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Dazzling Blue: Color Symbolism, Kabbalistic Myth, and the Evil Eye in Judaism

Dazzling Blue: Color Symbolism, Kabbalistic Myth, and the Evil Eye in Judaism The color blue is thought to protect against the evil eye in Mediterranean cultures. This article unfolds the yet-unstudied role played by kabbalistic theology, symbolism, and myth in the construction of the color blue as a protective color for Jews. It traces particularly the development of a medieval kabbalistic myth of a dazzling blue garment of the feminine aspect of the godhead, protecting her from contact with evil forces. The article shows how this myth became the foundation for various practices against the evil eye among Jews in the modern period and contextualizes this myth within theories about the evil eye. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Numen Brill

Dazzling Blue: Color Symbolism, Kabbalistic Myth, and the Evil Eye in Judaism

Numen , Volume 64 (2-3): 26 – Mar 8, 2017

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References (70)

Publisher
Brill
Copyright
Copyright © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0029-5973
eISSN
1568-5276
DOI
10.1163/15685276-12341459
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The color blue is thought to protect against the evil eye in Mediterranean cultures. This article unfolds the yet-unstudied role played by kabbalistic theology, symbolism, and myth in the construction of the color blue as a protective color for Jews. It traces particularly the development of a medieval kabbalistic myth of a dazzling blue garment of the feminine aspect of the godhead, protecting her from contact with evil forces. The article shows how this myth became the foundation for various practices against the evil eye among Jews in the modern period and contextualizes this myth within theories about the evil eye.

Journal

NumenBrill

Published: Mar 8, 2017

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