The golem is a creature made from dirt, clay or dust which is invoked into life by mystical powers by holy persons. The myth of the golem is rooted in Jewish folklore and mysticism.
According to the Talmud the first golem was actually Adam. Made of clay, he was a golem until God breathed life into him.
A famous tale claims that rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel (c. 1520 –1609) around 1600 created a golem to protect the Jews of Prague from anti-Semitic attacks.
Although the tales of golems often describe the golem as being made to protect his creator, there are also stories where the golem becomes uncontrollable and dangerous. This mythology can found again in stories like Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein.
