Solomon's shamir

Last updated
Solomon's shamir, according to Eberhard Werner Happel, 1707 Solomon's shamir.png
Solomon's shamir, according to Eberhard Werner Happel, 1707

In the Gemara, the shamir (Hebrew : שָׁמִיר‎šāmīr) is a worm or a substance that had the power to cut through or disintegrate stone, iron and diamond. King Solomon is said to have used it in the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem in place of cutting tools. For the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, which promoted peace, it was inappropriate to use tools that could also cause war and bloodshed. [2]

Contents

Referenced throughout the Talmud and midrashim, the Shamir was reputed to have existed in the time of Moses as one of the ten wonders created on the eve of the first Shabbat just before God finished creation. [lower-alpha 1] Moses reputedly used the Shamir to engrave the stones of the priestly breastplate of the High Priest of Israel. [4]

The Temple

King Solomon, aware of the existence of the Shamir but unaware of its location, commissioned a search that turned up a "grain of Shamir the size of a barleycorn." Solomon's artisans reputedly used the Shamir in the construction of the Temple. The material to be worked, whether stone, wood or metal, was affected by being "shown to the Shamir." Following this line of logic (anything that can be 'shown' something must have eyes to see), early Rabbinical scholars described the Shamir almost as a living being. Other early sources, however, describe it as a green stone. This is supported by contemporary scholars who believe that the Shamir was emery, a blue-green stone mined as an abrasive powder for thousands of years. The word emery comes from Koinē Greek : σμύρις, romanized: smúris, which likely shares the same root as the Semitic shamir. [5]

For storage, the Shamir was meant to have been always wrapped in wool and stored in a container made of lead; any other vessel would burst and disintegrate under the Shamir's gaze. The Shamir was said to have been either lost or had lost its potency (along with the "dripping of the honeycomb") by the time of the destruction of the First Temple during the 587 BCE Siege of Jerusalem. [6]

Asmodeus

According to the Asmodeus legend from the Talmud (Tractate Gittin 68a-b), the location of the Shamir was told to King Solomon by Asmodeus, who Solomon captured. Asmodeus was captured by Benaiah ben Jehoiada, [4] who captured the demon king by pouring wine into Asmodeus' well, making him drunk, and wrapping him in chains that were engraved with a sacred name of God. Once captured, Asmodeus is brought to Solomon in Jerusalem, where Asmodeus informs Solomon that the Shamir was not given to him, but to Rahab, the angel of the sea. [7] [8] The angel of the sea had then given the Shamir to a bird, identified by the Talmud as the Hoopoe (Hebrew דּוּכִיפַת), who had been using the Shamir to split rocks to build its nests. The Shamir is then retrieved by placing glass over the Hoopoe's nest, forcing the bird to use the Shamir to break through the glass. [9]

Gemstones

King Solomon also used the Shamir to engrave gemstones. He also used the blood of the Shamir worm to make carved jewels with a mystical seal or design. According to an interview with George Frederick Kunz, an expert in gemstone and jewelry lore, this led to the belief that gemstones so engraved would have magical virtues, and they often also ended up with their own powers or guardian angel associated with either the gem or the precisely engraved gemstones. [10]

In Islam

The Quran mentions a creature thought to be the Shamir, [11] when pointing out the ignorance of the jinn who worked for Solomon concerning the occult, and emphasizing that all knowledge rests only with God:

And when We decreed death for him, nothing showed his death to them save a creeping creature of the earth which gnawed away his staff. And when he fell, the jinn saw clearly how, if they had known the Unseen, they would not have continued in despised toil.Saba' 34:14 [12]

According to commentators such as ibn Abbas, when Solomon died his body remained leaning on his staff for a long time, nearly a year, until "a creature of the earth, which was a kind of worm," gnawed through the stick weakening it and the body fell to the ground. [13] It was then that the jinn knew that he had died a long time before and until then they were working hard thinking he was supervising them. It also became clear to humans who divined and engaged in occult activities or spirit-consulting, or worshipped the jinn, that they do not possess knowledge of the occult. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solomon</span> Biblical monarch of ancient Israel

Solomon, also called Jedidiah, was a monarch of ancient Israel and the son and successor of King David, according to the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. He is described as having been the penultimate ruler of an amalgamated Israel and Judah. The hypothesized dates of Solomon's reign are from 970 to 931 BCE. According to the Bible, after his death, his son and successor Rehoboam adopted a harsh policy towards the northern tribes, eventually leading to the splitting of the Israelites between the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Following the split, the biblical narrative depicts his patrilineal descendants ruling over Judah alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talmud</span> Central text of Rabbinic Judaism

The Talmud is, after the Hebrew Bible, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewish cultural life and was foundational to "all Jewish thought and aspirations", serving also as "the guide for the daily life" of Jews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metatron</span> Angel in Jewish and Islamic mythology

Metatron, or Matatron, is an angel in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Metatron is mentioned three times in the Talmud, in a few brief passages in the Aggadah, the Targum, and in mystical Kabbalistic texts within Rabbinic literature. The figure forms one of the traces for the presence of dualist proclivities in the otherwise monotheistic visions of both the Tanakh and later Christian doctrine. In Rabbinic literature, he is sometimes portrayed as serving as the celestial scribe. The name Metatron is not mentioned in the Torah or the Bible, and how the name originated is a matter of debate. In Islamic tradition, he is also known as Mīṭaṭrūn, the angel of the veil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asmodeus</span> King of demons from the Book of Tobit

Asmodeus or Ashmedai is a king of demons in the legends of Solomon and the constructing of Solomon's Temple.

<i>Shedim</i> Intermediary beings in Jewish lore

Shedim are spirits or demons in the Tanakh and Jewish mythology. Shedim do not, however, correspond exactly to the modern conception of demons as evil entities as originated in Christianity. While evil spirits were thought to be the cause of maladies, shedim differed conceptually from evil spirits. Shedim were not considered as evil demigods, but the gods of foreigners, and were envisaged as evil only in the sense that they were not God.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy of Holies</span> Inner sanctuary of the Jewish Tabernacle

The Holy of Holies is a term in the Hebrew Bible that refers to the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle, where the Shekhinah appeared. According to Hebrew tradition, the area was defined by four pillars that held up the veil of the covering, under which the Ark of the Covenant was held above the floor. According to the Hebrew Bible, the Ark contained the Ten Commandments, which were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The first Temple in Jerusalem, called Solomon's Temple, was said to have been built by King Solomon to keep the Ark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodashim</span> Fifth of the six orders, or major divisions, of the Mishnah, Tosefta and the Talmud

Kodashim is the fifth of the six orders, or major divisions, of the Mishnah, Tosefta and the Talmud, and deals largely with the services within the Temple in Jerusalem, its maintenance and design, the korbanot, or sacrificial offerings that were offered there, and other subjects related to these topics, as well as, notably, the topic of kosher slaughter.

The Testament of Solomon is a pseudepigraphical composite text ascribed to King Solomon but not regarded as canonical scripture by Jews or Christian groups. It was written in the Greek language, based on precedents dating back to the early 1st millennium CE, but was likely not completed in any meaningful textual sense until sometime in the Middle Ages. In its most noteworthy recensions, the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ring that was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seal of Solomon</span> Signet ring attributed to the Israelite king Solomon

The Seal of Solomon or Ring of Solomon is the legendary signet ring attributed to the Israelite king Solomon in medieval mystical traditions, from which it developed in parallel within Jewish mysticism, Islamic mysticism and Western occultism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priestly breastplate</span> Jewish ritual object worn by the High Priest

The priestly breastplate or breastpiece of judgment was a sacred breastplate worn by the High Priest of the Israelites, according to the Book of Exodus. In the biblical account, the breastplate is termed the breastplate of judgment, because the Urim and Thummim were placed upon it. These elements of the breastplate are said in the Exodus verse to carry the judgment of God concerning the Israelites at all times.

<i>Bava Batra</i> Tractate of the Talmud and the Mishnah

Bava Batra is the third of the three Talmudic tractates in the Talmud in the order Nezikin; it deals with a person's responsibilities and rights as the owner of property. It is part of Judaism's oral law. Originally it, together with Bava Kamma and Bava Metzia, formed a single tractate called Nezikin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yitro</span> Seventeenth portion in the annual Jewish cycle of weekly Torah reading

Yitro, Yithro, Yisroi, Yisrau, or Yisro is the seventeenth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fifth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah tells of Jethro's organizational counsel to Moses and God's revelation of the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terumah (parashah)</span> Nineteenth portion in the annual Jewish cycle of weekly Torah reading

Terumah, Terumoh, Terimuh, or Trumah is the nineteenth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book of Exodus. The parashah tells of God's instructions to make the Tabernacle and its furnishings. The parashah constitutes Exodus 25:1–27:19. It is made up of 4,692 Hebrew letters, 1,145 Hebrew words, 96 verses, and 155 lines in a Torah Scroll. Jews in the Diaspora read it the nineteenth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in February and rarely in early March.

Tetzaveh, Tetsaveh, T'tzaveh, or T'tzavveh is the 20th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah reports God's commands to bring olive oil for the lamp, make sacred garments for the priests, conduct an ordination ceremony, and make an incense altar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metzora (parashah)</span> 28th weekly portion in the Jewish cycle of Torah reading

Metzora, Metzorah, M'tzora, Mezora, Metsora, M'tsora, Metsoro, Meṣora, or Maṣoro is the 28th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fifth in the Book of Leviticus. The parashah deals with ritual impurity. It addresses cleansing from skin disease, houses with an eruptive plague, male genital discharges, and menstruation. The parashah constitutes Leviticus 14:1–15:33. The parashah is made up of 4,697 Hebrew letters, 1,274 Hebrew words, 90 verses, and 159 lines in a Torah Scroll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emor</span> 31st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading

Emor is the 31st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the Book of Leviticus. The parashah describes purity rules for priests, recounts the holy days, describes the preparations for the lights and bread in the sanctuary, and tells the story of a blasphemer and his punishment. The parashah constitutes Leviticus 21:1–24:23. It has the most verses of any of the weekly Torah portions in the Book of Leviticus, and is made up of 6,106 Hebrew letters, 1,614 Hebrew words, 124 verses and 215 lines in a Torah Scroll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korach (parashah)</span> Portion of the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading

Korach or Korah is the 38th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fifth in the Book of Numbers. It tells of Korach's failed attempt to overthrow Moses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chukat</span> Hebrew for "decree"

Chukat, HuQath, Hukath, or Chukkas is the 39th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the Book of Numbers. The parashah sets out the laws of corpse contamination and purification with the water of lustration prepared with the Red Cow. It also reports the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, the failure of Moses at the Waters of Meribah, and the conquest of Arad, the Amorites, and Bashan. The parashah comprises Numbers 19:1–22:1. The parashah is the shortest weekly Torah portion in the Book of Numbers, and is made up of 4,670 Hebrew letters, 1,245 Hebrew words, 87 verses, and 159 lines in a Torah Scroll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shabbat (Talmud)</span> Talmudic tractate about the Jewish Sabbath

Shabbat is the first tractate of Seder Moed of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. The tractate deals with the laws and practices regarding observing the Jewish Sabbath. The tractate focuses primarily on the categories and types of activities prohibited on the Sabbath according to interpretations of many verses in the Torah, notably Exodus 20:9–10 and Deut. 5:13–14.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Judaism:

References

  1. ↑ Relationes curiosæ, oder Denckwürdigkeiten der Welt, vol 4, p. 45
  2. ↑ Hersh Goldwurm (1990). Talmud Bavli: the Gemara: the classic Vilna edition Volume 3, Part 6, Book 2. The Gemara returns to the story of how Solomon acquired the shamir... [Solomon's servants] searched until they found the nest of a wild cock that had young,[...]
  3. ↑ "Pirkei Avot 5:6". www.sefaria.org.
  4. 1 2 Ausubel, Nathan (1948). A Treasury of Jewish Folklore. Crown Publishers. pp. 449, 594. ISBN   0-517-50293-3.
  5. ↑ "shamir, shumar and emery". Balashon Hebrew Language Detective. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  6. ↑ PD-icon.svg W. B. L. B. (1901–1906). "Shamir". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia . Vol. S. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  7. ↑ Shamah, Rabbi Moshe (2009). "Cutting Stones for the Temple, the Rambam and the Shamir" (PDF). SEPHARDIC INSTITUTE. p. 3. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  8. ↑ Louis Ginzberg (2007). The Legends of the Jews: Volume 4. p. 77. Asmodeus told Solomon that the Shamir was given by God to the Angel of the Sea, and that Angel entrusted none with the Shamir except the moor-hen, which had taken an oath to oversee the Shamir.
  9. ↑ "Gittin 68a:8". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  10. ↑ “Gardens in Midair.” The Washington Post. August 4, 1895, page 20.
  11. ↑ "SHAMIR - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  12. ↑ Quran   34:14
  13. 1 2 Ibn Kathir. "The Death of Sulayman". QTafsir.com. Archived from the original on 2019-02-13. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  14. ↑ "The Worm Shamir"

Notes

  1. ↑ Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight, and these are they: [1] the mouth of the earth, [2] the mouth of the well, [3] the mouth of the donkey, [4] the rainbow, [5] the manna, [6] the staff [of Moses], [7] the shamir, [8] the letters, [9] the writing, [10] and the tablets. And some say: also the demons, the grave of Moses, and the ram of Abraham, our father. And some say: and also tongs, made with tongs. [3]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.