Metal Amulets

Amulets are an ancient device for protection against evil. In Judaism, they are inscribed with formulas derived from the ineffable names of God, angels and incantations written in full or in an abbreviated form.

The magical powers of the amulet lie in its inscribed invocations and the mysterious variants of the Hebrew name of God. Texts on metal amulets are very short, and the names have shortened versions consisting of various combinations. For example, the 42-letter Name is a magical name in the tradition of Practical Kabbalah and also an abbreviation of the prayer by Rabbi Nehunya ben HaKanah: "By the great power of thy right hand, set the captive free. Revered God, accept thy people's prayer; strengthen us, cleanse us. Almighty God... accept our prayer, hear our cry, thou who knowest secret thoughts".

The shapes of metal amulets vary, and sometimes they serve as decorative items or worn as jewelry, some examples influenced by the styles of the time, as in those from Muslim countries.