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The Golem of Prague
A man of clay, animated by sacred words. Rabbi Loew created the Golem to protect Prague's Jews. When it grew too powerful, it was deactivated. It still lies in the attic of the Old New Synagogue.
16th Century
Prague, Czech Republic
100+ witnesses
The Golem of Prague is a legendary creature from Jewish folklore, created by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel to protect the Jewish community.
The Legend
According to documented folklore:
The Golem:
- Was created by Rabbi Loew
- Made of clay from the Vltava River
- Brought to life by sacred words
- Protected Prague’s Jews
- Was eventually deactivated
Creation
The Golem was made by:
- Shaping clay into human form
- Writing “emet” (truth) on forehead
- Or placing a shem (paper with God’s name) in mouth
- Performing sacred rituals
- It came to life
Purpose
Rabbi Loew created it to:
- Protect the Jewish ghetto
- Defend against pogroms
- Perform heavy labor
- Serve the community
- Combat blood libel accusations
The Problem
Eventually:
- The Golem grew too powerful
- It became violent or uncontrollable
- Rabbi Loew had to stop it
- He erased a letter (emet→met = death)
- The Golem became clay again
The Attic
Legend says:
- The Golem lies in the synagogue attic
- The Old New Synagogue in Prague
- The attic is sealed
- No one enters
- Waiting to be reactivated if needed
Cultural Impact
The Golem influenced:
- Frankenstein
- Robot fiction
- AI discussions
- Jewish cultural identity
- Fantasy literature