RebeccaLaurie
New member
I'm a non-believer, but I like to learn as much as I can about different belief systems.
My understanding is that Judaism does NOT teach the concepts of heaven and hell. Is that correct?
If so, why are there references to Jewish exorcisms and things like evil spirits called Dybbuks?
If there is no concept of hell in Judaism, from whence cometh the demons?
Can someone with a more thorough understanding of Judaism clear this up for me?
examples:
Josephus recounts incidents of possession and exorcism in his Antiquities of the Jews (2, 5, 8, 45-48). In his description, exorcism involved burning herbs and immersing the possessed person in water. The New Testament also reports Jesus to have performed numerous exorcisms of demonic spirits in first-century Palestine (Matthew 12; Mark 5, 6, 13; Luke 8).
The Dead Sea Scrolls include several exorcism incantations and formulae, mostly directed against disease-causing demons.
I http://www.myjewishlearning.com/beliefs/Issues/Magic_and_the_Supernatural/Practices_and_Beliefs/Supernatural_Beings/Exorcism.shtml
http://www.jewcy.com/post/jewish_mythbusters_jews_don_t_believe_exorcisms
My understanding is that Judaism does NOT teach the concepts of heaven and hell. Is that correct?
If so, why are there references to Jewish exorcisms and things like evil spirits called Dybbuks?
If there is no concept of hell in Judaism, from whence cometh the demons?
Can someone with a more thorough understanding of Judaism clear this up for me?
examples:
Josephus recounts incidents of possession and exorcism in his Antiquities of the Jews (2, 5, 8, 45-48). In his description, exorcism involved burning herbs and immersing the possessed person in water. The New Testament also reports Jesus to have performed numerous exorcisms of demonic spirits in first-century Palestine (Matthew 12; Mark 5, 6, 13; Luke 8).
The Dead Sea Scrolls include several exorcism incantations and formulae, mostly directed against disease-causing demons.
I http://www.myjewishlearning.com/beliefs/Issues/Magic_and_the_Supernatural/Practices_and_Beliefs/Supernatural_Beings/Exorcism.shtml
http://www.jewcy.com/post/jewish_mythbusters_jews_don_t_believe_exorcisms