Magic & the Supernatural Quiz

Judaism has many folk customs with magical undertones. But these are not without controversy. How well do you know Jewish magic, and the debates around it?

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Question 1. True or false: in the Talmudic period, bowls etched with magic formulas were used by Christians, Mazdeans, Mandeans, but never Jews.
 True
 False

 

Question 2. Which of the following supernatural practices is forbidden in the Bible?
 Hepatoscopy (reading animal entrails)
 Belomancy (casting or shooting arrows as lots)
 Astrology
 All of these
 None of these

 

Question 3. True or false: Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, there exists a fragmentary text that is a collection of protective formulae for fending off demonic attack.
 True
 False

 

Question 4. What does Lilith do, according to Jewish legends?
 Coerce Jewish men into being unfaithful to their wives
 Snatch newborn babies and take them away from their parents
 Turn into a wolflike creature at the full moon
 Encourage idolatry and non-kosher eating practices

 

Question 5. From where did the story of Lilith originate?
 Modern Afirca
 The ancient Near East
 Early Modern Germany
 Medieval India

 

Question 6. What are segullot?
 Animals said to have magic powers
 Evil spirits
 Good luck prayers
 Good luck charms

 

Question 7. What book contains formulas that were ostensibly used to create golems?
 The Bahir
 The Talmud
 Sefer Yetzirah
 The Necronomicon

 

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