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Bible Encyclopedias
Looking-Glass
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or An object having a nearly perfect reflecting surface. In ancient times mirrors were invariably made of metal; in Egypt, of polished brass. It is no doubt this kind of mirror to which reference is made in Exodus 38:8 and in Job xxxvii, 18. Reflections might also be seen in still water (Proverbs 27:19). In the enumeration of women's ornaments in Isaiah 3:23, hand-mirrors seem to be included; but this is somewhat doubtful. References to mirrors occur in the Apocrypha (Ecclus. [Sirach] 22:11) and in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 33:12).
The Rabbis were acquainted with the use of mirrors, sometimes employing metal (Kelim 30:2). On the Sabbath it was not allowable to look into a mirror unless it was fixed on a wall (Shab. 149a). It would appear that later there was a tendency to forbid men to view themselves in mirrors, as this was regarded as effeminate (see Levy, "Neuhebr. Wörterb." 1:236). Nevertheless, the members of Rabbi's family were allowed to do so (Yer. Shab. 6:7) because they were "close to the government."
The modern Jews of eastern Europe have a number of superstitions in regard to mirrors the exact origin of which it is difficult to trace. Mirrors are covered when a person dies. The angel of death will be seen if one looks into a mirror at such a time. If a mirror is broken, seven years of poverty will result; this is a general superstition, and not confined to Jews. In Galicia it is supposed that if one puts a mirror in front of a sleeping man with a candle between them, the sleeper will follow a person whither the latter wills. If the sleeper strikes one under these circumstances, the person stricken will not live more than a year.
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Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Looking-Glass'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/l/looking-glass.html. 1901.
