“See me now, old man? Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? I have powers at my disposal that you could never dream of!"

Rav Shmuel Abuchatzeira learned of the trouble caused by the sorcerer from his own personal experience. At one of the funerals in this community near Damascus, Rav Shmuel was part of the entourage leading the deceased.

Sure enough, like so many times before, the casket suddenly became unbearably heavy, and the mourners were forced to come to an abrupt halt.  They placed the casket on the floor and looked to the side of the road, sure that they would see the sorcerer silhouetted in the window, as they always did when they tried passing to get to the cemetery.

Indeed, as they looked toward the house, they could see the outline of the sorcerer in his room, gazing upon them with impure eyes and casting his spells upon them. Rav Shmuel was confused; what was occurring? When the Jews explained how the sorcerer was tormenting them, Rav Shmuel decided the time had come to put an end to this.

Rav Shmuel left the group and walked with his head held high toward the window where the sorcerer was casting his spells.

“O’ sorcerer, come out and stop hiding your face!” Rav Shmuel stopped just outside the window. “Why do you shy away and place yourself behind closed windows to practice your mischief? Who are you so afraid of, evil one? Come forth and show yourself so that I may see with my own eyes who is causing so much grief to my people!”

The window slid open and the sorcerer stuck his face all the way out.