Demon (Dictionary Definition) מַזִּיק

מַזִּיק m. (נָזַק) one who does damage, destroys, wastes. Yoma 80ᵇ, sq. כי יאכל פרט למ׳ ‘if he eats’ (Lev. XXII, 14) which excludes him who wastes (by eating excessively).—In gen. (ה) מ׳ the offender that occasioned damage, opp. ניזק the injured claimant. B. Kam. I, 2; a. fr.—Pl. מַזִּיקִים, מַזִּיקִיו. Ib. III, 11, v. נָזַק.—Gen. R. s. 54 מַוִּיקֵי ביתו the annoyances of one’s house (flies &c.).—Esp. demons. Ber. 3ᵃ, sq. מפני המ׳ on account of the demons (dwelling in ruins). Num. R. s. 12, beg.; a. fr.

מַזִּיק, מַזִּיקָא ch. same , esp. demon. Targ. Cant. VIII, 3.—Kidd. 29ᵇ הוה ההוא מ׳ … דאביי there was a demon dwelling in Abbayi’s school house.—Pl. מַזִּיקַיָּא, מַזִּיקִין, מַזִּיקֵי. Targ. Job V, 7. Targ. Ps. LXXXIX, 33 (ed. Lag. מוז׳); a. e.—Ḥull. 105ᵇ משום דשכיחי מ׳ because demons frequent there; a. e.

–from the Jastrow Dictionary of the Talmud (online at Sefaria), described elsewhere as “the definitive choice for studying the Talmud, Midrashim and Targumim.”

About zjb

Zachary Braiterman is Professor of Religion in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University. His specialization is modern Jewish thought and philosophical aesthetics. http://religion.syr.edu
This entry was posted in uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply