Satan in Goray - Isaac Bashevis Singer [26]
know cabala truly, those who under-stand its allusions and mysteries, have searched his amulets closely and have found that he makes use of the names of demons and demonesses, of hobgoblins and brazen hounds (God help and shield us!). And not only have his amulets been of no avail, they have instead brought innocent children, that had not before tasted of sin, as well as pure-hearted men, to die from extraordinary causes, after lingering illnesses. The hair of my flesh doth stand up, for the devils take dominion over those who make use of them, wreaking their vengeance on them both in this world and in the world-to-come. For they attach themselves to the soul and do it all manner of filth. The rabbis, God- fearing and perfect souls, have often warned Itche Mates to cease his practices--for one must warn the culprit before punishing him. But he mocks in his heart the utterances of the righteous. He howls like a hound with his mouth, and finds a hundred and fifty arguments with which to declare the unclean clean; but in secret he clings to Satan and to Lilith, and offers up sacrifices to them. To demons he doth sacrifice, not to the living God. His pocket is full of forged letters from the greatest men of the generation, and his lips drip with deceit. With a tongue of blandishment he doth speak, and the poison is under his gums. To make matters worse, this false prophet is forever sunk in melancholy, whose root is lust, as has been clearly demonstrated by our sages. In every town he comes to he speaks upon the heart of some woman to join him in the bond of matrimony, but his purpose is to make her unclean and to give her a bad name. For after the marriage his wives all move away from him, because of his ugly ways; from too much magic working, he has himself been caught in the web, and no longer has the strength to act the man's part; he shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand.... Nevertheless, he will not divorce them, and lets them sit alone, grass widows, the tears on their cheeks, their bitter cries splitting heaven, with no recourse. Woe to him, and woe to his soul, that shall weep in secret: Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan. "And now I beg Your Honor, regard not the vessel but that which is in it, and let this wicked man not strike root in your holy congregation, whose name is as ointment poured forth, henna and spikenard. Incline not your ear to his allusions and falsehoods. Tear him out by the roots. Beat him, break his head, make him a disgrace and a mockery, and so shalt thou put away the evil from thy midst, as was done with the help of God in other holy congregations. For from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in him, but wounds and bruises and festering sores. Tear the veil from his face, to sanctify the name of Him who is on high, and to give the wicked the reward for his wickedness. Let the blood that he has shed fall on his own head. Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Drive him off in shame, as have done all the other great men in their towns, and uncover his nakedness for all to see, that he may know that there is a judge and justice in the world, and that Israel is no widower. For the waters are come in even unto the soul, and there is no longer the strength to suffer these hypocrites and prophesyers, who would tear down the branch of Judah--that is, the disciples of the wise--and do away with them utterly. This sheet is too short, and not all things can be said. Give to the wise man and he will be yet wiser, understanding one thing from another. And God shall stand at our side and cleanse the world from the scum of the serpent and the poison of the basilisk. With this I put an end to words and conclude with a broken and a contrite heart, and with faltering knees. "--From me, who am the smallest of men, the tail of the fox, the threshold to be trodden by the wise. A worm am I, and no man, one to be mocked and despised by all: Jacob, the son of the holy Rabbi Nachum (blessed be the memory of the righteous!),