esoteric teachings of Jewish
mysticism, noting that the
two share similar numerical
patterns and that kab-
balistic ideas are similar to
images on Tarot cards.
The Torah is filled with
references to fortune telling
— everything from using a
goblet to reading one's liver
— and oracles, provided by
the Urim and Thummim, ob-
jects included in the
vestments of the high priest.
The Urim and Thummim
were acceptable under Jew-
ish law, but the Torah gen-
erally takes a dim view of
Many Jews today
still believe in the
power of
talismans, such as
the red thread
wound seven times
around Rachel's
tomb outside
Bethlehem, said to
be a safeguard
against evil.
fortune tellers and dabbling
with the dead.
Deuteronomy 18:9-14
warns, "Let no one be found
among you who . . . is an
augur, a soothsayer, a
diviner, a sorcerer, one who
casts spells, one who con-
sults ghosts or familiar
spirits, or one who inquires
of the dead. For anyone who
does such things is abhor-
rent to the Lord."
The Torah labels as wit-
chcraft conjuring the dead to
speak and demands capital
punishment for those who
use human remains for
sorcery.
Flogging is prescribed as a
punishment for fortune
tellers using sands, stones,
astrology and similar tools.
The Bible does give sanc-
tion to utilizing dreams to
see into the future. God was
said to reveal himself to
chosen ones in a dream, as il-
lustrated in passages in
Genesis.
Perhaps the most famous
"dreamer" was Joseph.
While in prison, Joseph ac-
curately interpreted the
dreams of his cell mates, the
chief cupbearer and the chief
baker to Pharoah. Joseph
predicted the cupbearer
would be granted amnesty,
but the baker would be
beheaded.
Two years later, Joseph
was brought out of prison to
interpret the dreams of
Pharoah. He forecasted
seven years of abundance
followed by seven years of
famine.
Joseph took no credit for
himself, saying, "Surely, all
interpretations come from
God."
The prophets also ascribed
the source of visions to God.
Despite the Torah's pro-
hibition of gazing into the
future, rabbis of the
talmudic period — when
divination was at its height
of popularity —could not ig-
nore fortune telling. To ap-
pease the public's interest in
the matter, they tried to
make a distinction between
looking into the future and
signs from God.
"A house, a child, and a
wife, though they do not con-
stitute divination, do act as
signs," said Rabbi Simeon
ben Eleazar, who lived in the
second century.
The most popular form of
fortune telling throughout
much of Jewish history was
astrology.
A number of Jewish as-
trologers found fame and
fortune from the 8th through
the 10th centuries, and Jews
served as court astrologers
for popes and kings. Jewish
scholars including Saadia
Gaon, Solomon ibn Gabirol
and Abraham ibn Ezra all
believed astrology was a
science that worked like a
mirror to reflect one's
psyche.
Moses Maimonides dis-
Sol Lewis uses
hypnosis to connect
with past lives.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
27