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Are there any sources in Judaism that discuss vampires? I am aware that it is mentioned in the sefer hassidim but have not found any other source material. I am specifically curious if there are any sources that connect it to the metzitzah process during bris milah but I'd be happy with any sources that discuss vampires in general.

not-allowed to change my name
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    Related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/5687/1569 – b a Feb 25 '13 at 21:17
  • And this post on Hirhurim brings the sources for vampires in Sefer Chasidim. – b a Feb 25 '13 at 21:19
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    Also related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/9197/5 – Seth J Feb 25 '13 at 21:21
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    What can we merge the [tag:vampire] tag into? Surely we don't need one.... – msh210 Feb 25 '13 at 21:23
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    @msh210 perhaps a mythical creatures tag or occult or something more general? –  Feb 25 '13 at 21:28
  • The werewolf question has [tag:animals] on it. – b a Feb 25 '13 at 21:31
  • I don't know what's more surprising: a question about vampires, or that within minutes two related questions were linked. :-) – Monica Cellio Feb 25 '13 at 22:53
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    http://www.rationalistjudaism.com/2011/12/was-eisav-vampire.html – jake Feb 25 '13 at 22:58
  • http://torahmusings.com/2011/10/vampires-and-witches-in-sefer-hasidim/ – Double AA Feb 25 '13 at 23:45
  • http://torahmusings.com/2012/02/blood-l%E2%80%99mehadrin/ – Double AA Feb 25 '13 at 23:45
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    metzitzah, really? :P how about matzos? – yoel Feb 26 '13 at 02:06
  • @jake that's not a source per se. – Hacham Gabriel Feb 26 '13 at 02:32
  • @HachamGabriel, I know. Just a related blog post. – jake Feb 26 '13 at 04:15
  • @yoel are you aware of any other ritual in judaism or any other major religion wherein one person must suck blood out of another? –  Feb 26 '13 at 14:28
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    @nikmasi I really find the comparison very disturbing. Vampires drink and consume blood, we apply suction to the wound to clean it, and then promptly spit it out. Honestly, I know this wasn't your intention but it really sounds like a comparison the antisemitic opponents of metzitzah would make. – yoel Feb 26 '13 at 21:24
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    @yoel my intention was purely academic. To me it would make sense that in antiquity where Jews were already demonized a myth regarding sucking blood which originally stemmed from a misapprehension of metzitzah arose. Let me be clear, I 100% personally support metzitzah b'peh, and made sure it was performed for my son my question is merely to ascertain if there was any scholarship that might demonstrate that the myth of vampires stemmed from a misunderstanding of this ritual. –  Feb 26 '13 at 21:58
  • @nikmasi thanks for your response, also just to clarify I was definitely not saying that you c'v were holding a negative opinion. I think I didn't understand that you were looking for secular sources or scholarship in that way, I get it now and withdraw my complaint. :) – yoel Feb 26 '13 at 22:11
  • @yoel "we apply suction to the wound to clean it, and then promptly spit it out." I think you mean "we apply suction to the wound to try and clean it even though we end up actually making it dirtier, and then promptly spit it out." – Double AA Dec 16 '14 at 21:53
  • @DoubleAA no, that's not what I meant. – yoel Dec 31 '14 at 14:21

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This article briefly touches on this subject; the only real substantial additional source she sites is the Seforno to Vayikra 17:4 (though she probably means 17:7, who was prceeded by Rabbeinu Bachya [ben asher] on Dvarim 12:23). Unsourced are claims by Rabbi Menachem Zioni that vampires were associated with migdal bavel and a broad proclamation that according to many kabbalistic leaders there are parallels of these creatures [vampires and werewolves] in Judaism.

Much of what she writes seems to be based on this short piecepublished in the Jewish Free Press in 2001 which in turn cites Dan, Joseph. The Esoteric Theology of Ashkenazi Hasidism. Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1968. which I'm guessing is based heavily on the Sefer Hassidim you reference and Trachtenberg, Joshua. Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion, Temple Books. New York: Atheneum, 1970 but gives no page numbers.

A further study of that latter source reveals references to Rokeaḥ 316 and some additional recent scholarship. Sorry, nothing related to bris milah that I could see.

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