Do you believe in magic? Magic, sorcery and witchcraft in Jewish tradition

(2) AND THE SORCERERS. Those who appear to change natural law.

(3) THE MAGICIANS. Those who know the secrets of nature. Chartumim (magicians) is a quadriliteral. It might be an Egyptian or Chaldean word, as we do not find this word used in Scripture except when dealing with them. Scripture indicates a difference between what Moses did and what the magicians did. Moses really changed the staff into a serpent. As for the magicians, Scripture reads, with their secret arts. Be-lahatehem (with their secret arts) comes from a triliteral root. It is derived from the same root as lahat (flame) in the flaming sword (Gen. 3:24) and lohatim (them that are aflame) in I do lie down among them that are aflame (Ps. 57:5) and lihat (ablaze) in And the day that cometh shall set them ablaze (Mal. 3:19). It refers to an illusion of lightning and passing fire.

בלהטיהם, “with their incantations.” A reference to a variety of activities all connected to witchcraft. Nachmanides explains that the word בלהטיהם is derived from the root להט, flame, i.e. that the activities of the Egyptian necromancers were concentrated on the use of the element of fire, one of the four basic components of the material universe. Apparently, the forces, i.e. “angels” in charge of this are afflicting man with fever (heat) i.e. an invisible flame. The fact that these sorcerers understood some of these processes in nature contributed to Pharaoh discounting the miracle, as in his eyes Moses was nothing but a more accomplished sorcerer.

Our Rabbis have said that these are deeds of sorcerers who perform their arts through angels of destruction, the word b’lahateihem being derived from the expressions: eish loheit (flaming fire); the flame ‘t’laheit’ (burned up) the wicked. The purport [of the saying of the Sages] is that these deeds of sorcery are done by means of “the flaming ones,” angels of a fire that burns in man, and he does not know that the fire burns in him and pays no attention to it. It is similar in sense to the expression, “And the Eternal opened the eyes of the young man of Elisha, and behold there were horses of fire and chariots of fire.” Perhaps these are identical with the angels that dwell in the atmosphere of the spheres of the [four] elements, which are called sarim (lords). I will explain this theme again [in the Book of Leviticus 17:7] with the help of the Rock.

But the word b’lateihem, [mentioned further in 8:3 — And the magicians did in like manner ‘b’lateihem’] — is explained [by the Rabbis] as meaning sheidim (demons) — the word being derived from the Hebrew word lat (secret): Speak with David ‘balat’ (secretly) — since the demons come quietly inasmuch as they are ethereal bodies whose presence is not felt. This is why Scripture states [in Verse 11 before us] that Pharaoh called for the wise men and the sorcerers, for the wise men who knew [the art of] incanting and assembling the demons were the leaders and elders of the Egyptians.

The term chartumei mitzrayim (the magicians of Egypt) includes both of them, [i.e., the wise men and the sorcerers]. We do not know the root of the word chartumei. Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says that it is either an Egyptian or Chaldean word since we find it only mentioned in their accounts. The more likely explanation is that of Rashi, who said that it is an Aramaic compound-word: char tami (those who excite themselves by means of the bones [of the dead]). It is known that the greater part of this craft is one with the bones of dead persons or the bones of animals, just as they mentioned in the case of the yid’oni.

בלהטיהם, “with their spells.” Some kind of witchcraft. The ability to perform such tricks is anchored in the מלאכי חבלה, spiritually negative forces. The word is derived from לוהט as in אש לוהט, (Psalms 104,4) “fiery flames.” [The author speculates about a variety of causes responsible for these phenomena. One of his suggestions is that they attack man בלט, when he is unaware.] The word חרטומים is a combination of two words i.e.חר טמי , “people who consult dead bones.” Most necromancers employ either human bones or animal bones to receive their knowledge of matters not accessible to ordinary people (compare Nachmanides).

(1) A SORCERESS. Scripture mentions the law of the sorceress after the law dealing with a seduced virgin because those who lust desire to satisfy their cravings through magic. Scripture speaks of a sorceress because women practice sorcery more than men.

(1) מכשפה לא תחיה, “You must not let a sorceress live.” The whole subject of sorcerers and their activities centers around the linking of phenomena which ought to be separate and distinct from one another. Sorcerers preoccupy themselves with establishing a link between phenomena reserved for our terrestrial world and phenomena from a higher world. When such phenomena are linked (illegally) the result represents a challenge and danger to the continued functioning of G’d’s universe.

(2) The חרטומים of Egypt, the Egyptian sorcerers, engaged in such activities and their principal knowledge consisted of producing miraculous phenomena based on their intricate knowledge of the laws of nature.

When the Torah forbade the joining of linen and wool and the wearing of such products by Jews (except the fringes with the blue wool thread in a four-cornered garment) this is a small hint that there are elements which Torah law wants to keep apart (compare Nachmanides on Leviticus 19,19).

Yidonim (familiar spirits) is related to the word da’at (knowledge). Those who turn to yidonim seek to know the future. The empty heads say if there were no truth in the ovot (ghosts) and in various magical practices, then Scripture would not have prohibited them. However, I say the reverse. Scripture would not have permitted that which was true. It only prohibited that which is false. The idols (elilim) and the images (v. 4) are proof of this. Were it not that I do not want to go on at length, I would have explained the incident of the woman who was an expert in divining by ghosts. I would have brought unquestionable proof to my explanation.

Seeing that the seeking out of oracles such as the ov or yidoni for the gentiles is something akin to enquiring about their fate from G’d, and it involves, instead of consulting the living G’d, consulting the dead or their remains, the Torah prohibits this in the strongest terms saying אל תפנו אל האובות, meaning not only must you not turn toward them, but you must turn your back on them and on any other phenomena similar to them. The Torah does not need to add that no respect or deference must be shown to such phenomena.

אל תבקשו לטמאה בהם, do not search them out, as they would confer spiritual contamination on you. However, the Talmud did permit us to study the manner in which these phenomena are being used when the objective is merely to understand the phenomenon, not to make use of it. [based on Deuteronomy 18,9 as interpreted in Shabbat 75. Ed.]

The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon did it to teach himself, as it is taught in a baraita with regard to the prohibition against sorcery: “You shall not learn to do” (Deuteronomy 18:9); this indicates: But you may learn to understand and to teach. In other words, certain prohibitions do not apply when one is acting only in order to acquire knowledge of the subject.

“They do not need an enchanter or a diviner to tell Jacob and Israel what has God done and what are God's decrees on high. They practice neither enchantment nor divination [in order to know such matters], because they are told through the word of the prophets the decree of G-d, or the Urim and Thummim declare it to them.” This is Rashi’s language

The correct interpretation appears to me to be that since Balaam [himself] was a diviner, and Balak sent to him saying, for I know that he whom you bless through thy means of divination is blessed, and he whom you curse through them is cursed, and he sent him the tools of divination, therefore Balaam said to Balak: “There is no enchantment in Jacob which can do them evil or good, neither is there any divination in Israel to harm them or to benefit them, for at all times it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel: ‘What hath G-d wrought for them?’”

קסם קסמים — What is a diviner? One who takes his stick in hand and says, “Shall I go, or shall I not go?” So does it state, (Hoshea 4:12) “My people ask counsel of their stick, and their staff declares unto them” (Sifrei Devarim 171:6).

Kosem (one that uses divination) is most probably a general term. It refers to those who issue decrees and declare things will undoubtedly be so. The term gazerin (magicians) is similar. The word kesem (divine sentence) in A divine sentence is in the lips of the king (Prov. 16:10) is close in meaning to it. The particulars are a soothsayer (me’onen), or an enchanter (menachesh), or a sorcerer (mechashef). It is also possible that kosem is a specific term for astrologers and that kesamim (divinations) refers to divination that astrologers make based on the primary and secondary stars.

מעונן — Rabbi Akiba said, Such are people who assign times (עונות plural of עונה “period”, “time”) — who say, “This time is auspicious to begin some work”; the Sages, however, say it refers to those “who hold your eyes under control” (who delude by optical deception; they connect מעונן with עין “eye”) (Sifrei Devarim 171:9).

מנחש — [one prognosticates from the fact that] the bread fell from his mouth, or that a stag crossed his path, or that his stick fell from his hand (Sifrei Devarim 171:10; Sanhedrin 65b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 19:26).

וחבר חבר — One who charms snakes or scorpions or other creatures into one spot (חבר = “an assembly”) (Sifrei Devarim 172:1).

ושאל אוב — This is a kind of sorcery brought about by a spirit whose name is פיתום (in Greek: πύξον) who speaks out of his (the charmer’s) arm-pit, having raised a corpse beneath his arm-pit (Sifrei Devarim 172:2).

ושואל אוב וידעוני, “or consulting a ghost or familiar spirit.” According to the Talmud (Sanhedrin 65), the people referred to are those who pretend that they can produce answers by consulting carcasses or skeletons, and producing what sounds like responses to their questions that appear to emanate between the joints of the bones of the dead. ...The point is that through appearing to be able to communicate with the dead, these people presumably make a good living by misleading their naive customers. All of this kind of necromancy is punishable by death if performed by a Jewish person in Israel.

וידעני is one who puts a bone of an animal, the name of which is יִדּוֹעַ, into his mouth and the bone speaks by way of sorcery (Sanhedrin 65a; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 19:31 and Note thereon).

ודרש אל המתים — as, for instance, one who raises a corpse, placing it on his genitals, or who consults a skull (Sifrei Devarim 172:4; cf. Sanhedrin 65b).

Necromancer. Such as those who go to cemeteries and take the bone of a dead person and, because of their imagination and madness, see shapes while they are awake or in a dream.

All of these things are abominations to God. The truth is that a person must fully believe in their Creator in their heart. When a person relies on their wisdom, and not on God, in seeking the truth and what will be in the future, their mind is deficient, for it is perverted. The person who wants to inquire, let him inquire from God via a prophet.

The meaning is that we are to direct our hearts to God only, and believe that God alone does everything. It is God Who knows the truth about all future events, and from God's prophets, or from God's pious ones, in other words the Urim and Thummim — are we to inquire about future events.

We are not to inquire of the astrologers or from anyone else, or by any means to trust that their words will be fulfilled. Instead, if we hear any prediction [of the diviners] we should say, “Everything is in the hands of Heaven, for Hashem is the G-d of gods Who is supreme above all, the Omnipotent One over everything, Who changes the set order of the stars and constellations at His Will, Who frustrates the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad,” and we are to believe that future events will occur according to humanity's drawing closer to God's service. Therefore after the warning against inquiring about future events from diviners, and of seeking on behalf of the living to the dead, he stated that you are to be whole-hearted with G-d in all these matters and not be afraid of those who tell of things to come. Rather, you should inquire of God's prophet and to him shall you hearken.