![]() ![]() When performed correctly, the curse was purported to inflict divine wrath on its victims within a year.Īfter Rabin’s assassination, Pulsa deNura quickly became a household phrase. #Whats the magic word manualsIt was Yom Kippur Eve-considered the holiest night of the entire Jewish year-and the rabbis, who had fasted for two days in preparation, stood in a circle around two Torah scrolls, blew a ram’s horn and then chanted: “On him, Yitzhak son of Rosa, known as Rabin…we have permission…to demand from the angels of destruction that they take a sword to this wicked man…to kill him…for handing over the Land of Israel to our enemies, the sons of Ishmael.” Known as the Pulsa deNura (“Lashes of Fire”), this ancient Aramaic ritual was first mentioned in the Talmud and then described in greater detail in ancient Hebrew manuals of magic. The rapidly spreading story held that 32 days before the assassination, on October 3, 1995, a small group of ten or so fringe national-religious activists, angry at Rabin’s intention to trade land for peace, had gathered outside the prime minister’s home in Jerusalem. ![]() (Flash90)Īt a time when the impossible had happened, this seemed plausible to many. Members of Gush Emunim, a right-wing group that supports Jewish settlements in the West Bank, perform a Pulsa deNura ritual against Yitzhak Rabin shortly before he was assassinated in 1995. I heard over and over that a magical curse had led to the assassination. Wild rumors soon emerged, with one in particular gaining traction. Black-and-white images of the slain prime minister replaced the celebratory banners, and a somber atmosphere prevailed. At the end of the speech, an Israeli man turned to me and told me that, for the first time, he believed Israel would know peace within his lifetime. Along with countless others, I watched the opening ceremonies outside the Knesset and listened, enthralled, as Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin told of leading the Israeli Army into the Old City of Jerusalem during the 1967 War and then spoke about how the real message of the last 3,000 years was the need for tolerance between religions and love between peoples. Bright banners emblazoned with “3000” hung from street lamps throughout the municipality and the mood was festive. It was the fall of 1995 and Jerusalem was beginning a 15-month celebration marking the 3,000 years since King David conquered the city and proclaimed it the capital of the Jewish people. The first time I came face-to-face with Jewish magic was when I moved to Israel in my early 20s. ![]()
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