Parashat Va’eira features a fascinating episode in which Pharaoh, having witnessed the miraculous transformation of the Nile to blood, calls upon his court magicians who apparently succeed in imitating the feat. The wizardry of Pharaoh’s servants, which is the earliest biblical reference to witchcraft, confronts us with difficult questions: How does the Torah regard magic? Does it recognise the existence of a “dark side” or are its prohibitions against practising sorcery truly outlawing trickery and sleight of hand?
The chapter of Judaism Reclaimed which grapples with the question of Torah and magic focuses primarily on the approach of Rambam, who understands all sorcery to be a form of intelligent trickery and sophisticated sleight of hand. This approach, which views all darker arts as an outgrowth of idolatry, was the subject of this post last year.
Ramban notes the “pious interpretation” of those who did not consider magic to be genuine, but objects that “we cannot deny matters which are proven in front of our eyes”, the prevailing wisdom at his time being that magic and divination were genuinely efficacious. Ramban’s words allow room for speculation as to whether he would have withdrawn his objection to Rambam’s “pious interpretation” of these prohibitions had he lived in a modern scientific era.
This suggestion can perhaps draw support from the position taken by Rabbi S. R. Hirsch. As a matter of general principle, R’ Hirsch strongly endorsed Ramban’s “traditionally-sourced” approach to Judaism over that of Rambam, whom he accused of being unduly influenced by external rational trends. Nevertheless, R’ Hirsch unequivocally cites Rambam’s rationalist conclusion on the subject of magic, writing that it is “merely deception; it is nothing but getting the better of the other person’s mind”.
For some people there is a measure of discomfort in allowing the fickle and fluctuating findings of science to dictate to the Torah’s timeless truths. A subject which is explored in greater detail in a later chapter of Judaism Reclaimed in the context of both halachah and broader Jewish beliefs.
On the subject of halachah’s reliance on and willingness to change in light of new scientific knowledge I saw this very interesting recent video from Rav Asher Weiss, one of the leading halachic decisors in today’s generation.
R’ Weiss, speaking in the context of scientific and medical advice concerning Coronavirus and vaccines, presents eight examples from different areas of Talmudic discussion as to how halachah is often both premised on and prone to change on the basis of scientific findings. Particularly significant are the sources he cites on the subject of blood found in parts of the egg yolk and questions of niddah in which halachah is shown to have changed on the basis of science having improved its understanding of the facts which halachah is interpreting.
Does such an openness to scientific discovery also apply to the realm of Torah interpretation and allow us to favour the approach of those such as Rambam, who understood biblical sorcery as sleight of hand? Or is it legitimate for those following the footsteps of Ramban to suggest that the darker arts – efficacious in an earlier era of prophecy and open miracles – no longer hold sway in our spiritually sub-standard generation?
First posted on Facebook 13 January 2021, here.
