MSNBC can wax Christian over Harry Potter all it likes, but Rabbi Natan Slifkin contends that the magical creatures popping up all over the seven books have Jewish origins.
In his new book Sacred Monsters – a follow-up to his first book, Mysterious Creatures – Reb Slifkin mines the Mishnah and Midrash for references to a veritable zoo of mythical beasts, including mermaids, fire-breathing dragons, fire-proof salamanders, born-from-fire phoenixes, werewolves, giants, dwarves and a mouse that grows from dirt.
Sages from Rambam to Rashi weigh in about the existence of flying serpents, and if you’re the type to take the word of the ancient rabbis literally, this could cause a crisis of faith. But all the kids in my circle know Harry Potter a heckuva lot better than they know the Gemara, and after they’ve finished The DeathlyHallows, Sacred Monsters seems like a kosher way to prolong the magic. I can’t think of a better book to add to the required reading list at the Shalom School!
more wolves? … full moon is still 2 weeks away Professor Lupin … I mean “Yenta”
My wife has pictures of me, sans shirt, that prove at least one Jew might be a werewolf.
Johnny — With the singular exception of William Shatner, I think all us tribesmen are hirsute …
Check it out at Barnes & Noble
The ENCYCLOPEDIA of JEWISH MYTH, MAGIC, and MYSTICISM
by Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis
ISBN 978-0-7387-0905-5
$24.95 US
It seems that this type of thinking about the supernatural goes back a long way.
Over three hundred years ago King Louis XIV of France asked Blaise Pascal, the great French philosopher of his day, to give him proof of the existence of the supernatural. Without a moment’s hesitation, Pascal answered, “Why, the Jews, your Majesty-the Jews.”
Need I say more?!
pelinke — love that Pascal quote!
Good site you have here.. It’s difficult to find quality writing like yours these days.
I really appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!