Shabbat Gathering: Jewish astrology?

Dear Chevra, as is our custom, we will gather tonight at 5.45p ct to welcome Shabbat. These are the coordinates:

Zoom
Meeting ID: 963 5113 1550
Password: 1989
Phone: +1 312 626 6799

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Here we go.

Apothegm
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves
 Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene III, Lines 140-141 - Cassius to Brutus

The way I was raised, astrology was barely part of my vocabulary. When I was young I recall trying to remember my sign (sagittarius) because girls would ask me and I didn’t want anything to impede our conversation. Between being a youth interested in science and an active member of a church, there wasn’t much about astrology that appealed to me. As I recall, astrology is based on a cosmology where the Earth is the center of the solar system and the sun and the planets revolve around Earth. There was nothing about that that I knew was right and I thought that framework applied to Judaism too. But I’ve come to learn that the iconography in some ancient synagogues includes symbols from the zodiac. It isn’t at all rare. In fact, such decorations can be found in synagogues in Israel with the oldest depictions dating back to the fourth century.

Jewish interest in the zodiac can be traced back to at least the time of the Babylonian exile. Many of the Hebrew names of the constellations are actually Hebrew versions of the original Assyrian names. For instance, the Assyrian name and Hebrew name for the astrological sign Libra both translate to "scales." And some believe that the most prominent people in the Bible including Abraham and King Solomon were given the gift of astrology. When Jethro gives Moses advice on leadership in Parashat Yitro, he suggests that Moses consult "anshei chayel," "strong people" many readers understand as astrologers.

The Roman historian Josephus writes in the first century that consulting the stars was a common practice with Jews during his time. He even goes so far as to blame the failed revolt against the Romans and destruction of the Second Temple in 70ce on Jewish astrologers who misinterpreted the stars.

Some rabbis attempted to create parallels between the signs of the zodiac and tales from the Bible. In the midrash Esther Rabbah, Aries represents the Passover sacrificial lamb, Taurus recalls Joseph who was called "a bull," Gemini represents the twins born to Judah and Tamar and so on.

Many common Hebrew expressions having to do with luck mention the stars. Mazel tov, which loosely translates to "good luck" is actually a shortened version of the phrase siman tov u'mazal tov, which could more literally be translated as "under a good zodiac sign." The Yiddish word "schlimazel" is generally used to describe someone with bad luck who was born under a bad star.

Then there is this from Talmud (Shabbat 156a:11),

Rabbi Ḥanina said to his students: It is not the constellation of the day of the week that determines a person’s nature; rather, it is the constellation of the hour that determines his nature.

One who was born under the influence of the sun will be a radiant person; he will eat from his own resources and drink from his own resources, and his secrets will be exposed. If he steals he will not succeed, because he will be like the sun that shines and is revealed to all.

One who was born under the influence of Venus will be a rich and promiscuous person. What is the reason for this? Because fire was born during the hour of Venus, he will be subject the fire of the evil inclination, which burns perpetually.

One who was born under the influence of Mercury will be an enlightened and expert man, because Mercury is the sun’s scribe, as it is closest to the sun.

One who was born under the influence of the moon will be a man who suffers pains, who builds and destroys, and destroys and builds. He will be a man who eats not from his own resources and drinks not from his own resources, and whose secrets are hidden. If he steals he will succeed, as he is like the moon that constantly changes form, whose light is not its own, and who is at times exposed and at times hidden.

One who was born under the influence of Saturn will be a man whose thoughts are for naught. And some say that everything that others think about him and plan to do to him is for naught.

One who was born under the influence of Jupiter will be a just person. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: And just in this context means just in the performance of mitzvot.

One who was born under the influence of Mars will be one who spills blood. Rav Ashi said: He will be either a blood letter, or a thief, or a slaughterer of animals, or a circumciser. Rabba said: I was born under the influence of Mars and I do not perform any of those activities. Abaye said: My Master also punishes and kills as a judge.

On the other hand...

Maimonides is the only Jewish philosopher of his time who completely rejected astrology. Ironically, his name itself is linked to astrology as it comes from the Arabic word maymun, which means "luck" or "good fortune" and is connected to the stars. Maimonides holds that the many biblical objections to magic and divination extend to astrology.

The Bible has more text devoted to turning over astrology than supporting it.

In Leviticus 19:26 we read, "You shall not eat anything with its blood. You shall not practice divination or soothsaying." And in Jeremiah, the prophet speaks against the people of Israel resorting to the astrologers: “Thus saith the Lord: Learn not the way of the nations, And be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; For the nations are dismayed of them (Jeremiah 10:2).”

Like many faiths, Judaism is occasionally a combination of folk beliefs and theology and astrology fits into the former. Astrology still doesn't fit into my view of the way the world works but I still remember my sign. In this week parsha, Balak, we read about Balaam, a gentile prophet and seer. Balaam ends up following the instructions of G!d. Maybe those who draw up star charts are following the instructions of G!d, but I don't want to take that chance.

And may it be for all of us a blessing.

See you tonight!
Gut Shabbes!

All my love,
brian.

PS

Useful Yiddish phrases.
I've been studying Yiddish on Duolingo for more than two years now and I'm finally getting up to some useful expressions.

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