Golemu (The Golem)

Golemu (Golem)

Golemu ni kiumbe wa kianthropomofiki kilichopewa uhai katika hadithi za Kiyahudi kilichoumbwa hasa kutokana na mata isiyo na uhai, kama vile udongo au vipande vya maiti kama dubwana la Frankensteini. Golemu wa kwanza aliumbwa na rabi Mcheki huko Praga ili kulinda gheto yake kutoka mashambulizi na vujo ya wasiopendelea Wasemiti. Chini ya uongozi wa Rudolfu wa Pili, Milki Takatifu ya Roma, wakati Wayahudi waliuawa au walifukuzwa kutoka Praga. Hivyo, rabi alimpa uhai golemu kwa kutumia matambiko ya Kiebrania na matabano. Golemu aligeuka na kuwa mwenye nguvu kali huku akiwaua wasio Wayahudi na kueneza hofu. Mfalme mkuu aliahidi kukomesha mateso ya Wayahudi, hivyo rabi akamtolea uhai golemu kwa kufuta herufi mbili za kwanza ya “undead” kwenye paji la uso na kuwacha neno “dead”. Golemu alihifadhiwa darini mwa Sinagogi Mpya ya Kale ambayo angerudishwa uhai tena kama kungehitajika.

A golem is an animated anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, created entirely from inanimate matter, such as clay or severed pieces of corpses like Frankenstein’s monster. The first golem was created by a Czech rabbi in Prague in order to defend his ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks and riots. Under the rule of Rudolph II, the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, Jews were killed or expelled from Prague. So, the rabbi brought the golem to life through Hebrew rituals and incantations. The golem turned terribly violent, killing gentiles and spreading fear. The Emperor promised to stop the persecution of the Jews, so the rabbi deactivated the golem by rubbing out the first two letters of “undead” on its forehead, leaving the word “dead”. The golem was stored in the attic of the Old New Synagogue where it would be restored to life again if ever needed.