Obj. ID: 54182 Mazal Tov le-Nekevah, USA, circa 1910
sub-set tree:
The following description was prepared by William Gross:
From earliest times, man has tried to protect himself from misfortune by the use of objects that he considered holy or otherwise (e.g., magically) potent. Amulets and talismans are Items generally worn around the neck or wrist, carried in a pocket or purse or hung on a wall. They are meant to protect or aid those who carried or wore them. The Hebrew word for amulet, kame‘a, has the root meaning "to bind". Jewish amulets are usually comprised of texts (either letters or graphic symbols) that are inscribed on some sort of material; some may also contain plant matter or precious stones. The texts of amulets usually include holy names that are believed to have the ability to affect reality, along with incantations summoning angels or other magical powers. For the most part, an amulet has a specific purpose: to ease childbirth, facilitate recovery from illness, improve one’s livelihood, and so on, but in the modern world many are also made for general protection.
Printed amulets that could serve the purpose of hand-written talismans began to appear in the late 17th century, continuing into the 18th and 19th centuries. The few surviving examples from this period are of European origin.
This amulet is a part of a large group of printed birth amulets, usually for male and female children. They are of the simplest form with only the most basic amuletic formulas and are generally very small as well. The basic elements are Psalm 121, the naming of the patriarchs and matriarchs, and a few "names", all of which are invoked for protection against Lilith. They appear in this form in many different countries in Europe, North America, North Africa and the Middle East. This particular example for a male child apparently was printed in New York along with several other that are similar. All contain all the standard formulae on such amulets: Shir Hama'alot, patriarchs and matriarchs, the names of the 3 angels, and imprecations against Lilith the witch. The model for this amulet is from Lithuania.