INTRODUCTION
This sheet will translate a Birth Amulet used by some Jews, especially in the Chabad-Lubavitch community. Throughout Jewish history, there have been many versions of this amulet, often featuring many of the same basic elements. The version produced here represents the one which is likely the most widely used today.
First, the image of the amulet is reproduced within an artistic design.
Second, each component of the amulet is translated.
Third, where a Biblical source is used, the verse is linked here. Similarly, relevant rabbinic texts are linked here as well.
Fourth, additional historical designs are reproduced.
PREAMBLE
ללידה קלה
ולהגנה על היולדת והיילוד
ב"ה
למזל טוב
בשם יי אלהי ישראל גדול ונורא
For an Easy Birth
And for the Protection of the Mother and Newborn
B"H (Blessed is the Name) (Baruch Hashem)
For Good Fortune (L'Mazal Tov)
In the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel, the Great and Awesome
SHIR LAMAALOT (A SONG FOR ASCENTS)
(א) שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃ (ב) עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ג) אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם שֹׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ (ד) הִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ה) יְהֹוָ֥ה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהֹוָ֥ה צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ (ו) יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃ (ז) יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמׇרְךָ֥ מִכׇּל־רָ֑ע יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ח) יְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמׇר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ {פ}
(1) A song for ascents.
I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? (2) My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth. (3) He will not let your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber; (4) See, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps! (5) The LORD is your guardian, the LORD is your protection at your right hand. (6) By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night. (7) The LORD will guard you from all harm; He will guard your life. (8) The LORD will guard your going and coming now and forever.
THE BIRTH AMULET
The birth amulet contains the following elements:
- A 3-word prayer (Shadai Destroy Satan)
- A magical combination of the 3-word verse concerning sorcery (Exodus 22:17)
- A magic box which provides protection for four Biblical couples, with Lilith placed outside of the box
- A call invoking the protection of three angels
- Three verses from Psalm 91 written out as a magical acronym
ELEMENT #1
The first element in the amulet is a a 3-word prayer: Shadai Destroy Satan.
The second and third words in the command (קרע שטן) are also an acronym for part of the Ana B'koach prayer. Other amulet versions contain the full set of the Ana B'koach acronyms (see below).
The complete inscription set is the following:
אבג יתץ קרע שטן נגד יכש בטר צתג חקב טנע יגל פזק שקו צית
שדי קרע שטן
Shadai Destroy Satan!
(א) אָנָּא בְּכחַ גְּדֻלַּת יְמִינְךָ. תַּתִּיר צְרוּרָה:קַבֵּל רִנַּת עַמְּךָ. שגְּבֵנוּ טַהֲרֵנוּ נורָא:נָא גִבּור. דּורְשי יִחוּדְךָ. כְּבָבַת שמְרֵם:בָּרְכֵם טַהֲרֵם. רַחֲמֵי צִדְקָתְךָ. תָּמִיד גָּמְלֵם:חֲסִין קָדוש. בְּרוב טוּבְךָ. נַהֵל עֲדָתֶךָ:יָחִיד גֵּאֶה. לְעַמְּךָ פְּנֵה. זוכְרֵי קְדֻשּתֶךָ:שוְעָתֵנוּ קַבֵּל. וּשמַע צַעֲקָתֵנוּ. יודֵעַ תַּעֲלֻמות:
We beg you! With the strength of Your right hand’s greatness, untie our bundled sins.
Accept the prayer of Your nation; strengthen and purify us, O Awesome One.
Please, O Strong One – those who foster your Oneness, guard them like the pupil of an eye.
Bless them, purify them, show them pity, may Your righteousness always recompense them.Powerful Holy One, with Your abundant goodness guide Your congregation.
One and only Exalted One, turn to Your nation which proclaims Your holiness. Accept our entreaty and hear our cry, O Knower of mysteries.
ELEMENT #2
This selection of Adam, Eve, and the Hebrew Patriarchs and Matriarchs is a common inclusion in various birth amulets, however, in some versions, only Adam and Eve are listed, while others add additional biblical characters (e.g., Moses, David). See additional images below.
| אדם || וחוה |
| אברהם || ושרה |
| יצחק || ורבקה |
| יעקב || ולאה |
| פנימה |
| Adam || and Eve |
| Abraham || and Sarah |
| Isaac || and Rebekah |
| Jacob || and Leah |
| Within! |
ELEMENT #3
In this section, the three words of Exodus 22:17 (cited below), which prescribes death to practitioners of sorcery, is written out in all possible combinations.
(יז) מְכַשֵּׁפָ֖ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּֽה׃
(17) You shall not tolerate a sorceress.
מכשפה לא תחיה
תחיה מכשפה לא
לא תחיה מכשפה
תחיה לא מכשפה
מכשפה תחיה לא
לא מכשפה תחיה
Sorceress-Won't-Live
Live-Sorceress-Won't
Won't-Live-Sorceres
Live-Won't-Sorceress
Sorceress-Live-Won't
Won't-Sorceress-Live
ELEMENT #4
The three protective angels are perhaps the most common and consistent feature to all birth amulets. Note, in seems that in all other versions of the amulet the angel names are spelled somewhat differently (סנוי וסנסנוי וסמנגלוף) (see further in the Midrash of Ben Sira). In some amulets, extra angel names are listed (e.g., Shamriel, Chasriel). See additional images below.
סיני וסנסני וסמנגלף
Senoy, and Sansenoy, and Semangeloph!
ELEMENT #5
A command (seemingly directed at the angles) to ward off Lilith and her minions is very common to birth amulets but will be written out in various forms in different amulet versions (e.g., חוץ לילית or חוץ לילית וכת דילה).
לילית וכת דילה חוץ
Lilith and Her Sect Without!
Acccording to some sources, the need for birth amulets (with the three angels listed) is connected to an alternate retelling of the Creation story featuring Adam and Lilith, as retold by Louis Ginzberg in Legends of the Jews (1909/1913). Ginzberg's source is the Midrash known as a The Aleph Bet of ben Sira (see further below).
(43) The Divine resolution to bestow a companion on Adam met the wishes of man, who had been overcome by a feeling of isolation when the animals came to him in pairs to be named. To banish his loneliness, Lilith was first given to Adam as wife. Like him she had been created out of the dust of the ground. But she remained with him only a short time, because she insisted upon enjoying full equality with her husband. She derived her rights from their identical origin. With the help of the Ineffable Name, which she pronounced, Lilith flew away from Adam, and vanished in the air. Adam complained before God that the wife He had given him had deserted him, and God sent forth three angels to capture her. They found her in the Red Sea, and they sought to make her go back with the threat that, unless she went, she would lose a hundred of her demon children daily by death. But Lilith preferred this punishment to living with Adam. She takes her revenge by injuring babes--baby boys during the first night of their life, while baby girls are exposed to her wicked designs until they are twenty days old. The only way to ward off the evil is to attach an amulet bearing the names of her three angel captors to the children, for such had been the agreement between them.
In this Midrash, Ben Sira is said to use an amulet to heal Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar demands to know the origin of the amulet, to which Ben Sira replies with the Adam/Lilith creation story.
ה׳) א״ל המלאכים הממונים לרפואה סנוי סנסנוי סמנגלוף (11). כשברא הקב״ה אדם הראשון יחיד, אמר לא טוב היות האדם לבדו, ברא לו אשה מן האדמה כמוהו וקראה לילית, מיד התחילו מתגרין זה בזה, אמרה היא איני שוכבת למטה, והוא אומר איני שוכב למטה אלא למעלה שאת ראויה למטה ואני למעלה, אמרה לו שנינו שוין לפי ששנינו מאדמה, ולא היו שומעין זה לזה, כיון שראתה לילית אמרה שם המפורש ופרחה באויר העולם, עמד אדם בתפלה לפני קונו ואמר, רבש״ע אשה שנתת לי ברחה ממני, מיד שגר הקב״ה שלשה מלאכים הללו אחריה להחזירה, אמר לו הקב״ה אם תרצה לחזור מוטב, ואם לאו תקבל על עצמה שימותו מבניה בכל יום מאה בנים, עזבו אותה והלכו אחריה והשיגוה בתוך הים במים עזים שעתידין המצריים לטבוע בו וספרוה דבר ה' ולא רצתה לחזור, אמרו לה אנו נטביעך בים, אמרה להם הניחוני שלא נבראתי אלא להחליש התינוקות כשהן משמונה ימים מיום שיולד אשלוט בו אם הוא זכר, ואם נקבה מיום ילדותה עד עשרים יום. וכששמעו דבריה הפצירו לקחתה, נשבעת להם בשם אל חי וקיים שכל זמן שאני רואה אתכם או שמכם או תבניתכם בקמיע לא אשלוט באותו התינוק, וקבלה על עצמה שימותו מבניה מאה בכל יום, לפיכך בכל יום מתים מאה מן השדים, ולכך אנו כותבים שמותם בקמיע של נערים קטנים ורואה אותם וזוכרת השבועה ומתרפא הילד.
The Lilith story is also reproduced in the Zohar together with a reference to two of the verses from Psalm 91 which are featured in the amulet (see below). Here is a partial selection from the Zohar which mentions Lilith and the three angels.
(ח) וְאִלֵּין בְּנִין דְּאוֹלִידַת מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא, מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין לָקֳבְלֵי נוּקְבֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וּמִתְעַבְּרָן מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאוֹלִידָן רוּחִין, וְכֻלְּהוּ אַזְלִין לְלִילִית קַדְמִיתָא, וְהִיא מְגַדֶּלֶת לוֹן. וְהִיא נַפְקַת לְעָלְמָא, וּבַעְיָא
(א) רַבְיָיהָא, וְחָמַת רַבְיֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְאִתְדַּבְּקַת בְּהוּ, לְקָטְלָא לְהוּ, וּלְאִשְׁתְּאֲבָא בְּרוּחַיְיהוּ דְּרַבְיֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא וְהִיא אַזְלַת בְּהַהוּא רוּחָא (נ''א רביא), וְאִזְדַמְּנָן תַּמָּן ג' רוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין, וְטָאסִין קַמָּהּ, וְנַטְלִין הַהוּא רוּחָא (נ''א רביא) מִנָּהּ, וּמַנִיחִין לֵיהּ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְתַמָּן מִתְגַּלְּפֵי (ס''א מתאלפי) קַמֵּיהּ.
(ב) בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ אוֹרַיְיתָא אַזְהֲרַת לְהוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים וַדַּאי. אִי אִשְׁתְּכַח בַּר נָשׁ קַדִּישָׁא, לָא מִסְתָּפֵי מִינָּהּ, דִּכְדֵין זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִלֵּין ג' מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין דְּאַמָרָן, וְנַטְרִין לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא רַבְיָיא, וְהִיא לָא יַכְלָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים צ״א:י׳) לֹא תְאוּנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה וְנֶגַע לֹא יִקְרַב בְּאָהֳלֶךָ. מַאי טַעֲמָא לֹא תְאוּנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה. בְּגִין כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוְּה לָּךְ, וּכְתִיב (תהלים צ) כִּי בִי חָשַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵהוּ.
ELEMENT #6
The amulet concludes with three verses from Psalm 91 (verses 5, 11, 10) but are written out as an abbreviation, meaning, the verses are written in a more mysterious form.
ל.ת.מ.ל.מ.י.י.
כ.מ.י.ל.ל.ב.ד.
ל.ת.א.ר.ו.ל.י.ב.
L-T-M-L-M-Y-Y
K-M-Y-L-L-B-D
L-T-A-R-V-L-Y-B
(ה) לֹֽא־תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃
(5) You need not fear the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day.
[Lo Tira Mipachad Layla Mechetz Ya'uf Yomam]
(יא) כִּ֣י מַ֭לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ לִ֝שְׁמׇרְךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃
(11) For He will order His angels to guard you wherever you go.
[Ki Malachav Yetzaveh Lecha Lishmarcha Bechol Derachecha]
(י) לֹא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה וְ֝נֶ֗גַע לֹא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאׇהֳלֶֽךָ׃
(10) No harm will befall you, and no disease shall touch your tent.
[Lo Teune Ailecha Ra'ah Venega Lo Yikrav Bi'ahalecha]
ADDITIONAL IMAGES
It is clear that there was no uniform way to produce a Jewish birth amulet as historical designs widely. Some contain far fewer elements than our contemporary version while others use far more elements and designs.
Below are various images listed on the National Library of Israel website.
The following amulet was featured at the Kedem Auction House and listed as originating from Eastern Europe (19th Century). Note, this version contains nearly all of the same elements as the Chabad version.
This image is a notable birth amulet as published in the book Sefer Raziel Hamalach, (Amsterdam, 1701). This amulet (among others) appears to feature illustrations of the three angels both in an abstract form and as bird-like creatures. The amulet also contains the names of numerous angels.
Another amulet from Sefer Raziel Hamalach presents a Star of David inside of a circle.
In the 1875 version of Sefer Raziel Hamalach, the circle amulet contains a set of triangles in place of the Star of David. The wording is otherwise nearly identical.
This amulet was reportedly made around 1700 in Amsterdam by a German convert to Judaism named Avraham Ben Yaakov. This amulet is unusual as it features an illustration of Adam and Eve (perhaps reflecting the background of the artist).
