Amulets

1. Origin. The connexion with lahash, to mutter as a snake-charmer (Ps 58°), points to something that has had whispered or chanted over it words of power and protection. Cf. Heb. hartom, magician, and its connexion with heret, the graving-pen of the learned writer, and the Arab, 'talisman' similarly associated with the tailasan or long robe of the sacred dervish. The same idea of power through secret lore and sanctity is exemplified at the present day in Jerus., where crucifixes, pictures of the Virgin, and rosaries are laid on the pavement at the door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre so as to give them this holy value in the market. 2. Meaning. The central meaning of the a. is something that faith may clasp as a prophylactic against known and unknown dangers. It assumes a connexion between holiness and healing, between piety and prosperity, the first being appreciated lor the sake of the second. It is a testimony to the sense of sin, for it is only that which is want- ing in holiness that requires to be covered or pro- tected. Hence the Arab, proverb says, 'The eye of the sun needs no veil.' Its light is pure, and therefore no protection is required. The a. unites the protector and the protected ; w liat lays a duty on divine power lays on human weakness a corresponding devotion. Fulness of consecration makes fulness of claim. Hence to AMULETS AMULETS 89 the Oriental mind familiar with this amulet faith, the words seem very natural, 'lie strong' in the Lord, and in the I'ower of His nii^dit.' ' I'erfect love casteth out fear.' ' I can do all tliinf,'3 in Him that stren<;theneth me.' Thus the a. has a true word of jiower, for it teaches, 'When I am devoted, I am endued.' By a similar vehicle the apostle reaches the experience which siiys, 'When I am weak, then am I stronj;.' 3. Clussijiciitiun. This corresponds with the dan<;ers and the points of contact. There is an a. fur the heart (illust. 1) worn almost universally in the East. It is a locket susj)eniied over the breast, and consists sometimes of a .small metal case of With this may be classed the neck-amulet. See CinsCKNT. Similarly, there were a" for the nose and mouth fur the danf;ers by inhalation ; for the ear and the temptations of hearing; for the eye and what meets its vision (illu.st. 3, 7, 8). And so the veil for the head and face, and the slieet enveloping the whole li;,'ure of the tjriental woman, now the formalities of mo<lesty, were doubtless once full of superstitious meaninj;. See VEIL. Amulet articles aiming' the Jews are chiefly the friiijL'es of larf;e and small tallitli : the mezuza ; the paper with I's 121 and certain Abracadabra for- mulas which the Rabbi puts in the room where there is an infant less than eight days old ; and the \.ml:i.i.i.>. 1. The 'Shield of Dft\'ifl,'or 'Solomon's Seal,' a favourit? a. among the Jcwa, 2. Extract from .Towish Birth- A., which rives, under I's 121, the name.s of the Patriarchs and their wives, with a fonnnia at eat-h sitie furhidding tlie apprtiai-h of I.ililh or any wilrii. a. Hreast-a. {taitheh). 4. Eye-a., seen in tho hross tliimlik'-Iil(c ornament on the nose of the K^rvptian wiirii;iii. .^>, (1. Cartns, and hlaclt or red hund-a. 7, 8, A< for nose and cars, worn by Uedavvin women, along with necklace, l.r.utU-ts, and annlet- pold or silver, but more frci|. of a hcailshapcd shi'ath of cloth ornamcnlcil with a design in j^'old thread. This may contain for the Moslem a few woiils from the Ivoraii. called a /";/"/(, covering;, prolcctioM : and if for a Christian, a picture of the \ ir;,'in and Child, called a laubth, 'penitence.' phylacteries of the brow and arui. See I'livi.. ACTBUV. Amulets are also used for the luotectioii. not only of animals such as camels and horses, but (■\cii for newly-built bouses, such protection usually taliiiij; the form of a nni^'hlydr.iw n hiiiii.in h.'uid in black or red, or of a cactus plant or aloe hunj; 90 AMZI ANAMIM by the roots from the arch of the doonvay and kept alive by the moisture of the air (illust. 5 and Q) G. M. Mackie. &MZI (•VDK).— 1. A Merarite, 1 Ch 6**. 2. A puest in the second temple, Neh 11". See Gene- alogy.