Do not be superstitious

The Literal Commandment

'You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying. (Leviticus 19:26)

 

The literal commandment is that we should not practice divination or soothsaying.

 

Messiah Says

Messiah implicitly affirmed this commandment when He spoke about the Law:

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19)

 

Pictures of Messiah

Dictionary.com defines "superstitious" in this way:

a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding, or the like. 1

 

We should not have beliefs that are not based on knowledge of the One, True G-d of the Bible. If we know, love, and worship the G-d of Israel, the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the G-d who is Truth then we should not subscribe to or fear superstitious nonsense. Messiah intimately knew the Father and declared that He and the Father were one (John 10:30). There was no room in that relationship for superstition and, as disciples of the Master, we should not allow it into our lives either.

Divination and soothsaying seeks after knowledge of the future and fails to trust in the sovereign authority and grace of G-d. This commandment pictures Messiah in that perfect relationship with the Father that precludes superstition.

 

How Messiah Fulfilled

Messiah fulfilled this commandment by not practice divination or soothsaying.

 

Traditional Observance

This commandment is traditionally observed by not heeding omens. At the root of this issue is faith in G-d and His grace and sovereign authority over all things.

 

Other Notes

We are able to fulfill this commandment today and should not practice divination or soothsaying. This includes entertainment such as fortunetellers, horoscopes, Ouija boards, tarot card readers, etc.

 

This commandment's prohibition against augury is reiterated in Deuteronomy 18:10.

 

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Footnotes

1. superstition. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved August 06, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/superstition [back]

Commandment Details

  • Mishneh Torah # 60
  • Mishneh Torah Book # 1
  • Mishneh Torah Book Knowledge
  • Mishneh Torah Category 4- Idolatry and Gentile Customs
  • Reference Leviticus 19:26
  • Scripture Book Leviticus
  • Chapter 19
  • Verse 26
  • English You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying.
  • Hebrew כו לֹא תֹאכְלוּ, עַל-הַדָּם; לֹא תְנַחֲשׁוּ, וְלֹא תְעוֹנֵנוּ.
  • Greek 26 Μὴ ἔσθετε ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων καὶ οὐκ οἰωνιεῖσθε οὐδὲ ὀρνιθοσκοπήσεσθε.
  • Parashah 30- Kedoshim
  • Positive/Negative Negative
  • Sefer Hachinuch # 250
  • Sef. Hach. Command The prohibition against the practice of conjuring
  • Category Idolatry
  • We can fulfill today Yes

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