Zazel
- Not to be confused with Azazel, the Hebrew fallen angel.
Zazel (Hebrew: זאזל, romanized: Zazl) is the name of the planetary spirit of Saturn.
He is a masculine spirit who rules over the first eight hours of the day Saturday. His stone is either sapphire or lapis lazuli.
Characteristics
As it says on the 10th Plate: "The First Pentacle of Mercury.--It serveth to invoke the Spirits who are under the Firmament."
Zazel is described as being one of the presiding spirits, either the forty-fifth or the forty-ninth (with Agiel) over the planet Saturn. It is has the status of an archangel or archdemon, depending on the specific tradition.
His enemies are Barzabel and Kedemel.
One encyclopedia of demons describes him as "the eternal rebel."
Physical description
He is described as having a middle stature with a pale complexion, small black eyes that look downward, a broad forward, black hair, thick lips, and a thin beard. His shoulders are large, but often crooked, with a sharp, lanky stomach. His feet and knees often knock against one another.
Abilities
Zazel can be invoked for any kind of ritual magic involving Saturn's energies. It is especially effective in connection with love spells.
He may be invoked for assistance with imagination, with arguing and disputing, and to obtain physical possessions.
Zazek rules over the Archangel of the Zodiac Gabriel (not to be confused with Archangel Gabriel. This same text also assigns them a geomantic sigil.
He is the protector of numerous professions, but only those which are carried out by men:
- Cemetery workers
- Miners, gardners, and anyone who digs in the earth
- Herders of sheep and cows
- Brickmakers
- Farmers
Health
Zazel has power to cause or alleviate several physical ailments, including:
- Problems in the right ear
- The teeth
- Melancholy
- Skin diseases
- Gout
- Hemorrhoids
Earthly spirit
Separately from its connection with Saturn, Zazel is considered a spirit of the earth by several authors. Theomagia by John Heydon (1663) describes Zazel as the ruler over elemental earth and co-ruling over elemental fire with Barzabel.
Due to Zazel's association with the earth, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa says he has power over all dead bodies, which become merely dust of the earth after life has been extinguished from them. He assigns the Bible verse Genesis 3:14 to Zazel:
"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life."
Popular culture
Zazel: The Scent of Love was the title of an American porn film released in 1997. The movie includes numerous sequences which reference religious themes, culminating in the final scene titled "Diablo d'Inferno" during which actress Anna Romero appears dressed as a "She-Devil" in a fetishistic red latex devil's costume. The film is notable for utilizing visually elaborate set pieces, extravagant costuming, and expensive filming techniques not normally seen in such erotic films. Zazel: The Scent of Love won seven awards at the 1998 AVN Awards.
Zazel was the stage name of English aerialist and actress Rossa Matilda Richter (7 April 1860 – 8 December 1937) who became known as the first human cannonball at the age of 17.
Zazel is the name of a character in the Yo-kai series of video games and anime cartoons.