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The book of remedies Rafaʾel ha-Malʾakh appeared in Hebrew at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its author, rabbi Yehuda Yudl Rosenberg, a man shaped by traditional Judaism and Hasidism, set himself the goal of creating a practical medical guide addressed to the poorer sections of the Jewish population in Russian Poland. In his work he included a diverse body of material representing a number of often conflicting views on the human body. The aim of this article is to explore the main elements shaping the ideas contained in the guide, with particular emphasis on Rosenberg's traditionalist views, which is echoed in early-modern medical publications and in ethnographic collections from the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Alongside the pathology of the four humors, the most influential medical theory until the rise of modern medicine, Rosenberg's belief in the relationship between health and the spiritual life of man will be examined through an analysis of the advice provided in Rafaʾel ha-Malʾakh. Moreover, the article draws attention to Rosenberg's dialogue with modernity and seeks to answer the question whether this handbook advocated a modern approach towards the treatment of illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argument: Several Yiddish medical publications of various profiles appeared in independent Poland until 1939. These print media were associated with OZE and TOZ organizational structures and aimed to promote modern concepts of health and healthcare among the Jewish population in its native tongue. Some of these magazines offered space for direct consultations, which took the form of a correspondence corner. Questions sent in by readers ranged from apparently neutral topics, such as a healthy diet or hygiene, to controversial matters tormenting individuals in provincial milieus. The correspondence gives us an insight into popular ways of thinking about health and disease and indicates issues of high importance for a society in the process of modernization. The present paper discusses the questions and answers as they appeared in the Yiddish medical press (particularly in the Folksgezunt and Der Doktor), and presents the most crucial aspects of Jewish life they shed light on, including the historical and cultural background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses foreign magical incantations within the healing practices of the East-European Jewry. Indicating the importance of the category of "strangeness", it examines several magical texts, focusing on their adaptation and translation into Yiddish culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]