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Why is animate dead considered inherently evil?
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<blockquote data-quote="Nebulous" data-source="post: 8569074" data-attributes="member: 31465"><p>From the Wiki:</p><p></p><p>[According to the Jewish tradition, golem was usually made of clay, moulded to roughly the human shape. To endow him with life, the so-called <em><strong>Shem</strong></em> was necessary, which in reality was not a thing, but the Word – Godʼs Name, written in the right way on a piece of parchment or paper, which had to be placed in golemʼs mouth. If it was removed, golem lost his life.]</p><p></p><p>The most famous golem narrative involves <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_Loew_ben_Bezalel" target="_blank">Judah Loew ben Bezalel</a>, the late 16th century rabbi of Prague, also known as the Maharal, who reportedly "created a golem out of clay from the banks of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vltava_River" target="_blank">Vltava River</a> and brought it to life through rituals and Hebrew incantations to defend the Prague <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghetto" target="_blank">ghetto</a> from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Semitic" target="_blank">anti-Semitic</a> attacks" and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogrom" target="_blank">pogroms</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-17" target="_blank">[17]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18" target="_blank">[18]</a> Depending on the version of the legend, the Jews in Prague were to be either expelled or killed under the rule of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" target="_blank">Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor</a>. The Golem was called Josef and was known as Yossele. It was said that he could make himself invisible and summon spirits from the dead.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18" target="_blank">[18]</a> Rabbi Loew deactivated the Golem on Friday evenings by removing the <em>shem</em> before the Sabbath (Saturday) began,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7" target="_blank">[7]</a> so as to let it rest on Sabbath.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7" target="_blank">[7]</a></p><p></p><p>One Friday evening, Rabbi Loew forgot to remove the <em>shem</em>, and feared that the Golem would desecrate the Sabbath.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7" target="_blank">[7]</a> A different story tells of a golem that fell in love, and when rejected, became the violent monster seen in most accounts. Some versions have the golem eventually going on a murderous rampage.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18" target="_blank">[18]</a> The rabbi then managed to pull the <em>shem</em> from his mouth and immobilize him<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7" target="_blank">[7]</a> in front of the synagogue, whereupon the golem fell in pieces.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7" target="_blank">[7]</a> The Golem's body was stored in the attic <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genizah" target="_blank">genizah</a></em> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_New_Synagogue" target="_blank">Old New Synagogue</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18" target="_blank">[18]</a> where it would be restored to life again if needed.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-Legend-19" target="_blank">[19]</a> Rabbi Loew then forbade anyone except his successors from going into the attic. Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, a successor of Rabbi Loew, reportedly wanted to go up the steps to the attic when he was Chief Rabbi of Prague to verify the tradition. Rabbi Landau fasted and immersed himself in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh" target="_blank">mikveh</a>, wrapped himself in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tefillin" target="_blank">phylacteries</a> and a prayer-shawl and started ascending the steps. At the top of the steps, he hesitated and then came immediately back down, trembling and frightened. He then re-enacted Rabbi Loew's original warning.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-20" target="_blank">[20]</a></p><p></p><p>According to legend, the body of Rabbi Loew's Golem still lies in the synagogue's attic.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7" target="_blank">[7]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18" target="_blank">[18]</a> When the attic was renovated in 1883, no evidence of the Golem was found.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-21" target="_blank">[21]</a> Some versions of the tale state that the Golem was stolen from the <em>genizah</em> and entombed in a graveyard in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDi%C5%BEkov" target="_blank">Prague's Žižkov district</a>, where the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDi%C5%BEkov_Television_Tower" target="_blank">Žižkov Television Tower</a> now stands. A recent legend tells of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi" target="_blank">Nazi</a> agent ascending to the synagogue attic, but he died instead under suspicious circumstances.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-22" target="_blank">[22]</a> The attic is not open to the general public.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-23" target="_blank">[23]</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nebulous, post: 8569074, member: 31465"] From the Wiki: [According to the Jewish tradition, golem was usually made of clay, moulded to roughly the human shape. To endow him with life, the so-called [I][B]Shem[/B][/I] was necessary, which in reality was not a thing, but the Word – Godʼs Name, written in the right way on a piece of parchment or paper, which had to be placed in golemʼs mouth. If it was removed, golem lost his life.] The most famous golem narrative involves [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_Loew_ben_Bezalel']Judah Loew ben Bezalel[/URL], the late 16th century rabbi of Prague, also known as the Maharal, who reportedly "created a golem out of clay from the banks of the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vltava_River']Vltava River[/URL] and brought it to life through rituals and Hebrew incantations to defend the Prague [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghetto']ghetto[/URL] from [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Semitic']anti-Semitic[/URL] attacks" and [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogrom']pogroms[/URL].[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-17'][17][/URL][URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18'][18][/URL] Depending on the version of the legend, the Jews in Prague were to be either expelled or killed under the rule of [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor']Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor[/URL]. The Golem was called Josef and was known as Yossele. It was said that he could make himself invisible and summon spirits from the dead.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18'][18][/URL] Rabbi Loew deactivated the Golem on Friday evenings by removing the [I]shem[/I] before the Sabbath (Saturday) began,[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7'][7][/URL] so as to let it rest on Sabbath.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7'][7][/URL] One Friday evening, Rabbi Loew forgot to remove the [I]shem[/I], and feared that the Golem would desecrate the Sabbath.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7'][7][/URL] A different story tells of a golem that fell in love, and when rejected, became the violent monster seen in most accounts. Some versions have the golem eventually going on a murderous rampage.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18'][18][/URL] The rabbi then managed to pull the [I]shem[/I] from his mouth and immobilize him[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7'][7][/URL] in front of the synagogue, whereupon the golem fell in pieces.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7'][7][/URL] The Golem's body was stored in the attic [I][URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genizah']genizah[/URL][/I] of the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_New_Synagogue']Old New Synagogue[/URL],[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18'][18][/URL] where it would be restored to life again if needed.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-Legend-19'][19][/URL] Rabbi Loew then forbade anyone except his successors from going into the attic. Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, a successor of Rabbi Loew, reportedly wanted to go up the steps to the attic when he was Chief Rabbi of Prague to verify the tradition. Rabbi Landau fasted and immersed himself in a [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh']mikveh[/URL], wrapped himself in [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tefillin']phylacteries[/URL] and a prayer-shawl and started ascending the steps. At the top of the steps, he hesitated and then came immediately back down, trembling and frightened. He then re-enacted Rabbi Loew's original warning.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-20'][20][/URL] According to legend, the body of Rabbi Loew's Golem still lies in the synagogue's attic.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-jewishencyclopedia-7'][7][/URL][URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-newlife-18'][18][/URL] When the attic was renovated in 1883, no evidence of the Golem was found.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-21'][21][/URL] Some versions of the tale state that the Golem was stolen from the [I]genizah[/I] and entombed in a graveyard in [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDi%C5%BEkov']Prague's Žižkov district[/URL], where the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDi%C5%BEkov_Television_Tower']Žižkov Television Tower[/URL] now stands. A recent legend tells of a [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi']Nazi[/URL] agent ascending to the synagogue attic, but he died instead under suspicious circumstances.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-22'][22][/URL] The attic is not open to the general public.[URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#cite_note-23'][23][/URL] [/QUOTE]
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