Contrary to popular opinion, Jews across history believed in demons. The Bible offers only fleeting glimpses of strange and shadowy beings—but by the time we reach the Talmud, the world is teeming with invisible entities. Some are helpful, others harmful, and many defy easy classification. This week, we’ll journey through ancient texts to uncover a world alive with magical creatures—far from the demons of horror movies, and far more fascinating. Texts will be provided in English and the original; no prior background with text or demons required.

Geo Poor is a doctoral student at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, where he is focusing on Kabbalah. He is the Director of Operations and Finance at the Vilna Shul in Boston. In his spare time, he creates daily(ish) memes about Talmud and Kabbalah on Instagram, bakes babka/challah of wacky and delicious flavors, and plays archery dodgeball.