Agrat bat Mahlat

What it is

Agrat bat Mahlat is a figure from Jewish mythology identified as a demon. Sources describe her as the mistress of sorceresses and a ruler of destructive spirits. She is frequently listed alongside Lilith, Naamah, and Mahlat as one of the four mates or wives of the demonic figure Samael. In some texts, she is also referred to as Eisheth Zenunim, an epithet meaning woman of whoredom, though this title is sometimes applied separately to Lilith. She is believed to command vast numbers of angels of destruction and is associated with harmful magic and nocturnal dangers.

Where it comes from

The name Agrat bat Mahlat appears in Aramaic incantation bowls, which are magical artifacts used for protection. These bowls, dated to the early medieval period, mention her alongside other demons like lilis and liliths. The Talmud contains stories about her interactions with sages, indicating her presence in rabbinic literature. Later Kabbalistic and Midrashic texts expanded her role, placing her within a complex hierarchy of demons and linking her to specific geographical kingdoms and celestial events.

How it is done

In Talmudic narratives, Agrat interacts directly with human sages. She is said to have offered danger to Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa and Abaye but was rebuked by them due to their spiritual standing. The sages decreed that she could not travel through inhabited places, limiting her activity to Tuesday and Friday nights. Incantation bowls were used to ward off her influence. Manuscripts from later periods contain invocations asking for power to be denied to her forces or binding her along with other demonic entities.

Tools and materials

Sources mention a chariot associated with Agrat bat Mahlat. An ineffable Name written on a weapon is cited in Midrash as a protection against her terror. Incantation bowls served as physical tools for invoking protection or identifying her among other spirits. Manuscripts contain written prayers and bindings intended to counter her influence or bind her retinue.

What it is for

Agrat is primarily associated with harm and destruction. She is believed to go out at night with 180,000 angels of destruction to endanger humans. Her presence is linked to the dangers of traveling alone at night. Sorceresses are said to receive magic secrets from her. Protective rituals and names are used by practitioners to guard against her malevolent powers and the spirits under her command.

Who does it

Scholars of Jewish mysticism and history study her role in texts like the Talmud, Zohar, and Kabbalah. Rabbinic sages such as Hanina ben Dosa and Abaye are depicted as confronting her. Incantation bowl makers and users sought protection from her. Later Kabbalists mapped her rule over specific regions and times, integrating her into a structured cosmology of evil spirits and demonic queens.

Peoples and places

Agrat bat Mahlat is a figure within Jewish tradition. She appears in Babylonian Talmudic stories, Aramaic incantation bowls found in the Middle East, and later European Kabbalistic writings.

What people believe

She is part of a worldview where demons have distinct hierarchies and domains. Agrat is the wife of Samael, the heavenly patron of Esau. She rules over specific times, such as the solstices and equinoxes, and specific nights. Her retinue includes Joseph the demon and other spirits. The belief holds that divine protection, through Torah study or sacred names, can limit her power and prevent her from harming the righteous.

When it is done

Agrat is specifically active on Tuesday nights and Shabbat (Friday) nights. Some sources say she rules during the four Tequfot, the seasons marked by the solstices and equinoxes. From sunset until midnight during these times, she and her hosts gather. The Talmud advises against going out alone during these specific nights due to her increased danger.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Researchers analyze Agrat in the context of ancient Near Eastern demonology and Jewish magical practices. The appearance of her name in incantation bowls provides evidence of folk magic practices. Talmudic scholars examine the literary motifs in her encounters with sages.

Compare and confuse

Agrat is often grouped with Lilith, Naamah, and Mahlat as the four wives of Samael. While Lilith is more widely known in popular culture, Agrat shares similar attributes as a demonic queen and mother of spirits. The term Eisheth Zenunim is sometimes used for her, though it is more commonly associated with Lilith. She is distinct from other female demons by her specific association with Samael and her rule over certain nights and seasons.

Questions people ask about Agrat bat Mahlat

Good reading and sources

• Agrat bat Mahlat on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data