We think of amulets as trinkets to be worn, but a protective amulet may be written on paper or parchment. This one shields Refkula, known as Merkada, daughter of Gioia, from fear, sickness, and harm inflicted by demons. The name Merkada was given to a girl whose parents had suffered the loss of one or two consecutive infants. It means “sold” in Judeo-Spanish, and indicates that the child “was not theirs” and thus could not be taken from them by death. The text begins with a customary invocation of divine help, followed by several of the names of God.
The hexagram was adapted in medieval Jewish mysticism as a protection against evil forces. Called the Magen David (Shield of David) and accompanied by divine names, incantations, and biblical verses, it appears often on Jewish amulets.