Page 134 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

132 · Halachot of Sorcery, Magic, and Superstition Tzurba M’Rabanan

Divination, Omens, and Signs

Although consulting star gazers and fortune tellers may not be nearly as popular today as it was in earlier
times in history, there are many people who lead their lives based on sign and omens. The Torah prohibits
living one’s life in this manner as well.

t Vayikra 19:26 וכ:טי | ארקיו 2 .
Do not eat over the blood, do not practice divination :ּונֵֽנֹוע ְ ת אלֹ ְ ו ּו ׁש ֲ חַנ ְ ת אלֹ ם ָ ּ ד ַ ה־ל ַ ע ּול ְ כאֹת אלֹ
[tenachashu], nor act based on time calculations [te’oneinu].
r Rashi, ibid. םש | י"שר 3 .

Do not practice divination – Such as those who divine with הדלוחב ןישחנמה ולא ןוגכ – ושחנת אל
a weasel or with birds. [Or he acts based on omens such as] his :ךרדב וקיספה יבצ ,ויפמ הלפנ ותפ ,תופועבו
bread fell from his mouth, [or] a deer crossed his path.
רמואש ,תועשו תונוע ןושל – וננועת אלו
And do not act based on time calculations – This denotes תינולפ העש ,הכאלמ ליחתהל הפי ינולפ םוי
seasons and hours. Such as one says: This is an auspicious day :תאצל השק
to start [a certain] activity, [or] this is an inauspicious hour to
leave on a journey.

According to Rashi, the prohibition of menachesh, divination, refers to one who uses animals to determine
the correct course of action or one who views an occurrence that happens to him as a definitive omen.
Me’onein, on the other hand, refers to labeling specific times as auspicious for certain activities.
With regard to menachesh, these definitions are based on the Gemara in the source below, which elaborates
on some of these examples.

h Masechet Sanhedrin 65b :הס ןירדהנס תכסמ 4 .
The Sages taught: The enchanter [menacheish] mentioned ויפמ הלפנ ותפ רמואה הז – שחנמ :ןנבר ונת
in the verse (Devarim 18:10) is one who says: If one’s bread ברוע .וירחאמ ול ארוק ונב .ודימ הלפנ ולקמ
fell from his mouth, if one’s staff fell from his hand; or: If ונימימ שחנ ,ךרדב וקיספה יבצ ,ול ארוק
one’s son calls him from behind; or: If a raven calls to him, .ולאמשמ לעושו
or if a deer blocks him on the way, or if a snake is to his
right, or if a fox is to his left, all of these are bad signs. שדוח שאר ,אוה תירחש ,יב ליחתת לא
It also includes one who says: Do not collect from me first, as ושחנת אל :ןנבר ונת .אוה תבש יאצומ אוה
it is morning, or: Do not collect from me now because it is הדלוחב םישחנמה ולא ןוגכ – וננועת אלו
the New Moon; or: It is the conclusion of Shabbat. .םיגדבו תופועב
The Sages taught that the verse: “Nor shall you practice
divination nor soothsaying” (Vayikra 19:26), refers, for
example, to those who divine and receive guidance according
to what happens to a weasel, to birds, or to fish.

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