“For a prayer in that place would be most welcome”: Jews, Holy Shrines, and Miracles—A New Approach

Abstract

This article discusses the effect the Christian propaganda in favor of pilgrimage to the shrines of healing saints had on inner-Jewish social phenomenon. It explores the ways Jews confronted this issue and shows how Jews devised methods of their own to balance this propaganda, either by directly confronting the message or by offering Jewish solutions—especially to those Jews seeking the aid and healing powers that were reported to have existed at the shrines of saints. The argument is based on a review of attitudes found in medieval Jewish sources towards the alleged powers of the Christian saints, the inner-Jewish discussion concerning the authenticity of the miracles reported to have taken place at the saint’s shrines. Finally, it describes what appears to be a “Jewish alternative” constructed in pious Jewish circles to balance and counter the common practice among Christian neighbors to seek the aid of the saints, especially when health matters were concerned.