Tuesday 15 January 2013

Rabbi Yosef Cohen Manuscript 9

My friend and collaborator Rabbi Yosef Cohen is back with a new translation of his private documents. This is Manuscript 9, a paper fragment in Hebrew and Aramaic on magical recipes and amulets, measuring 3.5 x 5.5 inches dated to the 19th century in Yemen.

Rabbi Cohen has only provided me with one reproduction, that of the verso:

 
Transcription:


Recto

 ] YH YHV YHV [
  ]HV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV[
  ] YHV YHVH YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV   [
] V YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV YHV I am  [   
 ] Write on the side                                                                                  [
] from all damagers (mazikin), she-demons (lilin), and spirits (rurchin) and demon(shaid)
and demons –not to him and I adjure[
]all mazikin in the name of גהוצראל ופוזיאל  [
]טריאל?? that they are appointed over all the heavenly   
legions. May it be the will before God of the heavens  [
]?? I decree before my God that I will judge(?)             [
]?? By the words of my God (and his) goodness and grace  [
]  אלישראל עקקיאל שופיאל ועננאל                                              [
]protect X son of X from evil spirits

Verso

 ]And will help her for healing[
אנסו כיר (= Amen Netzach Selah V’ed, so may it be his will) in the name of



Blessed is the guardian of Israel [



Commentary (R.Y.C.)
Recto: The long mantra like list of divine names is quite reminiscent to similar list found in the Hekhalot corpus of literature. Further investigation will be needed to determine any correlation.   

Note (M.V.)
As can be easily seen in the scan, the masnuscript is damaged and a part of the seals suffered from this. I have tried to do my best in preserving them as they are, not attempting to complete them.  

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