Eichah Rabbah (01:29). Within the days of distress
from the seventeenth of Tammuz to the ninth of Ab, during which Keteb meriri is
prevalent The demon Keteb stalks through the greater part of the midday period,
from the beginning of the sixth hour until the end of the ninth. R. Levi said:
It spoils the course of the day from the end of the fourth hour until the
beginning of the ninth; and it does not walk in the sun or shade but in the
shadow near the sun. R. Johanan said: It is all over full of eyes, scales, and
hair. R. Simeon b. Lakish said: It has one eye set over its heart and whoever
looks at it falls down dead. Once a pious man looked at it and fell dead upon
his face, and some say that it was R. Judah b. Rabbi. Samuel saw it but did not
fall; for he said, ‘It is the snake of the house.’
Pesachim (111b) Seeing a Keteb Meriri approaching him
on the left, he transferred R. Papa to his left and R. Huna son of R. Joshua to
his right. Said R. Papa to him: ‘Wherein am I different that you were not
afraid on my behalf?’ ‘The time is in your favour,’ replied he. From, the first of Tammuz until the
sixteenth they are certainly to be found; henceforth it is doubtful whether
they are about or not, and they are found in the shadow of hazabe which have
not grown a cubit, and in the morning and evening shadows when these are less
than a cubit [in length], but mainly in the shadow of a privy.
Pesachim (111b) Keteb Meriri: there are two Ketebs,
one before noon and one after noon; the one before noon is called Ketheb
Meriri, and looks like a ladle turning in the jug of kamka. That of the
afternoon is called Keteb Yashud Zaharaim [Destruction that wasteth at noonday];
it looks like a goat's horn, and wings compass it about.
Vayikra Rabbah (12:3) Our Rabbis explain that ‘keteb’
is a demon. And why was he called keteb’?’ R. Abba son of Kahana said: Because
he breaks into the daily studies from the beginning of four hours of the day to
the end of nine. R. Levi said: Because he robs pupils of their noonday lessons
from the end of four hours to the beginning of nine hours. He holds sway
neither in the shade nor in the sun but between the shade and the sun. His head
is like that of a calf and a horn grows out from the centre of his forehead,
and he rolls like a pitcher. R. Huna, in the name of R. Joseph, said: ‘Keteb
meriri’ is in form covered with scales, hairy all over, and full of eyes. And,
said R. Simeon b. Lakish, he has one eye set in his heart, and anyone who sees
him can never survive, whether it be man or beast. Anyone who sees him drops
down dead. ‘Meriri’ holds sway during the period between the seventeenth of
Tammuz and the ninth of Ab. Hezekiah saw him and dropped down on his face and
died. R. Phinehas the priest said: It is related that one saw him and was
stricken with epilepsy They reported that Judah b. R. Samuel saw him and did
not drop down. Nevertheless, it is reported that he died.
Bamidbar Rabbah (12:03) Our Rabbis explain that
‘keteb’ is a demon. And why was he called keteb’?’ R. Abba son of Kahana said:
Because he breaks into the daily studies from the beginning of four hours of
the day to the end of nine. Levi said: Because he robs pupils of their noonday
lessons from the end of four hours to the beginning of nine hours. He holds
sway neither in the shade nor in the sun but between the shade and the sun. His
head is like that of a calf and a horn grows out from the center of his
forehead, and he rolls like a pitcher. R. Huna, in the name of R. Joseph, said:
‘Keteb meriri’ is in form covered with scales, hairy all over, and full of
eyes. And, said R. Simeon b. Lakish, he has one eye set in his heart, and
anyone who sees him can never survive, whether it be man or beast. Anyone who
sees him drops down dead.
