A golem is a creature from Jewish myth. They are created by Jews, typically rabbis, to help the Jewish people by completing everyday tasks or chores for them. However, golems are unable to think for themselves and, if not given precise enough instructions, may end up causing mayhem. Because of this, in many golem myths, they start as friends and servants to the Jewish people and eventually turn against them and run amok.
Physically, a golem is a creature made of earth—mud, clay, dust. They are built and molded by their creator and brought to life by inserting a sacred scroll, or shem,l into its mouth (rendering the golem unable to speak). Traditionally, golems have Hebrew writing on their foreheads. The word אמת, the Hebrew word for “truth,” is written on its forehead; the only way to kill the golem is to remove the aleph (א), leaving only מת, the Hebrew word for “death.”
The myth of the golem dates back to Medieval times and was a way for Jewish mystics to connect with God. The most well known golem myth is from the 18th century, of the Golem of Prague and his creator, Rabbi Judah Loew. Rabbi Loew created his golem to do household chores and every Friday before the Sabbath, he would remove its shem, so the golem would not be violating Sabbath law. One week Rabbi Loew forgot to remove the shem and the golem went into a rage and started wreaking havoc. Since it was the Sabbath, the rabbi was not allowed to do any work, including stopping the golem. However, the golem made its way to Altneu-Synagoge, the oldest temple in Prague, and there Rabbi Loew was able to remove the shem, causing the golem to crumble into pieces. He was terrified that this would happen again, so he never reanimated the golem. According to legends, pieces of the golem can still be found in the attic of the synagogue.
Golems have become a figure in pop culture, particularly in different types of gaming. They have appeared in many types of media, both closely resembling the myths and loosely inspired by them. Typically, if the creature is not an actual Jewish golem (like in various film adaptations throughout the 20th and 21st century), the common thread is that a creature named golem is made of earth/stone and is a fighter/defender, like in Pokémon. In games like Dungeons and Dragons, golems are usually creatures made from some type of earth-based material, brought to life by magic, to defend the player; in Outriders, “golem” is a defensive spell that can be cast by the player which fortifies them against damage. Other times, like in Supernatural, the golem more closely resembles the myth in all ways except physical; the golem is a creature made by Jews by placing a scroll in his mouth, to protect them from outside threats; except that instead of being made of stone, it just resembles a large, strong man. In Marvel comics, golems have run the gambit. They have had characters who are actual golems, but they have also had characters, notably The Thing and The Hulk, who have been inspired by the myth.
The Pokémon “Golem”; Golem in Supernatural; The cover of Marvel’s Strange Tales #174, the first appearance of The Golem
