Demons & Evil Spirits
Demons are found in their thousands wherever humans reside; from the most intimate area of the bed, to mass events that draw large celebrating crowds. Proof for the cohabitation of demons and humans within the same cosmos may be found in the bedroom by night.
If one wants to discover them: their footprints, let him take sifted ashes and sprinkle around his bed, and in the morning he will see something like the footprints of a cock. If one wishes to see them, let him take the after-birth of a black she-cat, the offspring of a black she-cat, the first-born of a first-born, let him roast it in fire and grind it to powder, and then let him put some into his eye, and he will see them. Let him also pour it into an iron tube and seal it with an iron signet that they (the demons) should not steal it from him. Let him also close his mouth, lest he come to harm.
The demons abound everywhere and in every site. However, the classic demon residences lie in the deserts, forests, shady ruins, bodies of water and cemeteries. They reside in the fields and live within wells. In fact, the demons exist everywhere at night while during the day they dwell in isolated areas outside the urban centers.
When demons wander through cities, they are concentrated mainly in the dirty places, which is the source for their "reputation" for 'unclean spirits'. Privies were considered a haunting place for demons and the Talmud contains a special protective incantation for such places.
Demons are attracted to distant and/or unclean and repulsive places, but the tradition stated that care had to be taken inside the houses as well. Caging the demons who reside within the household by hermetically sealing the doors and windows was forbidden. Demons moved freely through exits and entrances and if their movement was checked they tended to retaliate. To solve this problem, a hole was drilled in doors and windows that ensured free movement for every demon or spirit who happened to be within the interior space.
If one wants to discover them: their footprints, let him take sifted ashes and sprinkle around his bed, and in the morning he will see something like the footprints of a cock. If one wishes to see them, let him take the after-birth of a black she-cat, the offspring of a black she-cat, the first-born of a first-born, let him roast it in fire and grind it to powder, and then let him put some into his eye, and he will see them. Let him also pour it into an iron tube and seal it with an iron signet that they (the demons) should not steal it from him. Let him also close his mouth, lest he come to harm.
The demons abound everywhere and in every site. However, the classic demon residences lie in the deserts, forests, shady ruins, bodies of water and cemeteries. They reside in the fields and live within wells. In fact, the demons exist everywhere at night while during the day they dwell in isolated areas outside the urban centers.
When demons wander through cities, they are concentrated mainly in the dirty places, which is the source for their "reputation" for 'unclean spirits'. Privies were considered a haunting place for demons and the Talmud contains a special protective incantation for such places.
Demons are attracted to distant and/or unclean and repulsive places, but the tradition stated that care had to be taken inside the houses as well. Caging the demons who reside within the household by hermetically sealing the doors and windows was forbidden. Demons moved freely through exits and entrances and if their movement was checked they tended to retaliate. To solve this problem, a hole was drilled in doors and windows that ensured free movement for every demon or spirit who happened to be within the interior space.
