{"id":43502,"date":"2026-11-03T06:19:44","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T06:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=43502"},"modified":"2026-11-03T06:19:44","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T06:19:44","slug":"article-972-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=43502&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Almandal and Istanzil: names, traditions and the study of practical Kabbalah texts"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.es-site{--ink:#483320;--paper:#fbf8f2;--gold:#a78349;background:var(--paper);color:var(--ink);font:18px\/1.85 Arial,sans-serif;overflow-wrap:break-word}\n.es-site *{box-sizing:border-box}.es-site a{color:#6b5036;text-underline-offset:4px}.es-site h1,.es-site h2,.es-site h3{color:#483320;line-height:1.35;font-weight:600}.es-site h1{font-size:clamp(36px,5vw,64px);margin:12px 0}.es-site h2{font-size:clamp(28px,3vw,40px);margin:0 0 24px}.es-site h3{font-size:23px;margin:0 0 16px}.es-site p{margin:0 0 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20px;font-size:15px}.es-langs{justify-content:center;width:100%}.es-library{padding:26px}.es-site h1{font-size:36px}.es-lead{font-size:20px}}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"es-site\" lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"es-headrow\"><a class=\"es-brand\" href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/tiferet-malchut-shlomo-kabbalah-logo-v4.png\" alt=\"Rabbi Emanuel Shahar\" width=\"88\" height=\"88\"><strong>Rabbi Emanuel Shahar<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<nav class=\"es-langs\" aria-label=\"Language\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=22&#038;lang=he\" hreflang=\"he\" lang=\"he\">\u05e2\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05ea<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en\" hreflang=\"en\" lang=\"en\" aria-current=\"page\">English<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1053&#038;lang=fr\" hreflang=\"fr\" lang=\"fr\">Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><a 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href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#amulets\">Amulets<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#contact\">Contact the office<\/a><\/nav>\n<style>.es-site img{max-width:100%;height:auto}.es-site iframe{max-width:100%}.es-site .es-archive-body{max-width:1100px}.es-site .es-archive-body h1{font-size:clamp(28px,4vw,44px)}.es-site .es-archive-body table{max-width:100%;overflow-wrap:anywhere}<\/style>\n<p><main class=\"es-wrap es-archive-body\"><\/p>\n<h1>Almandal and Istanzil: names, traditions and the study of practical Kabbalah texts<\/h1>\n<style>.rabbi-video-article{direction:ltr;color:#483320;max-width:1000px;margin:auto;font-size:18px;line-height:1.95}.rabbi-video-article .video-lead{font-size:21px;line-height:1.8}.rabbi-video-article .video-byline{font-size:14px;color:#765f47}.rabbi-video-article .video-frame{max-width:400px;margin:26px auto 12px;aspect-ratio:9\/16;background:#201a15;border:1px solid #b7945c;border-radius:8px;overflow:hidden}.rabbi-video-article .video-frame iframe{display:block;width:100%;height:100%;border:0}.rabbi-video-article .video-caption{text-align:center;font-size:14px}.rabbi-video-article .video-office{background:#efe5d5;border:1px solid #cfba98;padding:24px;margin:34px 0}.rabbi-video-article .video-office a{display:inline-block;background:#483320!important;color:#fff9ef!important;padding:13px 22px;border-radius:4px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700}.rabbi-video-article .video-office a span{color:#fff9ef!important}.rabbi-video-article .video-sources{font-size:16px;border-top:1px solid #cfba98;padding-top:20px}.rabbi-video-article .video-related{padding:18px;background:#f1e8da}.rabbi-video-article p{margin:0 0 20px}@media(max-width:600px){.rabbi-video-article{font-size:17px}.rabbi-video-article .video-lead{font-size:19px}.rabbi-video-article .video-office{padding:18px}.rabbi-video-article .video-frame{max-width:100%}}<\/style>\n<article class=\"rabbi-video-article\">\n<p class=\"video-byline\">Tiferet Malchut Shlomo Institutions \u2022 An article accompanying the video <a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#about-rabbi\">Rabbi Emanuel Shahar<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"video-lead\">An introduction to Almandal and Istanzil and the questions raised by traditions about kings of demons. Rabbi Emanuel Shahar's video, careful reading of sources and a path to further study.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-frame\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/player\/v1\/7668328855492381959?autoplay=0&amp;rel=0&amp;description=0\" title=\"Almandal and Istanzil: names, traditions and the study of practical Kabbalah texts \u2014 Rabbi Emanuel Shahar\" allow=\"fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p class=\"video-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emanuelshahar\/video\/7668328855492381959\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch the original video on TikTok \u2190<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>A gateway to texts and terminology<\/h2>\n<p>Almandal and Istanzil are intriguing names found in discussions of practical traditions and contact with spiritual entities. In the video, Rabbi Emanuel Shahar addresses these terms and traditions about kings of demons. Serious study begins by asking in which particular source each name appears and what that source actually says.<\/p>\n<p>In manuscripts, spelling may change from one copy to another. A similar name does not prove the same ritual or tradition is involved. Nor does attribution to an ancient figure prove that they wrote the work. These are questions for study, comparison of versions and examination of the text's history.<\/p>\n<h2>Reading a traditional account in context<\/h2>\n<p>Texts on angels, demons and seals reflect their authors' and copyists' language and beliefs. They can teach us about concepts and ways of thinking without treating every description as a proven fact about reality.<\/p>\n<p>The video presents the Rabbi's words and traditional world. This accompanying article offers a reading framework: distinguish narrative, interpretation, practical instruction and personal testimony rather than joining them without explanation. Context matters especially when a short passage is taken from a longer work.<\/p>\n<h2>A path to deeper study<\/h2>\n<p>Record the work's name, page number and unclear words. The digital library of Tiferet Malchut Shlomo Institutions allows further searches for sources and manuscripts according to availability. Contacting the office can clarify the Rabbi's study topics and activities.<\/p>\n<p>This article is not a set of ritual instructions. Responsible study requires neither imitating filmed actions nor taking risks. The aim is to understand the material, its place in tradition and the limits of our knowledge about it.<\/p>\n<section class=\"video-office\">\n<h2>Contact the Kabbalist\u2019s office<\/h2>\n<p>For a personal conversation, information about the Rabbi's work or an individually written amulet, contact the office.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/972583328293\"><span>Contact the office \u2190<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><bdi>058-3328293<\/bdi><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<nav class=\"video-related\" aria-label=\"Further reading\"><strong>Further reading<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=20039&#038;lang=en\">An introduction to Almandal \u2190<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tmslib.com\/\">Kabbalists' library \u2190<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<footer class=\"es-footer\">\n<p>Rabbi Emanuel Shahar \u00b7 Tiferet Malchut Shlomo<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20352&#038;lang=en\">About the Rabbi<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=50002&#038;lang=en\">Terms of use<\/a><\/p>\n<nav class=\"es-langs\" aria-label=\"Language\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=22&#038;lang=he\" hreflang=\"he\" lang=\"he\">\u05e2\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05ea<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en\" hreflang=\"en\" lang=\"en\" aria-current=\"page\">English<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1053&#038;lang=fr\" hreflang=\"fr\" lang=\"fr\">Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1054&#038;lang=ar\" hreflang=\"ar\" lang=\"ar\">\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a\u0629<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20074&#038;lang=es\" hreflang=\"es\" lang=\"es\">Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20369&#038;lang=fa\" hreflang=\"fa\" lang=\"fa\">\u0641\u0627\u0631\u0633\u06cc<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20374&#038;lang=tr\" hreflang=\"tr\" lang=\"tr\">T\u00fcrk\u00e7e<\/a><\/nav>\n<\/footer>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An introduction to Almandal and Istanzil and the questions raised by traditions about kings of demons. Rabbi Emanuel Shahar's video, careful reading of sources and a path to further study.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[197,67,161],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-topic-26-en","category-articles","category-topic-23-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43502"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50377,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43502\/revisions\/50377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}