Where do I remember this one from....Watchtower,no no i don't think so,at the Kingdom Hall,welllll.....I don't know- maybe L.Ron and I were talkin and I...

It's worth noting that this episode is a reworking of the play "Der Dybbuk" by S. Ansky.

Out of the hundred or so episodes that I have listened to over the years "The Demon Spirit" is the most scary. It was a disturbing listen; the actors who played possessed people were pretty menacing. DO NOT LET SMALL CHILDREN LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE! If you want to be creeped out, listen to it. 5 stars.

I wonder if this play inspired the Book- The Exorcist.

Based on a Jewish tale, a man seeks the hand of a woman to whom he was bound through an arranged marriage. The father of the bride to be changes his mind and arranges for his daughter to be married to a wealthy man. The jilted man has been spending the last year learning about spirits and spells and uses them to seek retribution. Some very intense writing and acting in this episode. It is worth a second or third listen!

Terrific description.... Thanks for sharing!

This has to be one of the greatest episodes. An evil spirit, possession, exorcism, the occult...everything I seek in these shows. This one is actually creepy too, which is great. Definitely five stars.

I agree with Justin....simply one of the best CBSRMT episodes ever! Very satisfying ending and great acting

My favorite CBSRMT. Period. First time I listened to it, I was somewhat disturbed. That was like two years ago. Good thing I missed it back in the days when I listened to CBSRMT with the old transistor radio under the pillow some 40 years ago. Think I would have missed school the next day!

I really liked the "Jewish exorcism" angle.

This episode is wicked

An enjoyable listen. I liked how the story invoked some Jewish ceremonies (not that I'm familiar with them though, just what I've read in the Bible). Although there was evil in the tale, it's origin wasn't started by the protagonist this time.

wow! what a creepy story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The demon spirit had a strong cast (leads were Joe Silver and Mason Adams). Interesting story and it's worth it just to hear Silver start to perform a Jewish exorcism.

Probably one of the scariest of all the Mystery Theater episodes. Reminded me of The Exorcist. Great acting and reading of script in this episode.

"The Exorcist" was published in 1971, so it predates this episode. This one was inspired by the Dybbuk story. I agree that this is a creepy episode, but I don't find it too disturbing - insanely annoying and loud, yes. I have to lower the volume if I listen to this one. Hey - I wonder why Mercedes McCambridge didn't star in this one?? BWAHAHAHA!! Anyway, I don't think this is outstanding. It's only sensationalized and was only produced to capitalize on the popularity of demonic possession stories after the "Exorcist" film was released in 1973, and it was recorded on Halloween, after all.zz

I have to agree - this is one of the creepiest episodes of CBSRMT, and at times it gets pretty intense with the lights out. :-) Joe Silver's deep voice as the Rabbi adds to the power of the episode, and Marian Selde's processed voice as the possessed is pretty disturbing. 5 stars!

While this episode might have scared me as a child, as an adult it seems very hammy and overdone to me. There is too much overacting, recitation and ritual mumbo jumbo for one episode! Also, the story totally represents the Kabbalah, which is a mystical spiritual path, not an evil demon-worshiping path. (Listening to it now, one can see how little people (in general) knew about spiritual traditions back in the 1970s.) My favorite part of this episode is the Klezmer music at the wedding, lol! That part was a very nice touch.

I meant to say the story MISREPRESENTS the Kabbalah.

A student, Simon, returns from a successful search for a miracle worker who can evoke evil spirits to do his bidding. Only he is told that the hand of his betrothed, Leah, has been given by her father, Sender, to a youth who will inherit great wealth. Simon resolves that the wedding will never take place — even if he must resort to the evil skills he learned from the miracle worker.

How old was Mason Adams? His voice was far too gravely and old sounding to play a young character. So badly miscast.

I enjoyed this episode. It is worth a listen, especially on a dark stormy night. while the kabbalah does not have to do with demons but is a Jewish mysticism. However, the story did have an interesting ending.