Lesson plan
Estries
Estries ( ) are vampires of Jewish folklore that were believed to prey on Jews, in particular babies. Estries were typically female. Estries first appear in the works of the Ashkenazi Hasidim, a medieval pietistic movement, particularly in Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg's Sefer Hasidim. The name was borrowed from Middle French and descends from the Latin word strix, a term for an owl also used for a kind of cannibalistic witch. An estrie, like other vampires, needs to feed on blood to survive and were more indiscriminate in their choice of victims. However, the prohibition on eating meat without the blood removed from it is the most basic rule of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), and thus their habits were doubly repulsive to Jews. In some accounts, estries were considered a kind of succubus: both were portrayed as beautiful, bloodthirsty female demons, with succubi thought to favour babies and young children as prey. Succubi were said to kill pregnant women and babies out of jealousy or spite, and to seduce or rape sleeping men. Estries and succubi were both said to be able to appear as humans or in spirit form at will, but Estries were also described as able to turn into birds or cats and various other animals.
Article summary
Estries ( ) are vampires of Jewish folklore that were believed to prey on Jews, in particular babies. Estries were typically female. Estries first appear in the works of the Ashkenazi Hasidim, a medieval pietistic movement, particularly in Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg's Sefer Hasidim. The name was borrowed from Middle French and descends from the Latin word strix, a term for an owl also used for a kind of cannibalistic witch. An estrie, like other vampires, needs to feed on blood to survive and were more indiscriminate in their choice of victims. However, the prohibition on eating meat without the blood removed from it is the most basic rule of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), and thus their habits were doubly repulsive to Jews. In some accounts, estries were considered a kind of succubus: both were portrayed as beautiful, bloodthirsty female demons, with succubi thought to favour babies and young children as prey. Succubi were said to kill pregnant women and babies out of jealousy or spite, and to seduce or rape sleeping men. Estries and succubi were both said to be able to appear as humans or in spirit form at will, but Estries were also described as able to turn into birds or cats and various other animals.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.