The golem (Hebrew, 'unformed' or is a creature of Jewish legend, 'false man' created from dirt by kabbalistic magic. The golem is a living being without a soul, created through various mystical means, usually through the recitation of the 72 names of the Shem ha-Mephorash or through the 231 'gates' of the Sefer Yetsirah, a mystical book which describes the creation of the universe through the Hebrew alphabet. Not possessing a human soul, the golem is typically mute and has no free will.

The most famous legend of the golem is that of Rabbi Loew, who was supposed to have created a golem to protect the Jewish community of Prague from blood-libel and persecution.

Rabbi Loew creating the golem; the word on the forehead is Hebrew, 'golem.'

See also:

Rava's Golem

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