"The work represents an excellent critical introduction to the scholarly study of magical practices in general, from which anybody tackling the issue either anthropologically, historically, or philologically could benefit. Jewish Magic before the Rise of Kabbalah complements all the other case syntheses on individual Jewish magical texts and demonstrates the complexity of the field of study."—Miruna Belea, Reviews of Enoch Seminar (RES)

"What do we mean by 'Jewish magic'? In this wide-ranging and richly documented book, Yuval Harari captures generations of scholars wrestling with this question while offering some important observations himself on the power of language, the nature of magical texts, Jewish traditions of sorcery, and the shared 'magical culture' of the late antique Near East."—David Frankfurter, Boston University

"In its excellent account of the historical treatment of the subject and its persuasive apology for a family resemblance approach to defining and understanding the relationships between the categories of magic and religion, Harari's work is a significant contribution to the field and will be an important catalyst for many developments in the future."—Harriet Walker, Folklore

"The author brings to bear an impressively wide range of theoretical perspectives on the artifacts, words, and ceremonies of magic, and with these he builds up a picture of early Jewish magic as a culture that can be viewed from within (the surviving gems, adjuration bowls, spell skulls, magic recipes, etc.) and without (the contemporary accounts of magic by historians and theologians)."—Charles Burnett, Professor of the History of Arabic/Islamic Influence in Europe at the Warburg Institute at University of London

"Harari's book is a scholarly tour de force. It constitutes the most comprehensive and incisive presentation and analysis of a topic long ignored in studies of ancient and early medieval Judaism."—Moshe Idel, Professor Emeritus at Hebrew University

"This is a book that can serve as both an introduction to and a summary of a fascinating topic. It is highly recommended as a charming guidebook to the realm of magic."—Shaul Shaked, Schwarzmann University Professor Emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

"Harari's combination of textual skills and theoretical sophistication make this book an outstanding contribution to the study of early Jewish magic, ritual studies, and Greco-Roman culture. It includes a valuable discussion of theories and methods in the study of magic and the relevance of Jewish magic for the history of religions."—Michael Swartz, Professor of Hebrew and Religious Studies at the Ohio State University