Dybbuk

The Dybbuk is the main antagonist in the mainstream movie “Possession.”  The idea of Dybbuk penetrated the Judaism by means of mysticism that was practiced during the 8^th Century.  Jews has been prohibited to practice mysticism due to the belief that it could weaken their faith.  But on the 12^th Century the art of mysticism became a normal part of Kabbalah and in the 16^th Century, mysticism was finally accepted.

Dybbuk is a violent and restless creature that is believed to be one of the offspring of Lilith (a vampire creature) but others believed that Dybbuk was created due to a dark magic ritual.  On earlier times, dybbuk was believed to be an incarnation of demon, but recent times developed the dybbuk into the spirit of a person who was trying to escape the final judgment.  But its description remains the same, a goat like creature that is hairy and foul.

The dybbuk requires a host in order to maintain its existence.  It can be breathed by mixing itself with the smoke of the incense or consume by embedding itself in the food that we consume.  The dybbuk usually forces its entry in the human host in any way he can in order to survive.  Once it managed to possess the person it will start on feeding on the life force of the host.  The dybbuk is said to reside in one of the fingers or toes of a person.

A victim of a dybbuk tends to consume sweets like candies and chocolates.  The body of that person would then grow weary and eventually would start to contract diseases.  Their body would also move uncontrollably and the victim would occasionally vomit white substance.  The host would then lose the strength and the dybbuk would take over as the dominant force.  But the time of dybbuk inside a certain person’s body is only limited.  Eventually it would leave the person and find another suitable host.

The victim can be saved with the help of a rabbi.  They were known to perform complex ritual that can drive away the dybbuk.  There are also amulets that are made up of iron or wax that is proven effective to keep a dybbuk away.  Garlic and a red ribbon tied on the crib of a baby will keep the child from the harm of a dybbuk.

During the time that the dybbuk is not inside a person’s body, it is said to lurk inside the cave, abandoned building, whirlwind and dust storms.