On the Subject of Shedim
Part 1 of however many
Let’s talk Shedim (plural for Shed). Also spelled as Sheydim (Sheyd). These are the demons of Jewish folklore, found in the Torah, the Talmud and in later works and folk beliefs. We are going to spend a lot of time exploring the concept of Shedim as well as specific examples of various Shedim throughout history. What are they? What makes a Shed a Shed? What do they do? And where do they fit into the project of Jewish fantasy?
Let’s start with the Babylonian Talmud (a book of Jewish legal debates, written while in exile in Babylon). Babylonian culture was rife with demons of all sorts and many in those times believed they caused illness and death. The Babylonian Talmud includes a plethora of Shedim, including ones that dwell in shadows, under gutters, in bathrooms, and more. Some are named, some are not.
To quote the Talmud “The Sages taught: Six statements were said with regard to demons: In three ways they are like ministering angels, and in three ways they are like humans. The baraita specifies: In three ways they are like ministering angels: They have wings like ministering angels; and they fly from one end of the world to the other like ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like ministering angels.”
The passage goes on to explain that by seeing into the future, they mean getting glimpses not the whole picture of the future. And that Shedim eat and drink, reproduce like humans, and die.
Picture these mortal beings with extraordinary powers. In some ways like us but in others very different.
Another section of the Talmud explains that demons outnumber humans by the tens of thousands. And that they are invisible to most.
“In another baraita it was taught that Abba Binyamin says: If the eye was given permission to see, no creature would be able to withstand the abundance and ubiquity of the demons and continue to live unaffected by them.
Similarly, Abaye said: They are more numerous than we are and they stand over us like mounds of earth surrounding a pit.”
The overall impression I’ve gotten of Shedim is that they are dangerous like a wolf or tiger is dangerous, that some are righteous and some are wicked, and many more neutral.
Shedim can cause many things, blindness, madness, and disease. But Shedim are not inherently evil nor do they serve a force that opposes the Divine. Some Shedim are depicted as teachers, sages learned in holy texts who come to share their wisdom, others are shown to be servants, like the one who fetches water for Rav Papa (a tale for another time).
Some can be warded off by placing incantation bowls in the earth beneath liminal spaces of ones home.
Now from a creative prospective this gives us a lot to work with!
All Shedim are in some way or another dangerous, some possess supernatural abilities to inflict harm, while others rely on wit, or numbers. They are invisible to most people, unless they do something to make themselves visible. They appear as winged humans, capable of shapeshifting and have chicken feet which they retain even in different forms.
I think its interesting to look at the Shedim as morally gray. Though some sources say they are wicked. They are doing what they were made to do, when a Shed brings disease to a person who didn’t properly clean themselves, or preys on a traveler who risked the off beaten path then they are enforcing a type of order, or at the very least taking what is their due. There is the idea that they serve the Divine, they might see themselves as necessary and important in creation. Think of the self-righteous Shed declaring that so and so deserved what befell them. We can get the anti-hero Shed, the punisher type.
Using orange-blue morality to highlight them as alien beings could be another interesting angle. Imagine the Shed that, with not a hint of malice, steals away someone voice as they sleep. Does the hunter hate the deer? This Shed doesn’t understand why humans might object to the things they bring and do. Maybe they view their abilities as gifts? The gift of epilepsy, death, or madness.
Not all portrayals of Shedim need to highlight their dangerousness. There are depictions of righteous Shedim who serve as teachers or warn people about dangers (often dangers posed by other Shedim). Some are shown to be learned in Torah or possess secret mystical knowledge. Historically people have tried to summon Shedim to fast track their learning, or discover truths about the universe. Imagine a character going on a quest to discover a mystic truth, their journey culminates in summoning a Shed that whispers secrets of creation into their ear. Or perhaps our story follows a student as they struggle to keep up with rigorous schooling, relying on a friendly Shed to help them study.
My favorite depictions of Shedim comes from the Yemenite tradition, In Demons in the Yemenite Life Cycle: Folk Beliefs and Customs of Avoidance By Ya’acov Sarig.
The author tells about several Shedim Jews in Yemen were cautious of. Znichiye poses dangers to infants and their mothers, but after a proper rest period if the infant and mother where unharmed the mother would come out of her room with sprigs of rue to thank Znichiye for not causing any harm. Fear and respect, a cautious relationship. Furthermore, the unnamed Shedim of the night will keep your home safe if you let them have free range of the house, let them cook as they please, and don’t bother them. This sort of symbiotic relationship with Shedim leaves so much room for storytelling! What a roommate!
Many Shedim are depicted as having some sort of supernatural power, often related to something dangerous like disease or mental health issues, or even death. The famous Shed Lilit ( also spelled Lilith) and her offspring in particular are said to pose danger to newborns and their mothers. Able to inflict any sort of ailment that might imperil them. What kinds of powers would you want to give Shedim in your stories?
Some Shedim have domain over some thing or place. Ruhe the eyeless Shed hides in the shadow of caper bushes while Shabriri comes for anyone who drinks from uncovered water that’s been left out. What things or places will the Shedim in your worlds be in charge of? Is there a new Shed for the shadows cast by skyscrapers, or one that comes for those who text while driving? What is dangerous, what is unsanitary? Our ancestors used Shedim to explain the dangers of their time, what Shedim can explain the dangers of ours?
A few other neat little details about Shedim.
They are said to be fond of fruit jams (who isn’t?). Some sources indicate they dislike iron, salt, and strong-smelling plants like garlic. Interestingly they are indicated as being able to claim ownership over unclaimed things. Lost coins, things that are not tied down or clearly marked. (is that why one of my socks always goes missing???)
I’ve put Shedim into my tabletop roleplaying games Lucid: Sea of Dreams and Contractor: The Waking World. Lucid focuses on the dream world, the collective unconscious and individual dreams. Shedim in Lucid are largely mysterious, some like to appear to sleeping humans in their dreams to inflict nightmares, others try to kidnap humans by dragging them into the dream world. In the game the Shedim have been separated from our world and now inhabit the titular Sea of Dreams. This lets me have a world with Shedim that is not overrun with Shedim. A world where Shedim might cause some problems but not all of the problems. Leaves more room for human agency and makes room to explore how these Shedim might function in societies of their own.
In Contractor: The Waking World I expanded on Shedim a lot. Inspired by stories of people summoning Shedim to learn mystical secrets and by the Yemenite hints of a symbiotic relationships with Shedim, in Contractor the Contractors summon Shedim from the dream world, and form business and personal relationships with them. If Shedim in folklore like fruit jam, in Contractor the Shedim are paid in fruit jam for their labor. If the Shed from the Talmud Cordeyakos causes temporary madness to those who drink from winepresses in Contractor it can empower your body with beneficial madness, just drink up and embrace the power. Or bathroom Shedim that can give someone the shits, or transport via toilets.
Take Shedim to their logical or illogical conclusions.
Until next time,
Raphael
If you have any questions comments or concerns please feel free to reach out!