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I read in kitzur shulchan aruch a law not to take advice from astrologers and I would like to know how far to take this in the example of the following book.

There is a book on astrology called The Secret language of Relationships (sln.me website version) written by Gary Goldschneider, whom I believe is Jewish and not religious. Inside it records people's 'mazal' based on their birthdays and goes further to give advice on navigating a relationship between two people based on their birthdays.

A primary application of this is with shidduchim.

Would it go against halachah/minhag/torah to use his advice in navigating relationships and making decisions with shidduchim?

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Rabbonim.net was asked

מותר לקרוא הורוסקופים?..וזה בכלל נכון מה שכתוב שם?.

Is it allowed to read horoscopes? Is what is written there reliable?

Rabbi Revid Nagar responded:

תשובה:( מ-הרב רביד נגר)

אחותי היקרה, אין מה לחפש בהורוסקופ עם ישראל מעל המזל, כתוב: תמים תהיה עם ה' א-לוהיך, אדם לא צריך לחקור בדרכים לא קונוונציונאליות, יש לנהוג לפי הנהגת התורה כפי שמציין הרמב"ן וכמו שאומר הרמב"ם שב-"מדע" האסטרולוגיה אין כלום. לסיכום: אם זה לא ממקור תורני יהודי הכל שטויות, למרות שכתוב חכמה בגויים האמן, זה נכון כלפי הגויים כי הם מוכתבים על פי מזל בלבד, אבל יהודי שומר תורה ומצוות הוא מעל המזל ואפילו אם המזל מורה עליו גזירה רעה הוא מסוגל להתגבר עליה בכח התהילים שיקרא או התפילה שיתפללו עליו, אבל אם הוא מכתיב את החיים שלו לפי אותיות ומזלות זה באמת מה שיכתיב לו את החיים וחבל כי הוא סוגר לעצמו הרבה יותר אפשרויות להינצל מגזירות וחולאים וכדברי הגמ' בסוף מסכת שבת 'שאין מזל לישראל'. לפי ההלכה אסור לקרוא. על פי דברי השו"ע יו"ד סי' קע"ט סעיף א': "אין שואלים בכוכבים". אין שואלים בכוכבים הכוונה במזלות והורוסקופ, מקווה שהועלתי...

Translation/summary

Since Jewish people are above “mazal” there is no point in investigating horoscopes. Devorim 18 (13) says

תמים תהיה עם ה' אלהיך

Be wholehearted with the L-rd, your G-d.

Therefore it is not appropriate for a person to use unconventional means to research the future. Rambam and Ramban agree that there is no truth in astrology for the Jewish people who serve Hashem for they are above mazal. Even if there is a bad mazal, we can overcome it with our prayers.

Shulchan Oruch YD 179 (1) states

Not to do magic, necromancy, or divination.

We do not make inquiries to astrological seers, nor to the fates. [Comment of Rema: Because it is said, "You must be wholehearted with the LORD your God." (Deuteronomy 18:13) (B"Y citing Tosafot and citing Sifrei) And certainly it is prohibited to make inquiries to magicians, diviners, and sorcerers. (Piskei Mahara"i 96)]

The book mentioned seems to operate using mazal and Rabbi Nagar points out that we are above mazal and quotes Shulchan Oruch to say that we may not enquire of astrological seers. Therefore it would be wrong to use it. Rather - Be wholehearted with the L-rd, your G-d!

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  • I don't think the book operates using mazal. More likely it's just a scam.
    – Heshy
    Commented Jun 19, 2022 at 18:26
  • Is this referring to astrology that pretends to explain personality traits or just to those who try to use it to figure out future events?
    – Chatzkel
    Commented Jun 19, 2022 at 18:50
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I’ve heard from a Kabbalist (Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok) that the stars do have an influence on us, which is called Mazal, But, G-d being supreme, is the ultimate authority. More than that one can overcome the influence of the stars via free will.

Can one take advice from astrology? Sure, I have heard the Rabbis did believe in astrology but they never used it to plan their lives as some people do. That is why G-d and His prophets condemn the foreign nations for doing so.

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  • Good answer, please consider adding in quotations or sources (from who did you heard it, etc...). That would greatly improve your answer.
    – Shmuel
    Commented Jun 19, 2022 at 19:43
  • shmuel the Kabbalist is Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok
    – user24193
    Commented Jun 19, 2022 at 19:45
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I noticed a comprehensive article on this topic at Chabura-Net which presents a wide spectrum of opinions among the rishonim and acharonim. Best to look up the sources mentioned there to get the most out of this.

Strong caveat mentioned near the end of the article is that modern astrologers and horoscopes aren't necessarily to be given the same credence as the astrology mentioned in Shas and in the meforshim:

The reason is more or less a simple one: the "astrology" of today, as found in newspaper horoscopes and the like, is not the astrology that once existed.

Other sites to read to get a background on this topic are at the following:

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