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Question: Is Psychokinesis allowed in Judaism?
Full question: Is
Psychokinesis allowed in Judaism? As long as it is sourced not from
evil, but from God, either naturally or a divine gift, is there anything
in the Jewish religion that would forbid a Jew from possessing and
using psychokinesis, such as to move rubble after an earthquake or to
defend Israel? — James A. Conrad, March 6, 2012
"A: I am not aware of the phenomenon as a
scientific reality, but if in theory a person had this ability and did
not do anything forbidden (witchcraft?) to acquire this ability, then I
would say it is a gift from God and the person should use his
'super-power' wisely."
— Rabbi Moshe Newman, Israel, March 7, 2012, AskTheRabbi.org - Judaism Q & A Online
Source: Email on file.
"A: Use of psychokinesis is generally disallowed.
There are exceptions such as the cases that you mentioned, whereby
human lives can be saved."
— Rabbi P. Waldman, Israel, March 9, 2012, Ask the Rabbi, Aish.com
Source: Email on file.
"A: These abilities you speak of are
manipulations of the natural order, which according to Kabbalah are
really miraculous and a constant feat of creation by G-d. Just that it
happens so consistently we take it for granted. However, the righteous
who labor for years to attain holiness and total attachment to G-d, His
will and wisdom, and total observance of Judaism are granted abilities
to influence the natural order. But this is not public or known or
publicized. Technically it's possible, yet the world doesn't exist to
play games, rather to reveal G-d, and that's why such abilities are
entrusted only to the righteous."
— Rabbi Zalman Nelson, Israel, March 12, 2012, Ask the Rabbi, Chabad.org
Source: Email on file.
Other published research:
"Commenting on the law of the mekhashef in the Mishnah, Abbaye
(278-338) remarks (Sanhedrin 6713) that with regard to magical practices
there are three separate categories:
- The actual performance of the magical act, for which, as the Mishnah states, there is full culpability.
- Deceiving the eyes, for which there is no full culpability but which is nonetheless forbidden, according to Abbaye.
- White magic, performed by a perusal of the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation) i.e. to bring something into being by means of certain divine names.
It is permitted to use these supernatural means even in the first
instance. Thus, resort to white magic is permitted; to deceive the eyes
is forbidden but there is no culpability, and to perform by sorcery a
magical act is to be culpable. ... When we turn to the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'Ah 179:15)
we find the ruling that ochez et haenyim is forbidden but that it is
permitted to perform 'white magic' by means of the Sefer Yetzirah."
— Rabbi Louis Jacobs (1920-2006), United Kingdom, Masorti Journal, 1993.
Source 1: Masorti Journal, 1993, "When Magicians Get in a Pickle Over Cucumbers" by Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs.
James A. Conrad comments:
Judaism. My analysis is that, for an observant
Jew, PK openly claimed to be sourced from God and used for righteous
acts and the defense of Judaism would be permitted; PK sourced from evil
is "sorcery," deception, and forbidden; and PK done as entertainment is
generally allowed as long as the magician or illusionist does not claim
it to be real. Thus, in my opinion, the government of Israel, or any
individual Jew or group of Jews worldwide, could, if they were so
inclined, pursue psychokinesis research with the intended goal of using
it to defend Judaism and Israel one day if needed and only if it were
done in the name of the Jewish God and, as such, it would not be a
violation of Jewish religious law.
Islam. Note that the same conditional uses
appear to apply to Muslims and the Islamic faith, though more
controversially and dangerously in many extremist Muslim-majority
countries where an accusation of witchcraft or sorcery can result in a
death sentence, as opposed to a Muslim or group of Muslims, say, living
in a free and open country with a Muslim population researching and
attempting to acquire psychokinetic abilities.
Christianity, Islam, Judaism. Note also that
for all three religions, the knowledge and practice of making and using
knives, swords, arrows, spears, guns, mines, bombs, tanks, missiles, and
nuclear weapons have long been interpreted and judged not to violate
religious laws and that defensive weapons are routinely used around the
world to protect Holy sites and religious leaders in Christianity,
Islam, and Judaism.
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