Kabbalistic astrology

In Hebrew, astrology was called hokmat ha-nissayon, "the wisdom of prognostication", in distinction to hokmat ha-hizzayon (wisdom of star-seeing, or astronomy). While 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.

Astrology is not specifically mentioned in the Torah, but there are two commandments 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 learn 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 as forbidding astrology, while others limit these mitzvot to other forms of soothsaying, and thus view astrology as permissible.

"And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the raki’a of the heaven to divide the day 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. Specific constellations are also mentioned, such as Orion (named "Kesil" "כסיל", literally: "fool"; possibly etymologically connected 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" (כֵּסֶל, כִּסְלָה, hope, positiveness), that is, hope for winter rains), which is mentioned three times: Job 9:9 ("He is the maker of the Bear and Orion"), Job 38:31 ("Can you loosen Orion's belt?"), and Amos 5:8 ("He who made the Pleiades and Orion").

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