Jewish views of astrology: Encyclopedia II - Jewish views of astrology - In the Bible

Jewish views of astrology - In the Bible

Astrology is not specifically mentioned in the Torah, the five books of Moses. There are two commandments which have been used by some authorities as a basis to forbid the practice.

These commandments are understood by some rabbinic authorities as forbidding astrology, while others limit these mitzvot to other forms of soothsaying, and thus view astrology as permissible.

In the Hebrew Bible the prophets scoffed at "star-gazers" (hoverei ha-shamayim) in Book of Isaiah 47:13; Book of Jeremiah 10:2.) Astrologers from Babylon were called Kasdim/Kasdin (Chaldeans) in the Book of Daniel. In rabbinic literature, the term Chaldeans later was often used as a synonym with those who practiced astrology.

Some historians hold that astrology slowly made its way into the Jewish community through syncretism with ancient Hellenistic culture. The Sibylline oracles praise the Jewish nation because it "does not meditate on the prophecies of the fortune-tellers, magicians, and conjurers, nor practice Astrology, nor seek the oracles of the Chaldeans in the stars" (iii. 227); although the author of the Encyclopedia Judaica article on astrology holds that this view is mistaken.

The early historian Josephus censures the people for ignoring what he thought were signs foreshadowing the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem ("B. J." vi. 5, § 3). There were apparently no Jewish astrologers either in the land of Israel or in the Jewish community of Babylonia.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "In the Bible", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki