Questions tagged [sorcery-magic-kishuf]
The manipulation of nature through the use of evil forces. Its use is forbidden by the Torah.
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Why doesn't Shaul kill the witch of En-Dor?
in 1 Shmuel 28 Shaul consults with a witch who causes the spirit of Shmuel to rise in a practice known as Ov. Working on the assumption that this event actually took place, as described, and that the ...
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Medium Consultation For Gentiles
Are gentiles allowed to consult mediums or talk to spirits?
The prohibition of witchcraft and the like is not explicitly mentioned in the Noahide laws as far as I'm aware, but I could see it going ...
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How does one remove a curse and/or a magical spell that's been placed upon a person/land/lineage/etc? What is the process like?
The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch in סימן קסו - שלא לנחש לעונן ולכשף says that one can go to a non-Jew if they are suffering from an ailment caused by magic, which means that there must be a way to rid ...
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What should we do if a ghost reaches out to us first (as opposed to us reaching out to/consulting ghosts)?
Deut. 18:10-11 says:
לא ימצא בך מעביר בנו ובתו באש קסם קסמים מעונן ומנחש ומכשף וחבר חבר
ושאל אוב וידעני ודרש אל המתים
Let no one be found among you who consigns his son or daughter to the fire, or ...
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How did the Magic (Kishuf) applied on the Tanaim?
It is mentioned in Yerushalmi (Sanhedrin, 87, Halacha 13) that a magician/ witch (Mechashef) applied his magic on three Taanaim: Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Lazer and Rabbi Akiva in a public bath house. How ...
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Why are attempts to predict the future as abhorrent as Molech worship?
Devorim 18 (10, 11) lists in possukim 9 & 11 the following activities as תוֹעֲבֹ֖ת (abhorrent practices):
consigns a son or daughter to the fire,
or who is an augur,
a soothsayer,
a diviner,
a ...
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Did Saul consult the Urim before his final battle?
Scripture tells us that on the eve of his final battle, Saul besought God but was answered with no dream, Urim or prophets (Samuel 1.28.6). The midrash says that Saul chose not to consult with the ...
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Is the Law of Attraction/Law of Assumption permitted to be used (Is it Kishuf if it works or any other issur)?
The law of assumption is "a belief that the world does not depend on what is there, but more so the assumptions you form in your mind while looking at it. So your assumptions create your reality. ...
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Is Telepathy Kishuf?
There is something called Telepathy. Telepathy is defined as "the supposed communication of thoughts or ideas by means other than the known senses." I have seen some videos say that it means ...
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Remote Viewing and Judaism
I’m fascinated to know if there are any kabbalistic ideas and/or aggadic references in chazalic literature that refer to or discusses the idea of “remote viewing” ( the practice of seeking impressions ...
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Is Harry Potter considered to be problematic?
Is there any halachic problem with a Jew reading the Harry Potter series? I know some people are against it, so wondering if there are any solid prohibitions involved beyond bittul zman, bittul torah, ...
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Is I Ching considered divination?
It involves throwing sticks or stones and each section is related to a particular part in the process of manifestation and dissipation. Jungians do not understand it as divination but a kind of ...
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Meaning of Monen in Kabbalah
I came across the term "monen" but have been unable to find much information on it in scholarly or scriptural sources. The main information online appears to be a kabbalah-related stub on ...
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What is the Yadua bone? Is it extinct?
I was learning Sefer Hamitzvot with my dad last night and, when we came across mitzvah #256, I was curious; do we have any idea what the yadua bone is? It is a bone of a bird which grows from a long ...
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Is owning crystals idol worship?
Some people own certain “energy crystals” for specific “energies” they want, such as a motivation or self-love crystal. Is owning one of these considered avoda zara, witchcraft, etc.?
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What exactly is "prohibited magic" in Judaism?
It appears that "magic" in most "modern" "western" civilizations is prohibited. But societies like those in China or Latin America or Africa have mentions of all kinds of ...
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Which witch should not live?
"מְכַשֵּׁפָ֖ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּֽה׃"
"You shall not tolerate a sorceress." (Exodus 22:17)
Is the commandment of not allowing sorcerers and the like to live specifically against Jewish sorcerers or also ...
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Supernatural occurrences in Tanakh not condoned by G-d
What examples do we have in Tanakh of non-righteous individuals being able to "tap into" the supernatural realm?
By "tap into", I am referring to any indication that even non-righteous individuals ...
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How were the chartumim able to measure Hashem's strength?
Per the answer given here: אצבע אלוקים היא - *how* many?:
The magicians were acknowledging that the plages were a manifestation of Hashem's Power at the level of אצבע אלוקים היא. That is, the ...
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Did sorcerers have genuine power or were people simply gullible [duplicate]
Did sorcerers have genuine power or were people simply gullible.
Perhaps they discovered things like electricity or magnetism that people of that time would think were magical.
However I'm thinking of ...
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Types of Magic according to Judaism
The Jewish sources speak in many places about magic e.g shemot 7:11, 7:22 & Vayikra 19:26 etc.
Are there different types? if so what are they?
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Why for a sorceress does the Torah say "shall not live" instead of "shall be put to death?"
In Exodus 22:17 the Torah tells us:
מְכַשֵּׁפָ֖ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּֽה׃
A sorceress you shall not let live.
We learn from Sanhedrin 67a that (man or woman) the punishment for sorcery is death by stoning.
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How is "magic" defined for the purposes of the prohibition against kishuf?
As Arthur C. Clarke famously said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
The idea here actually generalizes much further. Today's technology would have been ...
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Throwing dice to determine a decision [duplicate]
Say you have several options before you and they all seem equally good and you have no way of knowing which is the right option.
Is it allowed to throw dice after praying to hashem that he should ...
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How would the Rabbis handle a Jew who presents as having psychic or supernatural abilities?
I was curious if a precedent has been set for how the Rabbis would handle an individual who presents as having supernatural abilities which are forbidden in Torah.
Let no one be found among you who ...
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Can you control the weather with magic?
Can you control the weather with magic? Or is this only something God has power over?
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Significance of Yosef's Goblet
Is there any significance to Yosef's goblet aside from being a prop used to show Yosef's powers and frame the brothers? It seems to be mentioned a lot in the Torah throughout the parsha (especially in ...
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Do Jews consider Jesus to be a magician?
With black magic you can do amazing things, including bewitching people's senses, for example, to see things, hear things and feel certain sensations, whether emotionally or physically. Often when a ...
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Does Judaism believe in black magic?
What is the opinion of Jewish authorities on Magic, particularly black magic? Traditionally Jews have denied that anything happens outside of the will of God, yet Deuteronomy 18:10 states that these ...
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Chazal Heimlich Maneuver
The Gemara Shabbos (67a) records
תני תנא בפרק אמוראי קמיה דרבי חייא בר אבין אמר ליה כולהו אית בהו משום
דרכי האמורי לבר מהני מי שיש לו עצם בגרונו מביא מאותו המין ומניח ליה על
קדקדו ולימא הכי חד חד ...
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What is Pythonic Sorcery?
I saw "Pythonic Sorcery" mentioned on a list of things that would merit the death penalty in ancient Jerusalem. But, when I went to Google it, all I found are...more readings about the capital ...
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Sorcerers, wizards, warlocks... what are the differences?
The mishna in Sanhedrin 53a lists, among those subject to stoning:
a necromancer -- בעל אוב
a wizard (Soncino translation) or sorcerer (Sefaria) -- ידעוני
a sorcerer (Soncino) or warlock (Sefaria) --...
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From a Rabbinical perspective is the creation of a golem considered a sin against Hashem or form of Sorcery?
This topic is a little strange but I'm curious as to where the concept of Golems fit within the current consensus of Rabbinical interpretations of Witchcraft.
The Golem of Prague is a story ...
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Why does a person need to be connected to the ground to perform kishuf (magic)?
The gemarah (Yerushlmi Hagigah 2:2, Sanhedrin 6:6) recounts a story of Shimon ben Shetach who captured 80 witches. In the story he instructs those assisting him to lift the witches off the ground to ...
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Are Tibetan Prayer Flags a form of Avodah Zara?
I recently received in the mail a set of prayer flags as part of a mailer, which got me thinking (and researching).
Without a question, using the flags normally would be an act of darchei emorie or ...
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How would the splitting of the sea have been done with magic if magic is just trickery?
In the spirit of the recent Mi Yodeya discussion of the Rambam's view of magic, a question that has bothered me for some time:
The Rambam ostensibly doesn't accept that there is any reality to magic, ...
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How does Rambam explain the use of magic in Tanakh?
I've heard that the Rambam says that when the Torah speaks about magic it is meant as a parable. If this is the case, how does he explain Pharoah's sorcerers and other incidents in Tanakh such as ...
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Can witchcraft/sorcery affect not only "physical" things, but also one's emotions/thoughts?
There are examples of the Torah of witchcraft being performed to change physical realities (e.g Serpent with Paroh's sorcerers, blood in the river, Bilaam flying, etc.), can sorcery/witchcraft also ...
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Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa understood "Ain od mivado" to also exclude the powers of cishuf, what is the source of this?
In Chulin 7b, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was not concerned with the threats of a sorcereress due to his understanding that "Ain od Milvado (Devarim 4:35)" included even the powers of sorcery. What was his ...
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How was Yosef allowed to practice divination?
The Torah prohibits divination as stated in:
Leviticus 19:26:
לֹ֥א תֹאכְל֖וּ עַל־הַדָּ֑ם לֹ֥א תְנַחֲשׁ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ׃
Do not eat with the blood; Do not practice divination or ...
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Performing Magic Tricks for Children
I've often seen people do magic tricks for their nieces, nephews or for children in general. To an adult observer, the trick is obvious - but to young children, it seems like real magic. Considering ...
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Paying for a forbidden service
If one hires someone to do a service that is halachically forbidden, is he obligated/allowed to pay for it, e.g. blei gissen.
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Punishment for "Bleigießen"
Recently, there was a discussion on Mi Yodeya about whether there was a Jewish source for the practice of divination and sorcery via blei gissen (Bleigießen, or molybdomancy). Based on the actual ...
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Graphology - sources that permit or forbid it
I saw a orthodox Jewish newspaper that has a column on graphology. Are there any sources that discuss graphology, pro or con? Is it hocus pocus? Is it similar to palm reading?
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Is there a source in the gemara for "Blei Gissen" (pouring lead)?
A recent article in the 5 Towns Jewish Times claims
Blei gissen, the technique of pouring lead to nullify ayin ha’ra, the poisonous evil eye, has its source in the Gemara ...
In his critique of ...
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What is Kishuf ("magic")?
In order to avoid the prohibited, we must first know what it is.
What is the halachic definition of Kishuf ("magic")?
While I am mainly interested in sources, Svaras (reasonings) and thoughts are ...
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Why did Pharaoh not think Moshe and Aaron were magicians?
BSD
In this week's Parsha - Shemot Chapter 8 (וָאֵרָא), Pharaoh stands by as Moshe and Aaron perform all of the rites and 'signs' to Pharaoh. After each miracle, the Torah speaks of how Pharaoh's ...
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How is Qi viewed in Judaism?
Are there any Jewish sources which discuss Qi and some of the amazing feats people seem to be able to perform with it? Is it considered impure magic and therefore forbidden to be practiced?
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Can a magician cast a spell in water?
The power of magicians and magic, the Talmud speaks plenty about.
One such example is that of Ze'iri and the donkey, in Sanhedrin 67:
זעירי איקלע לאלכסנדריא של מצרים זבן חמרא כי מטא לאשקוייה מיא ...
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Does sorcery/black magic exist today?
The Torah She'bicsav and Torah She'ba'al Peh discuss sorcery/necromancy/witchcraft. Assuming that those activities were actually harnessing some sort of supernatural power in order to perform ...
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