“Three Women Sitting on a Crag”: The Inner Worlds of an East European Folk Incantation

• In Event: Magic, Dreams, and Occultism in East European Jewish Culture

Abstract

“Sholesh noshim,” a magical incantation against the evil eye employed by East European Jews in both Hebrew and Yiddish versions, began with the eponymous phrase “Shalosh nashim yoshvot al shen sela” (Three women are sitting on a crag…). The Hebrew version includes several extended biblical citations, including the Song of the Well (Num. 21). This article investigates the deep background and inner textual logic of the incantation by exploring the biblical, rabbinic, and kabbalistic contexts of the passages quoted in the spell to gauge its history and roots. I also examine the medieval Christian roots of the “three maidens” trope central to the spell. My broader goal is to contribute to the integration of the study of Jewish magical practice into our existing understanding of East European Jewish culture to create a fuller picture of the life-world of Russian and Polish Jews.

Author

• Natan M. Meir, Portland State University