the purpose of the meal was to ward off Lilith.^36 If this is so, then the Wach-
nacht fulfilled a purpose similar to that of the Hollekreisch.
The custom of holding a meal on the eve of circumcision is not unique to
Ashkenazi Jews. It may be found in other communities in Provence and Spain
as well as more distant diasporas. The fear of Lilith was widespread through-
out the Jewish diasporas.^37 In medieval Germany and France, the existing be-
liefs and fears were connected to the common belief concerning Frau Holle.
The holding of a vigil on the night before circumcision can be seen as a mea-
sure to protect the child, before circumcision, from lurking evil spirits as well
as from other risks. Viewed in this manner, the Wachnacht is similar to the
practice of leaving food out for Frau Holle on the nights after birth or to the
vigil held to protect the infant on the night preceding the baptism ceremony.
This vigil, which also included a meal, was meant to protect the infant from
various evil spirits, such as Frau Holle, though she is not singled out. The vigil,
like the Wachnacht, was hosted by the co-parents.^38
One last detail mentioned in the sources merits further inquiry—the food
consumed at the Wachnacht. Mah·zor Vitrymentions oubliesand cantillesas
the foods eaten during these festivities.^39 Oubliesare wafers and canestelesor
cantillesare little cakes. These baked goods were not made by the Jews, but
were bought from their Christian neighbors, who ate them at their own feasts
and celebrations.^40 They were considered festive foods, and Jews ate them not
only at circumcision meals, but also on Purim. This fact comes up several
times in halakhic discussions on the permissibility of eating pat akum(bread
made by non-Jews).^41 It would seem that, at their birth ceremonies, Jews ate
the same foods as were customary for Christian birth ceremonies!
As in the case of the Hollekreisch ritual, the information we have concern-
ing the Wachnacht is not as extensive as that concerning circumcision. Both
customs supported the birth and ritual process in Jewish society and dealt with
the ever present fear of demons in the medieval world. As this fear was com-
mon to both Jews and the surrounding Christians, we find that parallel Jewish
and Christian customs developed to overcome it; in the case of the Holle-
kreisch, we see how the Jews even adapted Christian customs.
The Sabbath of the ParturientLike the Hollekreisch, the ritual for the parturient took place a month after
birth. Unlike the customs discussed earlier, there is no mention of this or sim-
ilar practices preceding the fifteenth-century source found in R. Moses Mintz’s
responsa, in which the Hollekreisch is mentioned as well.^42 R. Moses does not
describe the ritual in detail, as his comment comes in the context of a discus-
sion of divorce procedures. He mentions that the Hollekreisch took place on
the Sabbath that the parturient left her house after birth to go to the synagogue.