Magic is usually divided into two different categories. There is the magic practiced
by the great magicians of today and there is black-magic, witchcraft, or sorcery. The
Torah forbids both types, yet, the punishments for them are different. For magic, the
punishment is 39 lashes, while for practicing witchcraft, it is stoning. Members of the
Sanhedrin were therefore required to know the difference between the two.
All of today’s magicians will readily admit that they are only practicing the art of
deceit and deception. Even the world’s greatest magicians such as David Copperfield,
or David Blain, who can make the Statute of Liberty disappear in front of your eyes
or cut a person in half and put him back together again will readily admit that they
are just fooling you and the stunt is based on some clever deception. However, black
magic claims that they can actually change or defy
the laws of nature and can make the supernatural
happen. They claim they can bend spoons just by
looking at them, or speak to the dead, or have psychic
powers to read people’s minds and know their past
and predict their future. Supernatural claims made
by people like Uri Geller fall within the category of
witchcraft. Yet, today, all those who have claimed to
have supernatural powers have been proven to be
con-artists. So far, all those who have claimed to be
able to use incantations or other supernatural means
to make the impossible happen, or to talk to the dead,
have all been proven to be frauds. While we don’t
know what happened in ancient times, nowadays it’s
all been proven to be a hoax. Some say that these
powers never really existed, while others claim they
were forgotten over time. The Randy Foundation offers over a million-dollar reward
for anyone that can show any paranormal powers. So far, many have tried but there
have still been no takers.
Historically, both magic and witchcraft trace their origin to the priests of avoda
zorah– idol worship. The priests of various religions used their magical knowledge and
abilities to convince their followers to worship their false gods. Christianity, Hinduism,
and Buddhism and many other religions, are based on the supposed miraculous
powers and miracles of their founders. Unfortunately, even Jews used its powers to
convince the people to serve the Golden Calf in the desert and latter in Dan. Many
of their practices, especially some of their medical practices, are
based on their false beliefs and therefore are prohibited to Jews
who are forbidden to use medical methods or practices
that are or were based on idolatry. This is why rabbonim
must be familiar with them. For instance, the use of Chi,
a type of energy healing system used even today,
has its roots in Hinduism and Buddhism. One
must be familiar with certain alternative medical
practices in order to make sure that they are not
used, based, or rooted, in the worship of idolatry.
It’s rather interesting to note that even the practice of saying
pesukim over a wound in order that it should heal is forbidden
in Shulchan Aruch.(See Rambam Hilchos Avoda Zara perek
11.) Certain illnesses are caused or are affected by anxiety and
therefore saying soothing words over a wound is permitted
even on the Shabbos, since it may have a placebo affect and
help calm a person down.
The Rambam (Hilchos Avoda Zara perek 11) as well as some others dismiss
magic as nothing but clever trickery and deception and claim that there is no such
thing and never was anything as true black magic. The Egyptians who were able to
perform the first two plagues did it through clever trickery and even any amateur
magician of today can easily change a stick into a snake, or turn water into blood, or
make frogs jump out of an empty hat.
Actually it may very well be that black magic or sorcery was done by using
Hashem’s Holy Names. We find that the Golden Calf as well as the large golden idol
put up by King Baalshetzar that was able to speak was made by putting Hashem’s
Holy Name into them. When one desecrates Hashem’s Holy Name and uses it for
idolatrous purposes, then the punishment is stoning. The Gemora Sanhedrin tells
us that Rava created a man using the secret Names of Hashem found in the Sefer
Yetzirah. This was only permitted for the purpose pf study.
Bilam’s powers of sorcery seem to be fraudulent and were probably based on
his powers of prophecy. The Gemora Brochos tells us that he was able to know
the one moment each day when Hashem got angry. He used this moment to put
a curse and kill his enemies, while making believe that he was doing it through his
magical skills. During all the time that he tried to put a curse on the Jews, he failed.
That’s because Hashem never became angry during those days, and therefore his
supposed witchcraft didn’t work.