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Is Astrology forbidden?
#4
rabbiyitz Wrote:Astrology as a science or a tool for understanding one's personal characteristics and natural tendencies is not forbidden for Noahides.

According to the Rambam, astrology is not a science, but itself a divination, whether forecasting events or "reading" one's character in constellations. Nothing of the sort is written in the stars, and it is a figment of the imagination to think it is. So the Rambam does not make the difference you make here between forcasting events or reading one's character, especially since reading one's "natural tendencies" preconditions what the stars are supposed to tell us to do!

Moreover in the Laws of Kings and Wars chapter IX, the Rambam writes: "Any type of idolatry for which Israel is put to death, so is a Ben Noah put to death. Any type for which Israel is not put to death [as is the case for astrology], neither is a Ben Noah. However, in spite of the fact he is not condemned to death, it is all forbidden ... " (emphasis and parenthesis added)

The idea that astrology is not forbidden to Bnei Noah is based on the opinion that "Shituf" (associating the Name of God to anything else) is not forbidden to Gentiles, but this opinion was only expressed to placate the Church. The Law I quoted above denies that.
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Messages In This Thread
Is Astrology forbidden? - by ProudNoachide - 10-22-2007, 02:45 AM
RE: Is Astology forbidden? - by rabbiyitz - 10-22-2007, 05:19 AM
RE: Is Astology forbidden? - by Sabra - 06-30-2010, 06:13 PM
RE: Is Astrology forbidden? - by pearsbent - 02-16-2010, 05:10 PM

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