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Breaking a Mirror under a Ladder


Question:

Does Judaism accept “superstitions” as valid?  For example, my sister just celebrated her birthday and someone told her “If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake all at once you’ll get your wish.”

 

 



AskTheRabbi.org answered:

No. Superstitions are just that – superstitions. They have no basis and no place in Jewish thought or practice.

The Torah states, "Do not indulge in the sorcery of nichush”i.e. determining actions based on omens. (Lev. 19:26)

This is the Torah prohibition against basing decisions on superstitions like idolaters do. The Talmud gives an example of someone making the decision not to go someplace because food fell from his mouth. In modern times the more common superstitions have to do with black cats crossing one’s path or walking under a ladder.

Judaism is based on our Torah, and our Torah is our guide for how we live and serves as the basis for our decision-making based on its logical teachings.

There is a concept that we find, however, called “segula”It refers to a certain practice that appear to not be based on logic, but that is alleged to have certain positive qualities. The Torah states, "The Lord your God has chosen you to be His Am Segula“out of all the nations on the earth" (Deuts segula-treasure? A great rabbi explained that the Torah and mitzvot of the Jewish People have an effect on them that can transcend what we perceive as nature, enabling their prayers to be answered in a special way. For example, we are taught that giving charity protects from natural death, sanctifying the new moon protects from unnatural death and dwelling in the succah protects from exile.

In summary, Judaism does not accept superstitions and teaches that we act in a logical and moral way — a way that is befitting a holy nation which received the Torah more than 3,300 years ago and continues to live by it.

 

 

 


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