After a recent push from school administrators, Palette will discontinue its horoscopes column. Over its several-year span, the column explored favorite hot beverages, household locations, Pesach seder stages, and even constitutional amendments based on zodiac signs. Since admin concerns over Palette\u2019s horoscopes spreads were religious in nature, the following article hopes to inspire conversation about Judaism\u2019s approach to horoscopes and astrology more broadly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you were born under Mars, the Talmud in Shabbat 156a offers a choice: become a thief, a surgeon, a butcher, or even a mohel. Chazal reasons that the hour of birth makes a tangible impact on personality, so if you were born under the constellation of Mars, you will naturally be an aggressive person. Though the Gemara believes that one\u2019s character is in part written in the stars, it also states that one can control or channel natural-born qualities. A person born under Mars, for example, chooses to manifest their fervor positively (as a surgeon, butcher, mohel, etc.) or negatively (as a thief, murderer, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Modern day horoscopes have a similar premise to the Talmud\u2019s temperament forecasts. Horoscope columns offer personality assessments and make predictions based on the position of celestial bodies at the time of a person\u2019s birth. These interpretations are based on 12 zodiac signs, codified by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in Ancient Greece, which correspond to 12 constellations that appear to cross the sun for a month at a time each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, the zodiac signs have their own Hebrew names and get significant air time in Rabbinic literature. They align nicely with the 12 Hebrew calendar months, and some of the zodiac symbols, such as the ram for Aries in Nissan, correspond to biblical symbols such as the paschal lamb. In the Midrash Esther Rabbah, Haman consults the Hebrew calendar and zodiac signs to determine which month would be best for annihilating the Jewish people. He ultimately lands on Adar (or Pisces). Unlike signs such as Scorpio, which aligns with the high holiday season, or Aquarius, whose water-carrier symbol matches Moshe\u2019s ability to draw water for the Israelites in the desert, Haman concludes that the fish of Pisces has no biblical allusions, making it a fitting time to carry out his plot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a biblical level, however, the Torah includes verses that seem to expressly prohibit astrology. In Devarim perek 18, the Torah forbids consulting soothsayers, diviners, and sorcerers, calling such people abhorrent to God (to\u2019avat Hashem<\/em>). In the very next passuk, the Torah says that one must be wholehearted (tamim<\/em>) with Hashem your God, which the Talmud in Pesachim 113b interprets as a positive commandment of absolute faith in God and a prohibition of attempting to predict the future. Moreover, the Shulchan Aruch, the major halachic guidebook, rules against getting advice from astrologers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite this ruling, the Talmud discusses the concept of mazal<\/em> (luck, often due to celestial influences) at length. In Taanit 29a, the Gemara advises against court cases in Av, when the mazal<\/em> is bad, saying that one should postpone until the month of Adar, which has better mazal<\/em>. Additionally, in masechet Shabbat, Rabbi Chanina claims \u201cyesh mazal l\u2019Yisrael,\u201d meaning that Jews are bound to effects dictated by astrology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The attention that the Gemara gives astrology seems at odds with the Torah’s explicit prohibitions against practices like divination and soothsaying. To reconcile this inconsistency between Jewish law and thought, we must understand that just because the Gemara believes in the truthfulness of astrology, it does not mean that it endorses it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Rabbi Chanina claims \u201cyesh mazal l\u2019Yisrael,\u201d the halacha goes according to Rabbi Yochanan, who rules \u201cayn mazal l\u2019Yisrael\u201d (the constellations do not influence the Jewish people). In support of Rabbi Yochanan\u2019s opinion, the Gemara cites the case of Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak. Astrologers once told his mother that he was destined to become a thief, so she insisted he cover his head and maintain constant fear of Heaven. One day, when Rabbi Nachman\u2019s head covering fell off, he stole a bundle of dates from a tree. Even though Rav Nachman had an inborn inclination to steal, he was able to overcome that desire with fear of Heaven until his head covering fell off, and he suddenly felt urged to steal. Thus, according to \u201cayn mazal l\u2019Yisrael,\u201d astrological predispositions are true, but Judaism encourages one to overcome natural tendencies by living a Torah-guided lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, the Ran elaborates that mazal <\/em>predisposes but does not entirely compel an individual. He says one\u2019s soul can keep bad inclinations in check or even turn evil dispositions better (by channeling one\u2019s aggressive tendencies as a surgeon, butcher, or mohel, for example).<\/p>\n\n\n\n As another example of \u201cayn mazal l\u2019Yisrael,\u201d the Gemara cites a parable about Avraham Avinu. After consulting his astrological map, Avraham asks Hashem how he will be able to have a child. Hashem responds that Avraham should \u201cemerge from astrology\u201d because he is capable of more. As a verse in Yirmiyahu states, \u201cThus said the Lord: Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of Heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.\u201d Judaism cautions against relying on astrology and instead recommends superseding the inborn limitations that astrology identifies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This caution against astrology stems from the Jewish belief in a direct relationship with God. Though the Gemara agrees that celestial influences exist and that God operates through middle managers such as the stars, time, or angels, it concludes that we must not look to manipulate the system or predict the future with astrology. The Midrash Eichah Rabbah 3:8 compares this idea to a king with subordinates such as generals, captains, and commanders. Many turn to these middle managers, but the wise citizen goes straight to the king: \u201cLikewise, some idolatry worships the sun, some the moon, and some wood and stone. But Israel worships only the Holy One, blessed be He.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do modern-day horoscopes apply?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a letter to the sages of Marseilles, The Rambam entirely rejects modern astrology, calling it rootless, misleading, and speculative with insufficient scientific backing. He equates astrology with idol worship, saying it is unacceptable to say that celestial bodies govern our actions because that denies the existence of free choice and human decision making. He refutes the credence given to astrology in the Gemara, arguing that the particular statements made in the Talmud no longer apply in current contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The divergence between astrology and astronomy helps clarify why Talmudic discussions about celestial bodies might not align with modern horoscopes. Over time, as astrology separated from the scientific community, it shifted from analyzing astronomical phenomena to offering error-bound speculations and personality assessments. Often, horoscopes fail to encapsulate one\u2019s entire character and mislead readership. Today, many turn to horoscopes for affirmation instead of growth. Readers might recognize traits they admire in themselves in horoscope columns and overlook negative qualities and suggestions for self-improvement. This contrasts with the Jewish principle of \u201cayn mazal l\u2019Yisrael,\u201d because instead of seeking opportunities to grow, one might just confirm their existing strengths and even find excuses for their weaknesses when reading horoscopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ramban, on the other hand, takes a more moderate view. He acknowledges that astrology is generally authentic but that Jews should not outwardly look for horoscopes. Astrology is not a type of divination forbidden by the Torah, but because God is omnipotent and can override astrological decrees, one need not consult their horoscope and should have faith and confidence in God (tamim tehiyeh im Hashem Elokecha<\/em>). Nevertheless, Ramban states one should perform mitzvot and pray to subvert a foreboding astrological prediction if they encounter one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although many horoscopes make forecasts and give advice based on zodiac signs, Palette<\/em>\u2019s column was entirely light-hearted, meant as a playful discussion of preferences categorized by birth date and zodiac. Nevertheless, a horoscope column, even if done in a potentially permissible way without crossing lines of divination or disregarding the command of \u201ctamim tehiyeh,\u201d naturally lies in the gray area of astrology. This is similar to the concept of \u201cavak avodah zarah.\u201d Certain practices, though not overtly idol worship, are similar enough that they are considered light<\/em> avodah zarah. For example, the Gemara in Pesachim 25a forbids one from healing through the ashiera<\/em> tree because it is commonly associated with idolatry, and people might attribute recovery to the plant in a worship-like manner. So too, the \u201cworshipers\u201d of horoscopes might attribute their accuracy to astrological foresight and lose sight of God\u2019s role behind nature\u2019s veneer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Rambam, the Ramban, and other commentators debate whether astrology is explicitly forbidden. Regardless, Judaism generally discourages horoscopes, not necessarily because of outright prohibitions. Instead, it is more likely due to the risk of leading individuals away from monotheistic faith in God alone and creating stumbling blocks in the path to personal growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Palette Concludes its Astrological Musings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":2464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"A 2019 issue of Palette's horoscopes column \/\/ Photo by Oliver Mason","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-torah","entry","rows"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_3484-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2463"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2465,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions\/2465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/palette.atljewishacademy.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}