Work Page
The Wisdom of the Chaldeans: An Old Hebrew Astrological Text
Editorial Summary
The Wisdom of the Chaldeans: An Old Hebrew Astrological Text (reprinted from the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, December 1900) is Moses Gaster's scholarly edition of an old Hebrew astrological manuscript, covering Jewish magic, Jewish angelology — the magical names and roles of archangels associated with the seven planets and days of the week — and Hellenistic-Jewish astrology.
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Why This Book Is in the Directory
“Jewish Angelology” is an explicit subject of the work itself — the magical names and roles of archangels tied to the seven planets and days of the week.
Historical Context
Reprinted from the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology in December 1900, The Wisdom of the Chaldeans reflects the growing late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century scholarly interest in Jewish magic, mysticism, and astrology as subjects worthy of serious academic study in their own right.
What the Author Presents
Gaster, a Sephardic Haham and folklorist, takes an academic, philological-critical approach, presenting and analyzing a manuscript he believed survived in the possession of Spanish kabbalists and rabbis and tracing its possible Chaldean origin.
Intended Reader
Best suited for readers interested in Jewish angelology, magic, and astrology as scholarly subjects, and in the history of archangel-naming traditions tied to planetary/weekday symbolism. Less suitable for a general-audience introduction to angels.
Strengths and Limitations
A well-documented scholarly work by an established historical figure, with at least one confirmed modern commercial reprint. Its inclusion in this directory rests on its explicit, direct treatment of Jewish angelology (archangel names and roles), not a secondary or incidental theme.
Edition Disclosure
This directory entry is anchored to Moses Gaster's 1900 scholarly edition (reprinted from the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, December 1900). The Amazon purchase link below leads to a modern paperback reprint (Holmes Publishing Group) under a modernized subtitle ("Ancient" rather than "Old" Hebrew), not an original 1900 physical copy. Its exact publication year is unknown.
Purchase
View a purchasable edition on AmazonBook Facts
| Author | Moses Gaster |
|---|---|
| Qualifying year | 1900 |
| Manifestation type | Offprint (learned-society journal) |
| Language | English |
| Modern Amazon availability | Verified — owner-confirmed |
| ASIN | 155818399X |