Trance possession disorder ion Judaism: Sixteenth-century dybbuks in the Near East

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Abstract

This article describes constructions of dybbuk, the Jewish variant of spirit possession, and its roots in sixteenth-century Kabbalist thought. Based on the analysis of documented early cases, this paper examines the possession idioms from psychological and socio-cultural perspectives by describing two case reports herein conceptualized as trance possesison disorders. A comparison with the phenomenology of Dissociative Identity Disorder shows a striking resemblance between the syndromes. This culture-bound condition is discussed both in terms of its intra-psychic dynamics and its societal functions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)131-146
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Trauma and Dissociation
Volume5
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2004

Keywords

  • Dissociative trance
  • Dybbuk
  • Judaism
  • Trance possession disorder

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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