Rabbi Loew’s Well-Deserved Bath
Article in the Exhibition Catalogue GOLEM
Harold Gabriel Weisz Carrington
Rabbi Loew´s heavy breathing came from the cellar. He was sweating profusely. Covered with shadows, his creation glowed like a million fireflies.
The penetrating eyes of the Golem convinced the Rabbi that his sacred effigy was endowed with intelligence.
Rabbi Loew´s head was full of fleeting Sephiroth. After rubbing his forehead, he decided to soak hands and limbs in his tub, after days upon nights of uninterrupted toil. His finished work, the Golem, was resting his enormous head between his hands. A growling sound came out of his half open lips. His chest heaved under his skin like a living volcano. The cat, which was resting nearby, hissed and was gone in an instant.
Rabbi Loew watched his hands. Luminous clay that he had used to rub over the Golem´s head to give the finishing touches was slow to dissolve in the warm water of his bath. He smiled with satisfaction.
The density of matter conjured to end all violence.
Leonora Carrington was a dedicated reader. Gershon Scholem’s Major Trends of Jewish Mysticism occupied an important place in her library. She had a close friend who was a specialist in Kabbalah and other mystical subjects. Each afternoon, they would sit with a cup of coffee, and discuss such figures as the Golem and the Dybbuk. Some of her drawings were inspired by both the Kabbalah and Hassidic stories.
El bañista (Rabbi Loew)
Leonora Carrington, Mexico, 2010
Bronze, 36 x 70 x 30 cm
Citation recommendation:
Harold Gabriel Weisz Carrington (2016), Rabbi Loew’s Well-Deserved Bath. Article in the Exhibition Catalogue GOLEM.
URL: www.jmberlin.de/en/node/4704
Online Edition of the GOLEM Catalog: Table of Contents
The Golem in Berlin: Introduction by Peter Schäfer
Chapter 1
- The Golem Lives On: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- My Light is Your Life: Text by Anna Dorothea Ludewig
- Avatars: Text by Louisa Hall
- The Secret of the Cyborgs: Text by Caspar Battegay
Chapter 2
- Jewish Mysticism: Introduction by Emily D. Bilski
- Golem Magic: Text by Martina Lüdicke
- Golem, Language, Dada: Text by Emily D. Bilski
Chapter 3
- Transformation: Introduction by Emily D. Bilski
- Jana Sterbak’s Golem: Objects as Sensations: Text by Rita Kersting
- Crisálidas (Chrysalises): Text by Jorge Gil
- Rituals: Text by Christopher Lyon
- A Golem that Ended Well: Text by Emily D. Bilski
- On the Golem: Text by David Musgrave
- Louise Fishman’s Paint Golem: Text by Emily D. Bilski
Chapter 4
- Legendary Prague: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- Golem Variations: Text by Peter Schäfer
- Current page: Rabbi Loew’s Well-Deserved Bath: Text by Harold Gabriel Weisz Carrington
Chapter 5
- Horror and Magic: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- Golem and a Little Girl: Text by Helene Wecker
- The Golem with a Group of Children Dancing: Text by Karin Harrasser
- Bringing the Film Set To Life: Text by Anna-Carolin Augustin
- Golem and Mirjam: Text by Cathy S. Gelbin
Chapter 6
- Out of Control: Introduction by Emily D. Bilski
- Golem—Man Awakened with Glowing Hammer: Text by Arno Pařík
- Dangerous Symbols: Text by Charlotta Kotik
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Text by Marc Estrin
Chapter 7
- Doppelgänger: Introduction by Martina Lüdicke
- From the Golem-Talmud: Text by Joshua Cohen
- Kitaj’s Art Golem: Text by Tracy Bartley
- The Golem as Techno-Imagination?: Text by Cosima Wagner
See also
- GOLEM: 2016, online edition with selected texts of the exhibition catalog
- GOLEM: 2016, complete printed edition of the exhibition catalog, in German
- Golem. From Mysticism to Minecraft: Online Feature, 2016
- GOLEM: Exhibition, 23 Sep 2016 to 29 Jan 2017