Kabbalah Library

295. What is the reason that there are more sorcerers among women than among men, as it is written, “You shall not allow a sorceress to live,” and it is not written “sorcerer”?

296. It is written, “No evil [in female form] shall befall you.” It is not written “evil” [in male form], but “evil” [in female form], which is the side of the female. “Nor shall a plague come near your tent” is male. There are all kinds of spells from the female, and all the evil engagements that come to the world, as it is written, “And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters.”

297. Why does the verse end, “whose hands are fetters”? Anyone who touches a woman or receives from her, from her hand to his, will not be cleared from the judgment of Hell, as it is written, “Hand to hand will not be cleaned from evil,” as it is written, “whose hands are fetters.”

298. One said, “Every kind of charm and spell comes from the females, and all the evil thoughts. Were their hands not fettered, meaning if she were not prevented from above, they would kill and put to death the whole world at any time and any hour.

299. The female overcomes only by the power of the male. She is present in the deep matters of the male, and knows from him how to make the man vow to do her will, while he swears her in the Creator and in profound matters of the name of impurity. This is why the actions depend on the female, and the words on the male. Yet both awaken from the female, and this is why the kinds of witchcraft are in the female and not in the male.

300a. One who switches between women, if they are in menstruation, he is forced to become ill, and she will not move from his body. Unless some miracle healing is done to him, and the dangers of blood or killing await him. If they are not in menstruation, the evil inclination controls him: his body or his wealth.

300b. Once, Rabbi Nahum passed between two women. They looked at him, and he was immediately at risk in his body and in his wealth, since an evil spirit was on them, which can harm.

301. What is his correction? He is to say, “Go! Go! Be silent! Be silent! Remove the connection of the knot, no, and not to me.” Afterwards, he is to begin with “God” and end with “God.” He is to begin with “God,” as it is written, “God brings them out of Egypt,” and end with “God,” as it is written, “For there is no sorcery against Jacob,” up to the verse, “what God has done.” Then he should go away and not look back.

302. Rav Huna was ascending [coming] from Babylon to the Land of Israel. When he ascended [came] there, he came across a village and saw a woman following him throwing water on his shoulders and taking dust from under his feet. Rav Huna turned his head and said to her, “Do and take after me, for it counts as nothing to me, but I sentence you to confusion in your mind.”

303. Afterwards, he said, “I did not sentence you for me, but so you would not kill other people.” And so it was: Her mind was confused and she did not know anything and died. It is written about this, “No evil shall come to you, nor shall a plague come near your tent.”

304. He who is good in the eyes of God will escape from that woman of whom it is written, “whose heart is snares and nets,” and a sinner will be caught by her, the one who follows the evil inclination.

305. When hunger is in town, one must not show oneself and not walk alone in the city, since the angel of death is there, and he has permission to sabotage. It is written about this, “And Jacob said to his sons, ‘Why should you be seen?” Similarly, when the plague is in the city, one should close oneself at home and not be seen in the market, for because the saboteur has been given permission, one who encounters him is harmed and risks his soul.

306. Naomi was in Sde Moab for ten years because there was hunger in Israel, so they would not be seen as satiated. In the end, it is written, “for she had heard in Sde Moab that the Lord visited His people to give them bread,” and then she returned. Thus, why were Machlon and Kilayon punished for doing the right thing? It was because they married Moabite women.

307. There are no women in the world who deal with sorcery and spells like the Moabites [women], as it is written, “and the people ate and bowed to their gods.” Since they were eating something with their spells, they would immediately bow to their gods, “So Israel clung to Baal of Peor.” “Clung” means like these bracelets, the ornaments, this is how they would connect to the Baal of Peor.

308. How do we know that Isael served the Baal of Peor because of the women’s spell? Because it is written, “Indeed, they were [given] to the people of Israel by the word of Balaam.” It is not written “by the counsel of Balaam,” but “by the word of Balaam,” teaching that Balaam had taught those women things with their mouth.

There were no sorcerers and magicians in the world like them, but nevertheless, the words in the mouth, which must complete the spells, they did not know. Hence, by the word of Balaam, who taught them, they did and completed their charms, and they could overcome them. Ruth was upright; she was not a witch like the other daughters of Moab.

309. “And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord will deal kindly with you.’” It is written, “will deal,” and we read “will deal” [with a missing Hey at the end]. In other words, she said to them, “If you merit coming under the wings of the Shechina, He will deal, in full. And if not, He will deal without a Hey, meaning it will be incomplete.

310. “For it is very bitter to me from you.” It should have written “for you,” as it is written, “I am sorry for you, my brother Jonathan.” What is “from you”? This is what she said, “The duress in my heart is from you, since you caused my sons to die,” which is like a person being angry with another.