
Agrat bat Mahalat
The Dancing Roof Demon; Mistress of Sorceresses
Also known as: Igrat bat Mahalat; Ograt bat Mahalat; Agrath bat Mahalath
Agrat bat Mahalat (Hebrew for “Agrat daughter of Mahalat”) is a queen of demons. She commands 180,000 malicious spirits (18 legions of 10,000 each). She also rides through the air in her big chariot leading smaller bands of angels of destruction. Lilith is her rival and competitor. According to a legend, Agrat came upon King David sleeping in the desert and coupled with him while he dreamed. She conceived and bore Ashmodai, King Solomon’s brother, rival, and alter ego .
Agrat may be a fierce demon queen, but she is also a spirit of wisdom. She trains witches, procures succubi, and is believed to be the spirit who communicated magical secrets to Amemar, a fifth-century CE Jewish scholar. Agrat is allegedly more interested in human men than women, or at least they are the ones who are strongly cautioned against her. Men are traditionally advised not to be alone, sleep alone, or enter the water during the times of the week when Agrat is most powerful, lest they fall under her spell.
Days: Agrat is at the peak of her power on Wednesday and Friday nights. At other times, Agrat inhabits places uninhabited by people (that’s where you’ll find her), but on those two nights she can go where she will and do as she likes. Once upon a time, Agrat was free to come and go as she pleased, wherever and whenever she wanted, but a compromise with Hanina ben Dosa, first-century Galilean rabbi, wonderworker, exorcist and general thorn-in-her-side restricted her powers. He agreed to halt his attempts to completely banish her, and she agreed to start keeping regular hours.
Numbers: 5 and 7