The Jewish Way of Astrology

THE JEWISH WAY OF ASTROLOGY

As a Jew and as a research astrologer, I have perused rabbinical literature to learn what the rabbis, past and present, say about astrology. I have found that although astrological influence, which the rabbis have termed ‘mazal’, is regarded as a divine force [כח] that produces real consequences in everyday human affairs, the case is that rabbis early on disagreed about whether mazal influenced Jew and non-Jew alike or whether it influenced only non-Jews. That disagreement became wider over the centuries until we find that many rabbis of our 21st century consider ‘mazal’ (astrological influence) to be nothing but a superstition and pseudo-science and, contrarywise, there are many rabbis who maintain that mazal is a real force in the world for Jews and non-Jews alike.

In response to an increasing interest in astrology fueled by easy access to horoscopes and online astrologers podcasts and YouTube videos, rabbis have begun to publish books and articles, podcasts, and YouTube videos that present their views about astrology. Some rabbis have recorded their live presentations on astrology and shared them online via social media. Yet there is little in the literature on astrology that follows the development of rabbinical thought from Late Antiquity through to our Modern Era vis-à-vis the Jewish perspective on astrology as a uniquely Jewish phenomenon. It is as if Jewish Astrology suddenly came onto the scene from who knows where! Where has Jewish Astrology been all this time? What is Jewish Astrology anyway?

Albeit in Western or Hellenistic Astrology one may find some disagreement or difference among astrologers regarding astrological methods and systems, all astrologers are unanimous about their own individual work with astrology as a system whose methods employ astronomical facts such planetary transits, equinoxes and solstices, eclipses of Sun or Moon, etc., to interpret events in the real world according to principles of astrology whereby ‘information' is obtained which would otherwise be unobtainable. In Electional Astrology, the best time to begin an event is obtained, while in Vocational Astrology, the best candidate for a specific position in a specific company can be chosen; Relocation Astrology will guide one to the best move to another home town, while Relational Astrology will provide insights into the present and ongoing interaction between two partners – and Horoscopic Astrology details the basic character traits of an individual entity as well as his or her or its developmental potentials over time.

To fully understand the Jewish way of astrology from Late Antiquity, through to the Middle Ages, and then to our Modern Era, we must take a step into the House of Study and enter the halls of the Yeshiva and that, dear reader, is the next step I invite you to take with me. To do so, please show your interest by subscribing for updates to these weekly/monthly posts on the Texts page. To receive notifications of new posts and links to view them, subscribe below with your email.