Golem making

According to Jewish legend, one may create an android-like creature by writing the correct series of Hebrew letters on parchment.   Such creatures are amazingly strong and tremendously stupid.  They are called Golems.

In the sixteenth century, Rabbi Loew, chief spiritual leader of Prague's Jewish community, created a Golem for the ghetto's protection.  I remember learning about it in Hebrew school.  The Golem stood eight feet tall.

The inscription on a Golem's forehead, was 'emes,' Hebrew for truth.  To disable a Golem, one simply removes this word's first letter.  This was done after Rabbi Loew's death, and the Golem was stored in the synagogue attic, where, I am told it remains to this day.