Astrology has been a topic of debate among Jews for over 2000 years. While not a Jewish practice or teaching as such, astrology made its way into Jewish thought, as evidenced by the many references to it in the Talmud. Astrological statements became accepted and worthy of debate and discussion by Torah scholars. Opinions varied: many accepted its validity and considered its practice meaningful and a mitzvah. While other rabbis rejected astrology's validity.
Genesis 1:14God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of Heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be signs for the seasons, and for days and years.
In the modern era, science has been favored in academia, many Jewish institutional scholars favor scientific ideas over archaic religious ones that conflict with scientific ideas such as astrology. Many devout religious Jews outside of secular academia advance pro-astrology views that were unrivaled in premodern times.
In premodern periods, astrology was known as ḥakhemat ham-mazzalot (), "the science of the constellations".The Planets, The Jews, and the Beginnings of 'Jewish Astrology', Reimund Leicht
Archaeology There are a numerous remarkably well-preserved zodiac mosaics in ancient synagogues from the late pre-Christian to early Christian era, either as part of greater tableaux as at Beth Alpha, or alone. The layout is such: a solar deity, presumed to be Helios rather than Shamash, surrounded by the twelve signs on a roundel, cornered into a square by the four seasons."12 personifications of the solar months, 12 zodiac signs representing the lunar months"
In the Hebrew Bible Astrology is too often confused with astrolatry which is explicitly forbidden in the TorahExodus 20:4-5; Deuteronomy 4:19. The Late Rabbi Joel C. Dobin wrote an apology for Ancient Israelite astrology proving its integration into prose and poetic content of the Hebrew Bible.Joel C. Robin The Astrological Secrets of the Hebrew Sages: To Rule Both Day and Night Inner Traditions International Ltd. 1977.
Astrology was an integral feature of Israelite society. Josephus addresses Israelite astrology by the following remarks: Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοὺς περὶ τῶν οὐρανίων τε καὶ θείων πρώτους παρ' Ἕλλησι φιλοσοφήσαντας, οἷον Φερεκύδην τε τὸν Σύριον καὶ Πυθαγόραν καὶ Θάλητα, πάντες συμφώνως ὁμολογοῦσιν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ Χαλδαίων γενομένους μαθητὰς ὀλίγα συγγράψαι, καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς Ἕλλησιν
Translation But of those among them who first introduced concerning celestial and Gods, and Greek philosophy such as Pherkydes the Syrian and Pythagoras and Thales, it is generally agreed that whatever they knew was learned from the Egyptians and Chaldeans; what little these wrote is reckoned to be the oldest of all writings among the Greeks;Against Apion Book 1 https://www.biblical.ie/page.php?fl=josephus/Apion-Gk1#01
Ἐνέφαινον δ' οἱ μὲν ἑπτὰ λύχνοι τοὺς πλανήτας: τοσοῦτοι γὰρ ἀπ' αὐτῆς διῄρηντο τῆς λυχνίας: οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης ἄρτοι δώδεκα τὸν ζῳδιακὸν κύκλον καὶ τὸν ἐνιαυτόν.
Translation 217 The seven lamps, for such were the branches rising from the candlestick, meant the seven planets, and the twelve loaves upon the table meant the circle of the zodiac and the year.Wars of the Judeans Book 5 chap 5 https://www.biblical.ie/page.php?fl=josephus/War/JWG5#05
In the Book of Judges 5:20 the Stars are described as supporting a favorable outcome for Israel. מן־שׁמים נלחמוּ הכּוכבים ממּסלּותם נלחמוּ עם־סיסרא׃ שופטים 5:20 Westminster Leningrad Codex
From the sky the stars fought, From their courses they fought against Sisera. Judges 5:20 Hebrew Names Version
The Israelites were not detached from celestial activities as anti-astrology people allege. The celestial bodies also are mentioned as giving praise to The Most High in Psalm 148.
Psalmi 148:1-4Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, hg. v. Karl Elliger und Wilhelm Rudolph, fünfte, verbesserte Auflage, hg. v. Adrian Schenker, © 1977 und 1997 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart https://www.die-bibel.de/en/bible/BHS/PSA.148.1-PSA.148.4
Psalmi 148The Hebrew Names Version is based off the World English Bible, an update of the American Standard Version of 1901. This version of the Bible is in the public domain. Psa 148:1 WLC - הללוּ יהּ הללוּ את־יהוה מן־השּׁמים הללוּהוּ בּמּרומים׃ Praise YHWH! Praise YHWH from the heavens! Praise Him in the heights! - Psa 148:1 HNV Psa 148:2 WLC - הללוּהוּ כל־מלאכיו הללוּהוּ כּל־צבאיו׃ Praise Him, all His angels! Praise Him, all His host! - Psa 148:2 HNV Psa 148:3 WLC - הללוּהוּ שׁמשׁ וירח הללוּהוּ כּל־כּוכבי אור׃ Praise Him, Sun and Moon! Praise Him, all you shining Stars! - Psa 148:3 HNV Psa 148:4 WLC - הללוּהוּ שׁמי השּׁמים והמּים אשׁר מעל השּׁמים׃ Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, You waters that are above the heavens. - Psa 148:4 HNV
Psalm 19:1-6Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, hg. v. Karl Elliger und Wilhelm Rudolph, fünfte, verbesserte Auflage, hg. v. Adrian Schenker, © 1977 und 1997 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart https://www.die-bibel.de/en/bible/BHS/PSA.19.1-PSA.19.6The Hebrew Names Version is based off the World English Bible, an update of the American Standard Version of 1901. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. - Psa 19:1 HNV הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד־אֵ֑ל וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ׃ The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. - Psa 19:2 HNV י֣וֹם לְ֭יוֹם יַבִּ֣יעַֽ אֹ֑מֶר וְלַ֥יְלָה לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה יְחַוֶּה־דָּֽעַת׃ Day after day they pour forth speech, And night after night they display knowledge. - Psa 19:3 HNV אֵֽין־אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם׃ There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard. Psa 19:4 HNV בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ יָ֘צָ֤א קַוָּ֗ם וּבִקְצֵ֣ה תֵ֭בֵל מִלֵּיהֶ֑ם לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ שָֽׂם־אֹ֥הֶל בָּהֶֽם׃ Their voice has gone out through all the eretz, Their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, - Psa 19:5 HNV :וְה֗וּא כְּ֭חָתָן יֹצֵ֣א מֵחֻפָּת֑וֹ יָשִׂ֥ישׂ כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר לָר֥וּץ אֹֽרַח Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, Like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. - Psa 19:6 HNV מִקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ מֽוֹצָא֗וֹ וּתְקוּפָת֥וֹ עַל־קְצוֹתָ֑ם וְאֵ֥ין נִ֝סְתָּ֗ר מֵֽחַמָּתוֹ׃ His going forth is from the end of the heavens, His circuit to its ends; There is nothing hidden from its heat. - Psa 19:7 HNV
The Torah appears to contain no references to astrology, and in the Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). Only obscure references to Babylonian astrologers exist.Alexander Altmann, ‘Astrology’, in Encyclopedia Judaica (Jerusalem: Keter, 1973, Vol. 3), p. 788.
עֹשֵׂ֨ה כִימָ֜ה וּכְסִ֗יל וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ לַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ צַלְמָ֔וֶת וְי֖וֹם לַ֣יְלָה הֶחְשִׁ֑יךְ הַקּוֹרֵ֣א לְמֵֽי־הַיָּ֗ם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ יְהוָ֥ה שְׁמֽוֹ׃ ס עמוס 5:8
Seek Him who made the Peleides and Orion and turn the shadow of death into dawn, also the day night darkness who calls to the waters of the sea while they pour out upon the face of the land: YHWH is His name. Amos 5:8
Those who oppose astrology allege that astrology was forbidden through eisegetical methods. The opposition to astrology had its origins in the "Age of Reason" or "Enlightenment" which centered European patricians as the arbiters of knowledge. Science was the result of that so-called Enlightenment era. Since stars cannot be controlled by men, science replaced astrology with a subjective discipline: astronomy. Eventually alchemy was replaced with chemistry and biology. Physics was redesigned to feature their man-made "Laws of motion" and so on.
Many religious institutions in the modernist era forbade astrology from being referenced in biblical discourses. The following remarks are examples of such erroneous historical revisionism: As far as [it] can be known from the Bible, astrology was not practiced in ancient Israel during the First Temple period.Isaac Mendelsohn, ‘Astrology’, The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, edited by Keith R. Crim and George A. Buttrick (Abingdon Press, 1979), Vol. I, p. 304.Frederick H. Cryer, Divination in Ancient Israel and Its Near Eastern Environment: A Socio-Historical Investigation (JSOT Press, Sheffield, 1994), p. 321
These commandments are understood by some rabbinic authorities as forbidding astrology, while others limit these mitzvot to other forms of esoteric practices, and thus view astrology as permissible.
The Hebrew word mazzalot, which literally means "constellations", is used twice in the Hebrew Bible.See Book of Job 38:31-33, & II Kings 23:5 Specific constellations are also mentioned, such as Orion, named "Kesil" 'fool'; possibly etymologically connected with Kislev, the name for the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, 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. It 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").
The prophets were non-determinists with respect to star-gazers' inauspicious reports, e.g., in Isaiah 47:13 and Jeremiah 10:2. Astrologers from Mesopotamia were called Kasdim/Kasdin (Chaldeans) in the Book of Daniel. In rabbinic literature, the term Chaldeans later was often used as a synonym for astrologer.
In the Second Temple period For most of the Second Temple period, discussion of the planets in Jewish literature was extremely rare. Some historians hold that astrology slowly entered the Jewish community in the Hellenistic period. In prophesizing on the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Sibylline Oracles praise Jewish ancestors who "have no concern about the course of the sun's revolution, nor the moon's [..] Nor soothsayers, nor wizards, nor enchanters [...] Neither do they astrologize with skill of the Chaldeans, nor astronomize; O For these are all deceptive";Sibylline oracles 3:271-281 although the author of the Encyclopaedia Judaica article on astrology holds that this view is mistaken.
The early historian Josephus censures the people for ignoring what he thought were signs foreshadowing the destruction of the Temple.Wars of the Jews 6:5, §3
There are many references to astrology in the apocrypha. The Book of Jubilees said that Abraham overcame the beliefs of astrologers by accepting one God.
In the Talmudic period In early classical rabbinic works written in the land of Israel (Jerusalem Talmud and midrash compilations) astrologers are known as astrologos and astrologiyya. In early classical rabbinic works written in Babylonia, astrologers were called kaldiyyim, kalda'ei, and iztagninin.Ancient Jewish History: Astrology
Is astrology valid?
The most popular form of astrological belief in this period was to regard certain periods of time as lucky or unlucky. For example, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi listed the character traits associated with one's having been born on specific days of the week; R' Hanina dissented and said that character traits are determined by the planet under whose influence one was born.Shabbat 156a An announcement is found to the effect that it is dangerous to drink water on Tuesday and Friday evenings.Pesachim 112a Samuel of Nehardea, a physician and astrologer, taught that it was dangerous to bleed a patient on Tuesday (as well as on Monday or Thursday for a different reason), because Mars reigns at the midheaven. The new moon was likewise regarded as an unfavorable season for bleeding, as were also the third of the month and the day preceding a festival.Shabbat 129b
Ecclesiastes Rabbah states that the rulers of some non-Jewish nations were experts in astrology, and that King Solomon too had expertise in this realm.Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:23 no. 1