golem
Sign in to saveA golem ( ; ) 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."
AI overview
A golem is a creature from Jewish folklore made from lifeless materials like clay that comes to life, with the most famous version being one created by a 16th-century Prague rabbi. The golem has become an enduring metaphor in culture that can represent many different things—from hope to despair—making it a flexible symbol that writers and thinkers have used to explore themes like conflict, community, and human isolation.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Mythical creature.name
- Golem
- Mythical creature.image
- Golem_–_Mikoláš_Aleš_(Staré_pověsti_české).jpg
- Mythical creature.image_upright
- 1.2
- Mythical creature.caption
- The Maharal of Prague and the Golem
- Mythical creature.Grouping
- Monster
- Mythical creature.Folklore
- Jewish folklore
- Mythical creature.First_Attested
- Talmud
- Mythical creature.AKA
- Gōlem ()
- Mythical creature.Country
- Bohemia
- Mythical creature.Region
- Prague
- Mythical creature.Habitat
- Typically resides in attics or temples
- Mythical creature.Details
- Protector of the Jewish community, created from clay or mud, animated through mystical rituals.
Article
21 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- Earliest stories
- Golem of Chełm
- Classic narrative: The Golem of Prague
- Sources of the Prague narrative
- Golem of Vilna
- Theme of hubris
- Culture of the Czech Republic
- Clay Boy variation
- Golem in popular culture
- Film and television
- Literature
- Tabletop and video games
- Music
- Other
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
A golem ( ; ) 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".