Inspired by Boba Fett, is the Jedi religion in star wars, the force, avodah zarah (idolatry)? According to a Wikipedia article, the Force is a metaphysical power. Like the Shekhinah (which means dwelling or presence of G-d) My question is, are Jews allowed to manipulate the world around them and use the Force? Is it kosher to say "may the Force be with you?"
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Likely shittuf.– Harel13Commented Mar 11, 2022 at 5:23
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2Lichorah the question is backwards, i.e. if the force is not with you, does that mean you have made yourself into an avodah zarah?– pcozCommented Mar 11, 2022 at 6:22
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previous questions about the Force judaism.stackexchange.com/q/80745/759 judaism.stackexchange.com/q/69219/759– Double AA ♦Commented Mar 11, 2022 at 13:59
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1 Answer
Correct. Although it is not avoda zara in unto itself, rather the power leads a person to engage in idol worship.
It is definitely something that we frown upon. As it says in Pirkei Avos 1:3
אַל תִּהְיוּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פרס, אֶלָּא הֱווּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב שֶׁלֹּא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פרס
Don't be like servants who serve their master so that they can receive/activate the force, rather serve their master without the expectation of receiving the force.
The reason is because it ultimately leads to avoda zara. Famously the Gemara in Sanhedrin 74b has a whole sugya on personal pleasure (הנאת עצמן). The Gemara there talks about the Jedi priests who would take coal shovels to move coal with which they would heat their temples with. Rav Steinsaltz helps explain it more clearly:
שהיו הכמרים הפרסים נוטלים מכל בית כלים ושמים בהם גחלי ־אש ומביאים לבית עבודה זרה שלהם בימים מסויימים
The Priests of the Force (aka the Jedi Knights) would take (the shovels) from the tool house and place in them coals of fire and would bring them to their Temples on certain days.
So we see the force indeed led to them becoming active idol worshippers.
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