Golem
The Maharal of Prague and the Golem | |
| Creature information | |
|---|---|
| Other name | Gōlem (גּוֹלֶם) |
| Grouping | Monster |
| Folklore | Jewish folklore |
| Origin | |
| First attested | Talmud |
| Country | Bohemia |
| Region | Prague |
| Habitat | Typically resides in attics or temples |
| Details | Protector of the Jewish community, created from clay or mud, animated through mystical rituals. |
A golem (/ˈɡoʊləm/ ⓘ GOH-ləm; Hebrew: גּוֹלֶם, romanized: gōlem) is an animated anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore that is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late-16th-century rabbi of Prague. According to Moment magazine, "the golem is a highly mutable metaphor with seemingly limitless symbolism. It can be a victim or villain, man or woman—or sometimes both. Over the centuries, it has been used to connote war, community, isolation, hope, and despair."
In modern popular culture, the word has become generalized, and any crude automaton devised by a sorcerer may be termed a "golem".