Shedim
Spirits in Tanakh, not inherently evil, later equated with jinn.
Shedim (Hebrew: שֵׁדִים, romanized: šēḏim; singular: שֵׁד šēḏ) are spirits or demons in the Tanakh and Jewish mythology. They do not correspond exactly to the modern Christian conception of demons as evil entities; while evil spirits were thought to cause maladies, shedim differed conceptually, being regarded not as evil demigods but as the gods of foreigners, considered evil only in the sense that they were not the Hebrew god. They appear only twice in the Tanakh, at Psalm 106:37 and Deuteronomy 32:17, both in contexts of child or animal sacrifice.
- field
- Jewish mythology and demonology
- known_for
- Spirits or demons in the Tanakh; associated with sacrifices to foreign gods; later equated with jinn in Judeo-Islamic culture
- nationality
- Hebrew / Jewish
Lore & Background
According to one legend, the shedim are descendants of serpents or of demons in serpent form, alluding to the serpent in Eden. A second view holds they are offspring of Lilith from her union with Adam or other men. A third says God created them on the sixth day, starting to fashion their bodies but failing to complete the work because he was obliged to rest on the Sabbath; after the Sabbath, he left them as they were, so they have souls like humans but lack bodies. A fourth conception traces their origin to the builders of the Tower of Babel, divided into three groups, the worst of whom waged war against God and were transformed into shedim. The kabbalistic Zohar describes them as offspring of the demons Azazel and Naamah.
Reader's Guide
The shedim occupy a complex role in Jewish tradition, distinct from later Christian demonology. Biblically, they appear only twice, in contexts of forbidden sacrifices, and were understood as the gods of other nations rather than inherently evil entities. Rabbinic texts attribute to them traits of both angels (wings, flight, knowledge of the future) and humans (eating, drinking, human form). They can cause sickness and misfortune but are not always malicious; some, like Asmodeus, are said to live according to the Torah. Conjuring shedim is debated among theologians, with some viewing it as sorcery and others permitting consultation if done by a non-Jew. Their conceptual evolution—from foreign gods to morally ambivalent beings akin to jinn—reflects broader shifts in Jewish thought under Hellenistic and Islamic influences. The Talmud provides practical warnings against invoking them, such as not whistling or saying the word 'shedim', and advises against sealing windows completely to avoid trapping them indoors.
Did You Know?
- The word 'shedim' may be a loanword from Akkadian, where 'shedu' referred to a spirit that could be protective or malevolent.
- According to one legend, shedim were created on the sixth day but left incomplete because God rested on the Sabbath.
- Shedim can be seen by throwing ashes of the fetus of a black cat around one's eyes, or by scattering ashes to reveal their rooster-like footprints.
- In the Zohar, a she-devil (Shedah) is said to have been substituted for Esther before King Ahasuerus.
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