Pt2 Demon-Infested Shadows: Sorb Trees, Amulets, and Exorcism (Pesachim 111b)

Appendix - The Dual Nature of Demons and Humans (Chagigah 16a)

This is the second and final installment of a two-part series. First part is here, outline can be found there.

Morning and Afternoon Demons: “Ketev Meriri” vs. “Ketev Yashud Tzaharayim”

The Talmud discusses two types of “ketev”¹ demons, mentioned in Torah and Psalms. These demons are linked to specific times of day and particular objects:

The first, called “ketev meriri” (קטב מרירי), is based on the verse in Deuteronomy.32.24:

מזי רעב, ולחמי רשף 

וקטב מרירי, ושן בהמת 

אשלח בם 

עם חמת זחלי עפר    

Wasting famine, ravaging plague (רשף),²

Deadly pestilence (קטב מרירי), and fanged beasts

Will I let loose against them,

With venomous creepers in dust.

It appears before noon³ and is associated with a jug (כדא) of kutaḥ,⁴ where it continuously turns (בחשא). 

The second is called “ketev yashud tzaharayim”,⁵ based on the verse in Psalms.91.6:

מדבר באפל יהלך 

מקטב ישוד צהרים

the plague (דבר) that stalks in the darkness,

or the scourge (קטב) that ravages at noon.

It appears in the afternoon and is seen between the horns of a goat, revolving like a sifter (נפיא). 

קטב מרירי — 

תרי קטבי הוו. 

חד מקמי טיהרא, וחד מבתר טיהרא. 

דמקמי טיהרא — ״קטב מרירי״ שמו, 

ומיחזי בי כדא דכמכא, והדר ביה בחשא. 

דבתר טיהרא — ״קטב ישוד צהרים״ שמו, 

ומיחזי בי קרנא דעיזא, והדר ביה כנפיא.

The Gemara discusses the ketev meriri, a demon mentioned in the Torah (Deuteronomy 32:24).

There are two types of ketev demons, one that comes before noon in the morning and the other one comes in the afternoon.

The one that comes before noon is called ketev meriri,

and it appears in a jug of kutaḥ, a Babylonian spice, and continuously revolves around inside it.

The ketev in the afternoon is called ketev yashud tzaharayim (Psalms 91:6),

and it appears inside the horn of a goat and revolves around inside it like a sifter.

Story: Abaye Protects Rav Huna from Demon, Trusts Rav Pappa's Good Luck for Safety

The Talmud recounts a story where Abaye was walking with Rav Pappa on his right and Rav Huna son of Rav Yehoshua, on his left. 

Abaye noticed a “ketev meriri” demon approaching from the left. 

To protect Rav Huna, he switched their positions, placing Rav Pappa on the left instead. 

Rav Pappa asked why Abaye was not concerned for his (i.e. Rav Pappa’s) safety. 

Abaye responded that “The hour is in your favor”.⁶

אביי הוה שקיל ואזיל, 

ואזיל רב פפא מימיניה, ורב הונא בריה דרב יהושע משמאליה. 

חזייה לההוא קטב מרירי, דקא אתי לאפיה דשמאליה. 

אהדרא לרב פפא לשמאליה, ולרב הונא בריה דרב יהושע לימיניה. 

אמר ליה רב פפא: אנא מאי שנא דלא חשש לי?!

אמר ליה: את שעתא קיימא לך.

The Gemara relates: Abaye was coming and walking along the street.

And Rav Pappa was walking on his right and Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, was on his left.

Abaye saw a certain ketev meriri coming on his left side

and he switched Rav Pappa to his left and Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, to his right.

Rav Pappa said to Abaye: And I, what is different that you were not concerned about any possible harm to me?!

Abaye said to him: The time is in your favor. You are wealthy and fortunate, and therefore I believe that you will most likely not be harmed by the demon.

Demons in the Shadows: Tammuz Timing and Places of Hidden Danger

The Talmud states that demons are definitely present from the first of Tammuz until the sixteenth of the month (approximately late June or early July). After that, it is uncertain whether they are present. 

Demons can be found in the shadows of specific things:⁷

1. The short shadow of a pitcher:⁸ shadow that’s less than a cubit (גרמידא) long

2. The short shadow of objects in the morning (צפרא) and evening (פניא): shadows less than a cubit long. 

3. The shadow of an outhouse.⁹

מחד בתמוז עד שיתסר ביה — ודאי שכיחי. 

מכאן ואילך — ספק שכיחי, ספק לא שכיחי. 

ומשתכחי 

1. בטולי דחצבא דלא חצב גרמידא, 

2. ובטולי דצפרא ופניא דלא הוי גרמידא, 

3. ועיקר בטולי דבית הכסא.

The Gemara comments: From the first of Tammuz to the sixteenth of that month, these demons are certainly found.

From here onward it is uncertain whether they are found or whether they are not found. 

And they can be found

1. in the shadow of a sea squill that has not grown a cubit,

2. and in the shadow of objects in the morning and evening when their length is less than a cubit.

3. And they are mostly found in the shadow of a privy.

Appendix 1 - The Dual Nature of Demons and Humans (Chagigah 16a)

Chagigah.16a.5-8

A baraita describes both demons and humans as having dual characteristics, each sharing traits with both higher and lower beings.

In three ways Demons are like ministering angels, and in three ways they are like humans

Demons (שדים) resemble ministering angels (מלאכי השרת) in three ways: they have wings, they can traverse the world instantly, and they possess foreknowledge of the future. However, they also share three traits with humans: they eat and drink, they reproduce, and they eventually die.

תנו רבנן,

ששה דברים נאמרו בשדים:

שלשה כמלאכי השרת,

ושלשה כבני אדם.

שלשה כמלאכי השרת —

1. יש להם כנפים כמלאכי השרת,

2. וטסין מסוף העולם ועד סופו כמלאכי השרת,

3. ויודעין מה שעתיד להיות כמלאכי השרת.

[...]

ושלשה כבני אדם —

1. אוכלין ושותין כבני אדם,

2. פרין ורבין כבני אדם,

3. ומתים כבני אדם.

The Sages taught:

Six statements were said with regard to demons:

In three ways they are like ministering angels,

and in three ways they are like humans.

The baraita specifies: In three ways they are like ministering angels:

1. They have wings like ministering angels;

2. and they fly from one end of the world to the other like ministering angels;

3. and they know what will be in the future like ministering angels.

[...]

And in three ways they are similar to humans:

1. They eat and drink like humans;

2. they multiply like humans;

3. and they die like humans.

In three ways Humans are like ministering angels, and in three ways they are like animals

Similarly, humans (בני אדם) are portrayed as existing between angels and animals:

They resemble angels in three ways: possessing intelligence (דעת), walking upright (קומה זקופה), and speaking Hebrew (לשון הקדש). At the same time, they share three fundamental characteristics with animals: they eat and drink, they reproduce (פרין ורבין), and they excrete waste (מוציאין רעי).

ששה דברים נאמרו בבני אדם:

שלשה כמלאכי השרת, שלשה כבהמה.

שלשה כמלאכי השרת —

1. יש להם דעת כמלאכי השרת,

2. ומהלכין בקומה זקופה כמלאכי השרת,

3. ומספרים בלשון הקדש כמלאכי השרת.

שלשה כבהמה —

1. אוכלין ושותין כבהמה,

2. ופרין ורבין כבהמה,

3. ומוציאין רעי כבהמה.

Six statements were said with regard to humans:

In three ways, they are like ministering angels,

and in three ways they are like animals.

The baraita explains: In three ways they are like ministering angels:

1. They have intelligence like ministering angels;

2. and they walk upright like ministering angels;

3. and they speak in the holy tongue like ministering angels.

In three ways humans are like animals:

1. They eat and drink like animals;

2. and they multiply like animals;

3. and they emit excrement like animals.

Appendix 2 - Demons as Invisible, Ubiquitous Agents of Harm, and Techniques for Detecting and Seeing Demons (Berakhot 6a)

Berakhot.6a.2-6

Abba Binyamin - The Invisibility and Overabundance of Demons

A baraita states that Abba Binyamin posits that if humans could see demons, no one could “stand” (i.e. survive their constant presence).

תניא,

אבא בנימין אומר:

אלמלי נתנה רשות לעין לראות —

אין כל בריה יכולה לעמוד מפני המזיקין.

In another baraita it was taught that

Abba Binyamin says:

If the eye was given permission to see,

no creature would be able to withstand¹⁰ the abundance and ubiquity of the demons and continue to live unaffected by them.

Abaye - Demons’ Numerical Superiority Over Humans

Abaye asserts that demons outnumber humans and surround them continuously.

אמר אביי:

אינהו נפישי מינן,

וקיימי עלן כי כסלא לאוגיא.

Similarly, Abaye said:

They are more numerous than we are

and they stand over us like mounds of earth (כסלא) surrounding a pit (אוגיא).

Rav Huna - Demons’ Spatial Proximity

Rav Huna sharpens this into a concrete image: each person is flanked by 1,000 demons on the left and 10,000 on the right.

אמר רב הונא:

כל חד וחד מינן,

• אלפא משמאליה

• ורבבתא מימיניה.

Rav Huna said:

Each and every one of us has

• 1,000 demons to his left

• and 10,000 (רבבתא) to his right.

God protects man from these demons, as it says in the verse: “1,000 may fall at your side, and 10,000 at your right hand; they will not approach you” (Psalms 91:7).

Rava - Everyday Disturbances Attributed to Demons

Rava attributes mundane discomforts to demonic activity: crowding at public Torah gatherings, unexplained knee fatigue (שלהי), excessive wear (בלו) on the clothes of the Sages, and persistent foot pain.¹¹

אמר רבא:

1. האי דוחקא דהוי בכלה —

   1. מנייהו הוי.

2. הני ברכי דשלהי —

   1. מנייהו.

3. הני מאני דרבנן דבלו —

   1. מחופיא דידהו.

4. הני כרעי דמנקפן —

   1. מנייהו.

Summarizing the effects of the demons, Rava said:

1. The crowding at the kalla, the gatherings for Torah study during Elul and Adar —

   1. is from the demons;

2. those knees that are fatigued even though one did not exert himself —

   1. is from the demons;

3. those clothes of the Sages that wear out, despite the fact that they do not engage in physical labor —

   1. is from friction (חופיא) with the demons;

4. those feet that are in pain —

   1. is from the demons.

Techniques for Detecting and Seeing Demons

Ashes around a bed to reveal demonic footprints

האי מאן דבעי למידע להו

לייתי קיטמא נהילא,

ונהדר אפורייה,

ובצפרא —

חזי כי כרעי דתרנגולא

One who seeks to know that the demons exist

should bring fine (נהילא) ashes

and place them around his bed,

and in the morning —

the demons’ footprints appear like chickens’ footprints, in the ash.

Ritual involving the placenta of a female firstborn black cat to see them directly

האי מאן דבעי למחזינהו,

ליתי שלייתא דשונרתא

• אוכמתא בת אוכמתא

• בוכרתא בת בוכרתא,

וליקליה בנורא,

ולשחקיה,

ולימלי עיניה מניה,

וחזי להו

One who seeks to see them

should take the placenta¹² of a female cat (שונרתא),

• a black one (אוכמתא), daughter of a black one;

• a firstborn (בוכרתא), daughter of a firstborn,¹³

burn it in the fire,

grind it

and place it in his eyes,

and he will see them.

… and subsequent precautions

ולשדייה בגובתא דפרזלא,

ולחתמיה בגושפנקא דפרזלא —

דילמא גנבי מניה,

ולחתום פומיה —

כי היכי דלא ליתזק

He must then place the ashes in an iron tube (גובתא)

sealed with an iron seal [gushpanka] —

lest the demons steal it from him,

and then seal the opening —

so he will not be harmed.

Rav Beivai ben Abaye attempts it, is harmed, and is healed only through rabbinic prayer

רב ביבי בר אביי עבד הכי,

חזא —

ואתזק

בעו רבנן רחמי עליה —

ואתסי

Rav Beivai bar Abaye performed this procedure,

saw the demons —

and was harmed.

The rabbis prayed for mercy on his behalf —

and he was healed.

1. קטבי; in biblical Hebrew, this word means “destruction, plague”, see Hebrew Wiktionary: קטב - ויקימילון.

2. Compare the demon called resheph, in the previous part of this series.

3. טיהרא; cognate with Hebrew צהרים, hence the name ישוד צהרים - “ravager at noon”.

4. כמכא - a Babylonian porridge, mentioned a number of times in the Talmud, often in the context of it being a controversial and unappealing food.

5. קטב ישוד צהרים - literally: “ketev which robs at midday”.

6. שעתא קיימא לך - literally: “the hour stands for you”. Likely meaning that based on astrology, Rav Pappa at that moment had better luck. See my series on talmudic astrology, final part here.

On the expression שעתא קיימא, meaning a time of “good fortune, luck”, compare Taanit.21a.2-3, in a stammaitic story about R' Yoḥanan and Ilfa, where the denoument is R’ Yohanan saying לדידי קיימא לי שעתא - meaning, “it’s my lucky time”.

7. On the danger of shadows (טולי, cognate with Hebrew צל - “shadow, shade”), see the previous part of this series, as well as throughout the sugya.

8. חצבא. Steinsaltz translates this word here as “sea squill”, a kind of plant. This word has both senses, see Jastrow.

9. בית הכסא. On outhouses in talmudic times, talmudic rules of defecation, and the danger of outhouses, see my series, final piece here.

10. לעמוד - literally: “to stand”.

11. מנקפן.

The Talmud thus naturalizes demons as the hidden cause behind ordinary physical and social friction.

12. שלייתא - “placenta”.

13. The phrase is a rhymed Aramaic description, built out of color/quality adjectives and lineage (“daughter of …”):

Note that in the Aramaic, all the nouns and adjectives are in feminine grammatical gender - suffix ‘ta’ - תא.