Golem Of Prague Attic

In the old town area of prague in the heart of josefov the jewish quarter stands an unprepossessing building that hides within its walls a secret.

Golem of prague attic.

The golem was never revived and allegedly was later stored in the synagogue s attic which remained locked for centuries. When the attic was renovated in 1883 no evidence of the golem was found. Some versions of the tale state that the golem was stolen from the genizah and entombed in a graveyard in prague s žižkov district where the žižkov television tower now stands. To this day psalm 92 is recited twice during services in prague s most famous synagogue.

It is said that the body of golem created by rabbi judah loew ben bezalel lies in the attic where the genizah of prague s community is kept. Even if according to legend the body of rabbi loew s golem still lies in the synagogue s attic when the attic was renovated in 1883 no evidence of the golem was found. The legend adds a mythical layer to the already complex and awe inspiring synagogue. In the attic of the old new synagogue there is a genizah a room or depository in a synagogue or cemetery usually specifically for worn out hebrew language books and papers on religious topics that are to be stored before receiving a proper cemetery burial.

The golem of prague. According to legend the body of rabbi loew s golem still lies in the synagogue s attic. Rabbi judah loew ben bezalel the chief rabbi of prague in the late 16th century was said to have created a golem out of clay from the banks of the vltava river and brought it to life through rituals and hebrew incantations to defend the prague ghetto from anti semitic attacks. After the golem had put a stop to these harmful murderous rampages through the jewish neighborhoods the maharal deanimated him and locked his body in the attic of prague s old new synagogue.

A legend is told of a nazi agent during world war ii broaching the genizah but who perished instead. The most popular story seems to be that once he was for all intents and purposes deactivated by rabbi loew the golem was brought to the attic of the old new synagogue it was new at the time now it s old and he still lives there.