Gimel ג for Golem (גולם) from the series of scary stories: The Legend of the Golem

A clay monster of sturdy build, which cannot be hurt or killed. It doesn’t have a heart or a soul. According to legend, it helped the Jews in Prague when Emperor Rudolf II began their persecution.

Judah Loew ben Bezalel stood on the bank of the Vltava river and, in the company of his students, molded this monstrosity from clay. He inserted a piece of paper with the unpronounceable name of God into its mouth and wrote “emet” which means “truth” on its forehead.

Jehuda took it to the emperor. Known for his love of Kabbalah, the emperor succumbed to the power of persuasion, and the massacre ceased. For some time, the Golem served mankind. It carried, lifted, built, and helped.

However, the Golem grew too large and strong, threatening the people. Jehuda had no choice but to erase the first letter of the inscription on its forehead, forming the word “met,” which means “death.” The Golem crumbled to dust, and a small clay heart fell out of its insides.

• • Do you know any movies, books, and computer games that feature a Golem?
• • Do you know other mythical figures created by humans?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ג (Gimel) corresponds to the number 3.
Symbolic meaning: foot, pride, camel.