Mif‘alot Elohim (The Works of God)

Joel Ba‘al Shem Heilprin

16th Century

A baby that has fallen from a high place and become mute, his mother should take his hand and place it in her womb and afterwards thrust that hand into the mouth of the baby. After that, the woman herself should place her hand in her womb and then place it in the mouth of the baby. I received this from an expert who has tried this. However, it must be not with delay, only forthwith and immediately the woman should do the above. If his mother is unavailable, then another woman may do the same.

 

Translated by

J. H. 
Chajes

.

Credits

Joel Ba‘al Shem Heilprin, Mif‘alot Elohim (The Works of God) (Zolkiew, 1710). Republished as: Eliyahu Baʻal-Shem, mi-Vermaiza, and Yo’el Baʻal-Shem, mi-Zamoshtsh, Sefer Mifʻalot Elohim, ed. Moshe Hillel (Jerusalem: Mekhon Bene Yisakhar, 1994), p. 112.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.

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Creator Bio

Joel Ba‘al Shem Heilprin

1690–1757

Also known as Joel Ba‘al Shem Tov, Joel ben Uriah Ba‘al Shem Heilprin lived in Zamosńcń. Although he did not hold a rabbinic post, he was considered a scholar; he also possessed some knowledge of secular disciplines. His reputation spread throughout Poland and reached Germany and Palestine as well. Heilprin was later mentioned by Solomon Maimon, who tried to provide a rational explanation of Heilprin’s miraculous cures. He also wrote an approbation for Netsaḥ Yisrael by Israel Zamosńcń, a friend of his. He gave approval to various books of segulot (magical remedies) and was considered an authority in the field. He wrote two books, both of which offer magical solutions to a limited range of health problems. His Mifa‘lot Elohim (The Works of God), an alphabetic work consisting of 452 entries, tackles a broader range of issues and includes a range of amulets and magical formulas.

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