Abraham The Jew's Biography

Abraham The Jew (ca. 1362-ca. 1460)

biographical information is entitled The Book of the Sacred
Magic of Abra-Melin, as delivered by Abraham the Jew unto

Little biographical information exists concerning this
German Jew, who was an alchemist, magician, and philosopher,

his son Lamech. This title is rather misleading and not
strictly accurate, for Abra-Melin had absolutely no hand in

ca. 1400. What is known is mostly derived from a manuscript
in the Archives of the Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal, Paris, an

the opening part of the work, which consists of an account
of Abraham's own youth and early travels in search of

institution rich in occult documents. Written entirely in
French, the manuscript purports to be translated from the

wisdom, along with advice to the young man aspiring to
become skilled in occult arts. The second part, on the other

Hebrew, and the handwriting style indicates that the scribe
lived at the beginning of the eighteenth century or possibly

hand, is either based on the documents that Abra-Melin
handed to Abraham or on the confidences the Egyptian sage

somewhat earlier. A distinct illiteracy characterizes the
French script, with the punctuation being either inaccurate

disclosed to Abraham. This part of the manuscript deals with
the first principles of magic in general, and includes such

or conspicuously absent.

chapters as "How Many, and what are the Classes of Veritable
Magic? What we Ought to Take into Consideration before the

Undertaking of the Operation, Concerning the Convocation of
the Spirits," and "In what Manner we ought to Carry out the

a seer and magician, and the boy took up his occult studies
initially under parental guidance, then later under another

Operations."

teacher, Moses, whom Abraham describes as "indeed a good
man, but entirely ignorant of The True Mystery, and of The

The third and last part of the document is mostly derived
straight from Abra-Melin, and the author, ignoring

Veritable Magic."

theoretical matter as far as possible, gives information
about the actual practice of magic. In the first place he

Abraham thereafter decided to continue his education by
traveling. With his friend Samuel, a Bohemian by birth, he

tells how "To procure divers Visions, How one may retain the
Familiar Spirits, bound or free, in whatsoever form," and

wandered through Austria and Hungary into Greece, and next
into Constantinople (now Istanbul), where he remained two

how "To excite Tempests." In other chapters he discusses
raising the dead, transforming oneself into "divers shapes

and forms," flying in the air, demolishing buildings,
discovering thefts, and walking underwater. The author

Palestine and Egypt.

writes about the thaumaturgic healing of leprosy, dropsy,
paralysis, and various common ailments such as fever and

In Egypt he became acquainted with Abra-Melin, a famous
Egyptian philosopher, who entrusted certain documents to him

seasickness. He also offers advice on "How to be beloved by
a Woman" and how to command the favor of popes, emperors,

and confided to him a number of invaluable secrets. Abraham
then left Egypt for Europe, where he settled eventually at

and other influential people. He addresses the question of
summoning visions in "How to cause Armed Men to Appear," and

Wurzburg in Germany, became deeply involved in research on
alchemy. He married a woman who appears to have been his

he tells how to evoke "Comedies, Operas, and all kinds of
Music and Dances." Many of these feats are achieved by

cousin, and had three daughters and two sons, the elder
named Joseph and the younger, Lamech.

employing Kabalistic squares of letters. The manuscript
details many different signs of this sort.

He instructed both sons in occult affairs, while on each of

Abraham's personality and temperament as revealed in this

his three daughters, he settled a dowry of 100,000 golden
florins. This considerable sum, together with other vast

work indicate a man heaping scorn on most other magicians
and speaking with great derision of nearly all mystical

wealth, Abraham claimed to have earned by traveling as an
alchemist. He was well known and was summoned to perform

writings other than his own and those of his hero,
Abra-Melin. Abraham fiercely criticizes all those who recant

acts of magic before many rich and influential people,
notably Emperor Sigismund of Germany, the bishop of

the religion in which they were raised and contends that no
one guilty of this will ever attain skill in magic.

Wurzburg, King Henry VI of England, the duke of Bavaria, and
Pope John XXII. No details exist about the rest of Abraham's

Nevertheless, throughout the manuscripts, Abraham manifests
little selfishness and seems to have worked toward success

career, and the date of his death is uncertain, but it is
commonly supposed to have occurred about 1460.

in his craft with a view to using it for the benefit of
mankind in general. His writings also reflect a firm belief

The previously mentioned manuscript which yielded this

in a higher self existing in every man, and a keen desire to
develop it.