Sanhedrin, fol. 65, col, 2.

Yannai once turned in to a certain inn, and asked for water to drink, when they gave him (Shethitha, i.e., water mixed with flour).  He noticed that the lips of the woman who brought it moved (and so suspecting that something was wrong), he poured out a little of it and it became scorpions.  He then said, “I have drunk of thine, now thou shalt drink of mine.”  The woman drank and was transformed into an ass, which he mounted and rode to the market-place.  One of her companions having come up, broke the spell, and the ass he had ridden was on the spot transformed back again into a woman.  In reference to the above, Rashi naively remarks that “we are not to suppose that Yannai was a Rabbi, for he was not held in esteem, because he practiced witchcraft.”  But Rashi is mistaken; see Sophrim, chap. 16, hal. 6.

Sanhedrin, fol. 67, col. 2.

Ten measures of witchcraft came into the world; Egypt received nine measures, and the rest of the world one.

Kiddushin, fol. 49, col. 2.

The Rabbis say that on the Sabbath serpents and scorpions may be tamed by charming; that a metal ring, such as may be carried on the Sabbath, may be applied as a remedy to a sore eye; but that demons may not be consulted on that day about lost property.  Rabbi Yossi has said, “This ought not to be done even on week-days.”  Rav Hunna says, “The Halachah does not enjoin as Rabbi Yossi says, and even he prohibits it only because of the risk there is in consulting demons.  For instance, Rav Yitzchak bar Yoseph was once desperately delivered from the attacks of a vicious demon by a cedar-tree opening of its own accord and enclosing him in its trunk.”

Sanhedrin, fol. 101, col. 1.

Rabbi Yochanan ben Zachai acquired a knowledge of the language of angels and demons for purposes of incantation.

Bava Bathira, fol. 134, col. 1.

“Neither shall ye use enchantments” ... (Lev. xix. 26).  Such, for instance, as those practiced with cats, fowls, and fishes.

Sanhedrin, fol. 66, col. 1.

Rav Ketina happened once, in his travels, to hear the noise of an earthquake just as he came opposite to the abode of one who was wont to conjure with human bones.  Happening to mutter aloud to himself as he passed, “Does the conjurer really know what that noise is?” a voice answered, “Ketina, Ketina, why shouldn’t I know?  When the Holy One—­blessed be He!—­thinks of His children who dwell in sorrowful circumstances among the nations of the earth, He lets fall two tears into the great sea, and His voice is heard from one end of the world to the other, and that is the rumbling noise we hear.”  Upon which Rav Ketina protested, “The conjurer is a liar, his words are not true; they might have been true, had there been two rumbling noises.”  The fact was, two such noises were heard, but Rav Ketina would not acknowledge it, lest, by so doing, he should increase the popularity of the conjurer.  Rav Ketina is of the opinion that the rumbling noise is caused by God clapping His hands together, as it is said (Ezek. xxi, 22; A.V., ver. 17), “I will also smite My hands together, and I will cause My fury to rest.”