Hebrew, astrology was called hokmat ha-nissayon, "the wisdom of prognostication

", in distinction to hokmat ha-hizzayon (wisdom of star-seeing, or astronomy). W

hile not a Jewish practice or teaching as such, astrology made its way into the
Jewish community, and became especially predominant in some books of Kabbalah.
Contents [hide]
1
In the Bible
2
In the Apocrypha
3
Rabbinic rejection
4
Rabbinic acceptance
4.1
Qualified acceptance; partial skepticism
5
Hebrew calendar correlation to zodiac
6
In the medieval era
7
Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
8
Views in the modern era
9
Kabbalistic astrology
9.1
Planetary correspondences
9.2
Mystical connection of Scriptures and Menorah to the 7 Classical Planets
and Lunar Phases
10
See also
11
References
12
Further reading
13
External links
In the Bible[edit]
Astrology is not specifically mentioned in the Torah, but there are two commandm
ents which have been used by some authorities as a basis to forbid the practice.
"You shall not practice divination or soothsaying." (Leviticus 19:26)
"When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not lea
rn to imitate the abhorrent practices of the nations. Let no one be found among
you who...is an auger, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer, one casts spells....
.For anyone who does these things is abhorrent to the LORD..." (Deuteronomy 18:9
-12)
These commandments are understood by some rabbinic authorities[who?] as forbiddi
ng astrology, while others[who?] limit these mitzvot to other forms of soothsayi
ng, and thus view astrology as permissible.
"And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the raki a of the heaven to divide the da
y from the night; and let them be for otot (signs), and for mo adim (seasons), and
for yamim (days), and shanim (years)" (Genesis 1:14)
The Hebrew word Mazarot, which literally means "constellations" or "zodiac", is
used twice in the Hebrew Bible.[1] Specific constellations are also mentioned, s
uch as Orion (named "Kesil" "????", literally: "fool"; possibly etymologically c
onnected with "Kislev", the name for the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar (i.e
. November December), which, in turn, may derive from the Hebrew root K-S-L as in
the words "kesel, kisla" (??????, ????????, hope, positiveness), that is, hope f
or winter rains), which is mentioned three times: Job 9:9 ("He is the maker of t
he Bear and Orion"), Job 38:31 ("Can you loosen Orion's belt?"), and Amos 5:8 ("
He who made the Pleiades and Orion").
In the Hebrew Bible the prophets scoffed at "star-gazers" (hoverei ha-shamayim)
in Isaiah 47:13 and Jeremiah 10:2. Astrologers from Babylon were called Kasdim/K
asdin (Chaldeans) in the Book of Daniel. In rabbinic literature, the term Chalde
ans later was often used as a synonym with those who practiced astrology.
Some historians[who?] hold that astrology slowly made its way into the Jewish co
mmunity through syncretism with ancient Hellenistic culture. The Sibylline oracl

es praise the Jewish nation because it "does not meditate on the prophecies of t
he fortune-tellers, magicians, and conjurers, nor practice Astrology, nor seek t
he oracles of the Chaldeans in the stars" (iii. 227); although the author of the
Encyclopaedia Judaica article on astrology holds that this view is mistaken.
The early historian Josephus censures the people for ignoring what he thought we
re signs foreshadowing the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.[2]
In the Apocrypha[edit]
There are many references to astrology in the apocrypha. The Book of Jubilees sa
id that Abraham overcame the beliefs of astrologers by accepting one God.[3]
Rabbinic rejection[edit]
In early classical rabbinic works written in the land of Israel (Jerusalem Talmu
d and Palestinian midrash compilations) astrologers are known as astrologos and
astrologiyya. In early classical rabbinic works written in Babylon, astrologers
were called kaldiyyim, kalda'ei, and iztagninin.
The Babylonian Talmud (BT), in Shabbath 156a, records rabbinic mention of charac
ter traits associated with one's having been born on specific days of the week.
This wink to superstition did not extend to astrology, however, as R. Johanan, t
he Palestinian amora, is reported to have said "there is no mazal (literally "st
ar") for Israel, but only for the nations [which recognize the validity of astro
logy.]" This opinion was shared by Rav (BT Shabbat 156a). Moreover, whereas BT S
anhedrin 65 merely suggests that individual Jews may not consult an astrologer,
tractate BT Pesachim 113b clearly states that Jews may not consult astrologers.
Samuel of Babylonia (circa 250 CE) is the only sage in the Talmud who seriously
studied astrology, yet he held that it was not compatible with Judaism. Quoting
Deuteronomy 30:12, "The Law is not in the Heavens", he is reputed to have taught
that "Torah can not go together with the art that studies the heavens" (Midrash
Deuteronomy Rabbah 8:6).
A similar remark is made by the Babylonian sage Jose of Hu?al: "We are not permi
tted to appeal to the Chaldeans, for it is written (Deut. 18:13), 'You shall be
perfect with the Lord your God'" (BT Pesachim 113b).
Rabbinic literature records that Rabbi Akiva contends against astrological belie
fs, e.g., Sifre, Deut. 171; Sifra, Kedoshim, vi.; Sanhedrin 65.
Rabbi Maimonides's mitzvot say that superstitions shoul