied in his constitution. The Cabinet of Schwarzenberg have acted more wisely, and have carried out the principle to its fullest extent; but the attachment of the Jews to Louis Kossuth remains unabated. The enlightened adore him for his capacious mind, whilst the orthodox revere him on account of the blessing of the Rabbi."

Be that as it may, whilst this report is heavily embellished with unfounded conjectures regarding Rabbi Teitelbaum's motives, the important point is that the good Rabbi did not only cure the young Lajos Kossuth, but that he placed his hands on the head of the child and blessed him with Psalm 60:6 (4), the Hebrew text of which transliterated reads "Natata lirei'echa nes l'hitnoses mipnei koshet selah" ("Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah"). Apparently the Yishmach Moshe was punning on the term "Koshet" ("truth") in reference to "Kossuth." We are informed that Rabbi Teitelbaum did not only bless the child, but also "prophesied his future greatness." I am reminded of a remark I recently chanced upon, which was made by an individual who wanted "to show somewhat more clearly the religious opinions of the great chief, who so successfully roused the spirit of his countrymen to endeavour to achieve a glorious freedom." In this regard he extracted "from the New York Tribune a prayer, which Kossuth is said to have made on the field of battle," and added "we rather think that pious churchmen will hereafter throw doubts on Kossuth's orthodoxy, as he appears to pray in the manner of Jews, to the 'Almighty God of heaven, earth, and seas'." Here is the prayer which was published on July 28, 1849 in the New York Tribune, and which we are told was offered by Kossuth as he knelt "amid the multitude, at the graves of the Magyar heroes who fell in the battle of the Rapoylna, and was originally published in the Opposition, a journal of Pesht." It reads:

“Almighty Lord! God of the warriors of Arpad! Look down from Thy starry throne upon Thy imploring servant, from whose lips the prayer of millions ascends to Thy heaven, praising the unsearchable power of Thine omnipotence. O God, over me shines Thy sun, and beneath me repose the relics of my fallen heroic brethren; above my head the sky is blue, and under my feet the earth is dyed red with the holy blood of the children of our ancestors. Let the animating beams of Thy sun fall here, that flowers may spring up from the blood, so that these hulls of departed beings may not moulder unadorned. God of our fathers, and God of the nations! hear and bless the voice of our warriors, and with the arm and the soul of brave nations thunder to break the iron hand of tyranny as it forges its chains. As a free man I kneel on these fresh graves, by the remains of my brothers. By such a sacrifice as theirs, Thy earth would be consecrated were it all stained with sin. O God! on this holy soil above these graves no race of slaves can live. O Father! Father of our fathers! Mighty over myriads! Almighty God of the heaven, the earth, and the seas! From these bones springs a glory whose radiance is on the brow of my people. Hallow their dust with Thy grace, that the ashes of my fallen heroic brethren may rest in peace! Leave us not, Great God of battles! In the holy name of the nations, praised be Thy omnipotence. Amen.”

Getting back to Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum and his activities as "Practical Kabbalist," we are informed the Rabbi wrote many amulets amongst the services he rendered to the community. I am currently analysing two kameot attributed to him, which, like the following one, were included in "The Book of Seals and Amulets":

I have also noticed recently an "incantation against the evil eye" attributed to the Yishmach Moshe for sale on a website auctioning Judaica. We might note that Rabbi Teitelbaum's amulet writing skills did not always result in good returns, so to speak. In 1822 he was accused of suppying amulets to individuals jailed on libel charges, in order to aid them in escaping their incarceration. When confronted with this matter, the Yishmach Moshe responded that the amulets were actually substitutes for mezuzot, the purpose of which were to protect those who carried them against dark forces, e.g. demons. Whatever the case may be, I am certainly most grateful to have had the opportunity to pay homage at the gravesite of Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, the Yishmach Moshe, and to have done so in the company of a wonderful Companion!