Pulsa diNura

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Pulsa diNura is a phrase from Aramaic meaning “the lash of fire.” It’s described as an old Kabbalistic ritual in which destroying angels are asked to block heavenly forgiveness and unleash biblical curses on a person, supposedly leading to their death.

The idea is highly controversial and many scholars question its existence as a genuine Jewish practice. Some say it originated in the mid-20th century and not in traditional Judaism. Dov Schwartz of Bar-Ilan University and the Haredi figure Moshe Yehuda Blau argued in Mishpacha that the ritual has no real basis in traditional Jewish sources, and that its modern form comes from older Hebrew magical manuals rather than Kabbalah.

Pulsā (plural pulsē) comes from a Latin word meaning a blow, and Nurā means fire. The exact phrase appears in classical rabbinic stories, but not as a mystical curse. Some later writers and Kabbalah followers used the idea to describe cursing a sinner, but the modern Pulsa diNura is not clearly grounded in traditional texts.

Historically, accusations that Jews used this curse against prominent figures have circulated in Israeli media, but proof is sparse. Early rumors claimed cursing Ben Yehuda in the early 20th century, though there’s no solid evidence before 1948. Over the years there have been unverified reports involving archaeologists and authors, and before Rabin’s assassination there were allegations of a Pulsa diNura against him. In 1995, Avigdor Eskin claimed to have recited such a curse against Rabin, with a Safed ceremony said to precede the assassination by Yigal Amir.

Other notable mentions include a 2005 claim that opponents of Israel’s Gaza disengagement invoked Pulsa diNura against Ariel Sharon, and a 2006 report that the Edah HaChareidis considered cursing Pride Parade organizers in Jerusalem. In 2021, a member of the Health Ministry’s vaccine panel reportedly received death threats including Pulsa diNura, and there were reports that Naftali Bennett had been told Pulsa diNura had been invoked against him in 2013. In 2022, Ukrainian oligarch Hennadiy Korban said he performed Pulsa diNura against Vladimir Putin.

Overall, Pulsa diNura remains a controversial and debated topic, widely seen by scholars as folklore or sensationalized rhetoric rather than a proven, traditional practice.