How to Get Out of Prison: A Rediscovered Manuscript of Mafte’ah Shelomoh

In the last decade, there has been increased interest in "Solomonic Magic" among scholars. The term "Solomonic Magic" usually refers to practices that attributed to King Solomon, especially those that focuses on summoning spirits and demons. In this context, the common argument about texts of "Solomonic" character places Latin and Greek sources in the center, while avoiding the important research of Hebrew equivalents, despite the mix of Latin, Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Aramaic and Italian terms that incorporated into them.

I would like to present a rediscovered manuscript that plays a significant role in the development of Hebrew Solomonic texts, and demonstrate how careful study of translated works may actually help rephrasing the argument about those manuscripts, and raise questions concerning the potency of philological efforts of study that avoid translated works. More than that, I would like to present some Sabbateans` unique approach to such works, including Rabbi Nehemiah Hayyun and his disciple.

This proposal linked to the proposal of Yoel Peretz, who will discuss the folkloristic aspects of the same manuscript.