molems

Molems, more commonly known as golems, are figures from Jewish folklore said to be animated from inanimate matter—traditionally clay or mud—through mystical rites. The Hebrew word golem means “shapeless mass,” and the English plural is golems; the spelling molem is not standard in English usage.

The best-known golem tale centers on the Golem of Prague, attributed to Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel in the late 16th century, created to protect the Jewish community from persecution. In many versions, activation requires a sacred inscription or a name of God—often placed on a parchment or on the golem itself—whose removal or alteration deactivates the figure.

Golems are typically depicted as obedient servants that lack independent will and moral judgment. They raise questions about creation, responsibility, and the limits of human power. Folklore emphasizes the dangers of overreaching, such as loss of autonomy or humanity in both creator and creation.

In culture, golems have influenced literature, theater, and film, from Meyrink’s The Golem (1915) to early 20th-century cinema. In modern times, the golem serves as a symbolic motif for artificial life and inquiries into technology, automation, and ethics. The term has also been adopted in contemporary contexts, including names of modern computing projects inspired by the myth.

See also: Golem; Automaton; Jewish folklore.