משנה: הַנּוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּוֹלֶךְ אֵינוֹ חַיָיב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסוֹר לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְיַעֲבִיר בָּאֵשׁ. מָסַר לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְלֹא הֶעֱבִיר בָּאֵשׁ. הֶעֱבִיר בָּאֵשׁ וְלֹא מָסַר לַמּוֹלֶךְ אֵינוֹ חַיָיב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסוֹר לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְיַעֲבִיר בָּאֵשׁ. בַּעַל אוֹב זֶה פִיתוֹם וְהַמְדַבֵּר מִשֶּׁחְיוֹ וְיִדְּעוֹנִי זֶה הַמְדַבֵּר בְּפִיו. הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ בִסְקִילָה וְהַנִּשְׁאָל בָּהֶן בְּאַזְהָרָה: MISHNAH: One who gives any of his descendants to the Moloch is only guilty if he delivers him to the Moloch and makes him pass through fire. If he delivered him to the Moloch but did not make him pass through fire, or made him pass though fire but did not deliver him to the Moloch, is only guilty if he delivers him to the Moloch and makes him pass through fire. The necromancer is the Πύθων285Πύθων, -ωνος, ὁ, “the serpent Python”, a spirit of divination. The plural πύθωνες “ventriloquists”. and one who286In the Babli and the independent Mishnah mss: the Πύθων who speaks from his armpit. speaks from his armpit. The medium58Lev. 20:27. The necromancer is the person who raises the spirits of the dead; cf. 1S. 28. The medium is one who incorporates a spirit which predicts the future, speaking from the medium’s body, not his mouth. speaks through his mouth. These are stoned but one who consults them is forewarned.287While turning to necromancers and fortune-tellers is repeatedly forbidden (Lev. 19:31, Deut. 18:10–11), no punishment is spelled out in the biblical text.
הלכה: הַנּוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּוֹלֶךְ. אַזְהָרָה לַנּוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּוֹלֶךְ מְנַיִין. וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר לַמּוֹלֶךְ. כָּרֵת מְנַיִין. כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְנִכְרְתָה. עוֹנֶשׁ מְנַיִין. אִישׁ אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן הַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִּזַּרְעוֹ לַמּוֹלֶךְ מוֹת יוּמָת עַם הָאָרֶץ יִרְגְּמוּהוּ בָאָבֶן. וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן. יָכוֹל אֲפִילוּ מָסַר וְלֹא הֶעֱבִיר יְהֵא חַיָיב. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר. יָכוֹל אֲפִילוּ מָסַר וְהֶעֱבִיר שֶׁלֹּא לַמּוֹלֶךְ יְהֵא חַיָיב. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר לַמּוֹלֶךְ. יָכוֹל אֲפִילוּ מָסַר וְהֶעֱבִיר לַמּוֹלֶךְ שֶׁלֹּא בָאֵשׁ יְהֵא חַיָיב. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ. עֲבָרָה עֲבָרָה לִגְזֵירָה שָׁוָה. מָה הָעֲבָרָה שֶׁנֶאֶמְרָה לְהַלָּן בָּאֵשׁ אַף כָּאן בָּאֵשׁ. נִמְצֵאתָה אוֹמֵר. לְעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ חַיָיב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסוֹר וְיַעֲבִיר בָּאֵשׁ לַמּוֹלֶךְ. רִבִּי נָסָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לָעְזָר. לְעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ מִתְחַיֵיב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסְרֶנּוּ לַכּוֹמָרִים וְיַטִּלֶינּוּ וְיַעֲבִירֶנּוּ. הֶעֱבִירוֹ כְדַרְכּוֹ מָהוּ. תַּנֵּי. הָיָה מוֹשְׁכוֹ וּמַעֲבִירוֹ. תַּנֵּי. הֶעֱבִירוֹ בְרַגְלוֹ פָטוּר. רִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מְחַיֵיב. אֶחָד הַמּוֹלֶךְ וְאֶחָד שְׁאָר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. רִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. אֵינוֹ חַיָיב אֶלָּא לַמּוֹלֶךְ בִּלְבַד. אֵינוֹ חַיָיב אֶלָּא עַל יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵיכוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. טַעֲמָא דְרִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מֵהָכָא. לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ בְּגוּפְךָ לֹא יִמָּצֵא מַעֲבִיר. וְהִכְרַתִּי אוֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ. לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְהִיכָּרֵת. עוֹנֶשׁ מְנַיִין. מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמּוֹלֶךְ מוֹת יוּמָת. והוּא שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר עַצְמוֹ. לֹא בְרַגְלוֹ הוּא עוֹבֵר. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר אֶת עַצְמוֹ. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה מוֹשֵׁךְ בּוֹ וּמַעֲבִירוֹ חַיָיב. מָה הִיא דְאָמַר רִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. הֶעֱבִירוֹ בְרַגְלוֹ פָטוּר. בְּהוּא דְאֲעַבְרֵיהּ מִזְקָר. HALAKHAH: “One who gives any of his descendants to the Moloch.” From where a warning not to give any of his descendants to the Moloch? Do not give any of your descendants to the Moloch288Lev. 18:21.. Extirpation from where? For he gave one of his descendants to the Moloch289Lev. 20:3and shall be extirpated290A wrong quote from Lev. 20:5. It should read: I shall extirpate him.. Punishment from where? Each one of the Children of Israel, or of the sojourner in Israel, who would give any of his descendants to the Moloch shall be made to die; the people of the Land shall smash him with stones291Lev. 20:2.. Do not give any of your descendants, I could think that he was guilty if he handed over but did not make him pass292In the interpretation of the Talmudim, the child was handed over to the Moloch priests and then made to pass or be carried between two fires. It is not assumed that the child was burned since that would be murder which in itself is a capital crime and would obviate the discussion of the exact conditions which make Moloch worship a capital crime. In the Babli, 64b, it is assumed that there is one fire in a ditch and the Moloch worship requires to jump, not to walk, over the fire. This interpretation also is possible for the Yerushalmi.
The paragraphs have a parallel in the Babli, 64b, partially with different attributions.; the verse says: Do not give any of your descendants to pass through. I could think that he was guilty if he handed over and made him pass through but not for the Moloch; the verse says: Do not give any of your descendants to pass through for the Moloch293Since passing through (or jumping over) fire is characteristic for Moloch worship and not part of worship of Heaven, doing this for any other deity is forbidden foreign worship, subject to divine extirpation, but not a prosecutable capital crime.. I could think that he was guilty if he handed over and made him pass through for the Moloch but without fire; the verse says: among you, nobody should be found to make his son or his daughter pass through fire294Deut. 18:10. In the Moloch paragraphs in Lev., the nature of “passing through” is never spelled out; by the doctrine of invariability of lexemes it is only made definite in this quote. Sifra Qedošim Parašah 10(3).. Passing through, passing through as an equal cut295Cf. 3:10, Note 158.. Since “passing through” mentioned there is through fire, so “passing through” mentioned here also is through fire. You have to say that he is not guilty unless he handed over and made him pass through fire for the Moloch. Rebbi Nasa in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: He is guilty only if he hand him over to the priests, takes him, and makes him pass. What if he lets him walk normally? It was stated: one was drawing him and made him pass through. It was stated: if he made him walk through on his feet he is not prosecutable296Babli 64b. In neither Talmud is it totally clear whether father or priests make the child pass through or over the fire.. Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon declares him guilty. Whether for the Moloch or for any other foreign worship; Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon says, he is guilty only for the Moloch297Babli 64a., he is guilty only for his descendants. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon’s reason is from here: It shall not be found in you298The word בְּךָ in Deut. 18:10 is read as in you; this is interpreted to describe one’s bodily issue, the children., from your body you should not be found making pass through. I shall extirpate him … from among his people299A not quite correct quote from Lev. 20:5.. To include all other foreign worship for extirpation300In the Moloch paragraph Lev. 20:1–5 extirpation is mentioned twice, in vv. 3 and 5. One refers to Moloch worship; the other then must refer to any other worship using fire. Sifra Qedošim Parašah 10(15).. From where punishment? Of his descendants he gave to the Moloch289Lev. 20:3, death he shall be made to die291Lev. 20:2., if he made him pass through himself. Does he not pass through on his feet? Because he made him pass through himself, but if he was drawing him and made him pass through, he is guilty. What does Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon mean, if he made him walk through on his feet he is not prosecutable? He has to make him pass through jumping.
רִבִּי בּוּן בַּר חִיָיה בְּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי זְעִירָא. מְסַר וְלֹא הֶעֱבִיר תַּפְלוּגְתָא דְּחִזְקִיָּה וְדְּרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. דְאִיתְפָּלְּגוֹן. טָבַח וְלֹא מָכַר. חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר חַיָיב. וְרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר פָּטוּר. Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya asked before Rebbi Zeˋira: If he handed over but did not make to pass through,301At the start of the Halakhah it was noted that if somebody handed over his child to the Moloch priests but did not make him pass over the fire, he is not guilty under the Moloch paragraph. One has to read that to mean that the intent had been for a full Moloch ceremony but that for some reason it was not executed. Then the question here is, whether there is any guilt in handing over the child knowing that the ceremony cannot be performed. is that the disagreement between Ḥizqiah and Rebbi Joḥanan? Fore they disagreed: If he slaughtered but did not sell, Ḥizqiah said he is liable, but Rebbi Joḥanan said, he is not liable302The thief of livestock who slaughters and sells stolen animals is liable to fourfold or fivefold restitution (Ex. 21 :37). The question arises whether stealing and slaughtering an animal which cannot be sold, e. g., one dedicated as a sacrifice but still in its owner's hand, triggers liability for quadruple or only double restitution. The problem is not mentioned elsewhere; a related one is in Ševuot 8:8. The comparison of civil and criminal law is unfounded; the question merits no answer..
רִבִּי בָּא רִבִּי חִיָיה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. רְאֵה לָשׁוֹן שֶׁלִּימַּדְתָּךְ הַתּוֹרָה. מוֹלֶךְ. כָּל שֶׁתַּמְלִיכֵהוּ עָלֶיךָ. אֲפִילוּ קִיסֵּם אֲפִילוּ צְרוֹר. וְהִכְרַתִּי אוֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ. לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּהִיכָּרֵת. רִבִּי נָסָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לָעְזָר. לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה לְבָנִים וּלְבָנוֹת. דְּתַנֵּי. אֶחָד הַמּוֹלֶךְ וְאֶחָד שְׁאָר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. בֵּין שֶׁעָבְדָהּ בְּבָנִים וּבְבָנוֹת בֵּין שֶׁעָבְדָהּ בְּאָבוֹת וּבְאִמָּהוֹת. חַיָיב. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָה. בְּשֶׁאֵין עֲבוֹדָתָהּ לָכֵן. אֲבָל אִם הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדָתָהּ לָכֵן פָּטוּר. אָמַר רִבִּי הִילָא. אֲפִילוּ עֲבוֹדָתָהּ לָכֵן חַיָיב שְׁתַּיִם. מַתְנִיתָא מְסַיְיעָא לְרִבִּי הִילָא. מוֹלֶךְ בִּכְלַל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיָה וְיָצָא לִידוֹן לְהָקֵל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא חַיָיב אֶלָּא עַל יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵיכוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּם בַּר יִרְמְיָה. אַתְיָיא דְּרִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּשִׁיטַּת רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָבִיו. כְּמָה דְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר. מוֹלֶךְ בִּכְלַל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיָה. יָצָא לִידוֹן לְהָקֵל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא חַיָיב אֶלָּא עַל יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵיכוֹ. כֵּן רִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר. בִּכְלַל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיָה. יָצָא לִידוֹן לְהָקֵל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא חַיָיב אֶלָּא עַל יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵיכוֹ. Rebbi Abba bar Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan303In the Babli, 64a, this is a tannaïtic statement attributed to R. Hanina ben Antigonos.: Look at the expression which the Torah taught you, Moloch; anything that you make king over yourself, even a chip of wood, even a pebble304Since the root mlk of “Moloch” means “to rule”.. I shall extirpate him from amidst his people, to include all other foreign worship in extirpation300In the Moloch paragraph Lev. 20:1–5 extirpation is mentioned twice, in vv. 3 and 5. One refers to Moloch worship; the other then must refer to any other worship using fire. Sifra Qedošim Parašah 10(15).. Rebbi Nasa in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: to include all other foreign worship relating to sons and daughters, as it was stated: He is guilty whether for the Moloch or any other foreign worship, whether he worshipped them with sons and daughters, or worshipped them with fathers and mothers. Rebbi Zeˋira said: if its worship did not prescribe this; but if its worship did prescribe it, he is free from prosecution305He holds that Moloch worship is defined by its rules, not by the name given to the deity being worshipped. Since R. Eleazar ben R. Simeon was quoted earlier that in Moloch worship one is guilty only for his descendants; if the rules of worship require descendants, the rules of Moloch worship apply. But if the Moloch rules are applied to the worship of a deity whose published rules do not include the Moloch rules, then it is an act of idolatry irrespective of the nature of the participants.. Rebbi Hila said, even if its worship did prescribe it, he is twice guilty306Once for idolatry and once for following the Moloch rules.. A baraita supports Rebbi Hila: The Moloch was included in all other foreign worships; it is mentioned separately to be lenient in this regard that he be guilty only for his descendants307The following paragraph shows that this baraita must be attributed to R. Simeon.. Rebbi Tanḥum bar Jeremiah said, it follows that Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon follows the argument of his father Rebbi Simeon. Just as Rebbi Simeon said, the Moloch was included in all other foreign worships; it is mentioned separately to be lenient in this regard that he be guilty only for his descendants, so Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon said, the Moloch was included in all other foreign worships; it is mentioned separately to be lenient in this regard that he be guilty only for his descendants298The word בְּךָ in Deut. 18:10 is read as in you; this is interpreted to describe one’s bodily issue, the children..
אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּם בַּר יוּדָן. אַף עַל גַּב דְּרִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר. זִיבֵּחַ וְקִיטֵּר נִיסַּךְ בְּהֶעֱלֶם אֶחָד אֵינוֹ חַיָיב אֶלָּא אַחַת. מוֹדֶה שֶׁאִם עָבְדָהּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתָהּ כַּעֲבוֹדַת הָגָּבוֹהַּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָיב עַל כַּל אַחַת וְאַחַת. מְנַיִין שֶׁאִם עָבְדָהּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתָהּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת גָּבוֹהַּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָיב עַל כַּל אַחַת וְאַחַת. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִים. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. מַטִּיתְּנָהּ לַקֳּדָשִׁים. Rebbi Tanḥum ben Yudan said, even though Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon said254Halakhah 13, 25c l. 18, the entire argument is attributed to R. Jehudah ben Tanhum., if one sacrificed, and burned incense, and poured a libation in one forgetting255If he was oblivious to the fact that worshipping other gods was forbidden, he only has to bring one purification sacrifice. he is liable only for one; he agrees that if one worshipped it in its proper worship which is identical to the worship of Heaven like prostrating, he is liable for each single action256Applying any forms of worship of Heaven to any other purpose is sinful. Therefore, using it for pagan worship is not the same as accepting pagan rites of other forms.. From where that if one sacrificed, and burned incense, and poured a libation in one forgetting he is liable only for one; he agrees that if one worshipped it in its proper worship which is identical with the worship of Heaven like prostrating, he is liable for each single action? As Rebbi Samuel said in the name of Rebbi Zeˋira: They should not continue to offer their sacrifices to spirits257Lev. 17:7.. They said to him, turn and refer it to sacrifices.
רִבִּי יָסָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. זִיבֵּחַ לָהּ טָלֶה אֶחָד בַעַל מוּם חַיָיב. מַאי כְדוֹן. כִּדְאָמַר רִבִּי הִילָא. לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן לַיי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. כָּלַּיי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן. Rebbi Yasa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If he sacrificed a defective lamb to it, he is guilty259It is forbidden to sacrifice defective animals to God (Lev. 22:20). Nevertheless, if regular pagan worship does not include animal sacrifices but a Jew chooses to sacrifice a defective animal to that idol, he is guilty of idolatry. The Babli, Avodah zarah51a, quotes R. Abbahu in the name of R. Johanan in the opposite sense.. From where this? As Rebbi Hila said, do not do such to the the Eternal, your God260Deut. 12:4. The paragraph deals with the destruction of places of pagan worship. It is interpreted to mean that anything similar to Temple worship, even if executed in an unacceptable way, is forbidden as pagan worship. Sifry Deut. 81 follows the Yerushalmi: “Anything which cannot be sacrificed in the Temple but somebody sacrificed it as foreign worship, if its kind might be sacrificed to God he is guilty; otherwise he cannot be prosecuted.”. Anything that be for the Eternal, your God, you may not do.
אָמַר רִבִּי פִינְחָס קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בְשֵׁם רָב חִסְדָּא. הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדָתָהּ בַּבָּנִים וּבַבָּנוֹת וְעָבְדָהּ בָּאָבוֹת וּבָאִמָּהוֹת חַיָיב שְׁתַּיִם. וַהֲוָה רִבִּי זְעוּרָה חֲדִי בָהּ. סְבַר מֵימַר. בְּשִׁיטַּת רִבִּי הִילָא רָבֵּיהּ אִיתְאֲמָרַת. וְעַל דְּרִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אִיתְאֲמָרַת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וּמַה בְיָדָךְ. וְעַל דְּרַבָּנִין אִיתְאֲמָרַת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וּלְהָדָא צוֹרְכָת. Rebbi Phineas said before Rebbi Yose in the name of Rav Ḥisda308The name tradition here is impossible. R. Phineas, student of the last generation Amora R. Yose who was R. Zeˋira’s student’s student, could not have been R. Zeˋira’s discussion partner and was an unlikely source for the statement of the second generation Rav Hisda.: If its worship prescribed sons or daughters but he worshipped it with fathers or mothers, he is twice guilty. Rebbi Zeˋira enjoyed this; he thought that this was said following his teacher’s Rebbi Hila’s system and referred to Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon. He told him, what do you have in your hand? It referred to the rabbis! He answered, did you need it for this309Since the rabbis do not accept that the rules of the Moloch include any leniency, it is obvious that a person who worships any other deity by the Moloch ritual is guilty both of idolatry and of following the Moloch.?
אַזְהָרָה לְבַעַל אוֹב מְנַיִין. אַל תַּפְנוּ אֶל הָאוֹבוֹת. כָּרֵת מְנַיִין. וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּפְנֶה אֶל הָאוֹבוֹת וְאֶל הַיִּדְּעוֹנִים וגו׳. עוֹנֶשׁ מְנַיִין. וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יִהְיֶה בָהֶם אוֹב אוֹ יִדְּעוֹנִי מוֹת יוּמָתוּ. וְלָמָּה לֹא תַנִּינָן יִדְּעוֹנִי בִּכְרִיתוּת. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּכְלְלוּ כוּלָּם בְּלָאו אֶחָד אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאוֹבוֹת וגו׳. רִבִּי יָסָא בְשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. שֶׁהוּא בְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהוּא בָא מִכֹּחַ עֵשֵׂה. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעוּרָה קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יָסָא. הָכֵן לָא אֲתַא מַתְנֵי בַר נַשׁ מַתְנֵי יִדְּעוֹנִי בְּכְרִיתוּת אֶלָּא אַתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. כְּמַה דְאִישְׁתָּעֵי קִרְיָיא אִישְׁתָּעַיַית מַתְנִיתָה. אוֹב אוּ יִדְּעוֹנִי. From where the warning about the necromancer? Do not turn to the necromancers326Lev. 19:31. Here starts the discussion of the second part of the Mishnah.. From where extirpation? A person who would turn to necromancers and mediums327Lev. 20:6., etc. Punishment from where? A man or woman, impersonating a necromancer or a medium, shall be put to death328Lev. 20:27.. Why is the medium not mentioned in Keritut329Mishnah Keritut 1:1 mentions only the necromancer, not the medium.? Rebbi Ḥizqiah in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: Because they are taken together in one prohibition, do not turn to the necromancers330In all pentateuchal verses mentioning אוֹב it is paired with יִדְּעוֹנִי (the verses quoted plus Deut. 18:11). Babli 65b., etc. Rebbi Yasa in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: Because it is a prohibition implied by a positive commandment331Cf. 5:3, Note 73. This formulation does not make any sense, as indicated by R. Zeˋira’s question. It should have been formulated: Because the medium is treated as an appendix to the necromancer. The medium never creates an obligation for a purification offering if one for necromancy already was established; he cannot be mentioned in Keritut_1:1 separately from the necromancer.. Rebbi Zeˋira said before Rebbi Yasa: No person except you thought of stating the medium in this way in Keritut. He told him, because as the verse formulated it so the Mishnah formulates it, a necromancer or a medium330In all pentateuchal verses mentioning אוֹב it is paired with יִדְּעוֹנִי (the verses quoted plus Deut. 18:11). Babli 65b..
אוֹ זֶה פִיתוֹם הַמְדַבֵּר מִשֶּׁיחְיוֹ. וְיִדְּעוֹנִי זֶה הַמְדַבֵּר בְּפִיו. הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ בִסְקִילָה וְהַנִּשְׁאָל בָּהֶן בְּאַזְהָרָה. וְדוֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. זֶה הַנִּשְׁאַל בַּגּוּלְגּוֹלֶת. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. זֶה הַנִּשְׁאַל בִּזְכוּרוֹ. מַה בֵין הַנִּשְׁאַל בַּגּוּלְגּוֹלֶת לַמַּעֲלֶה בִזְכוּרוֹ. שֶׁהַנִּשְׁאַל בַּגּוּלְגּוֹלֶת עוֹלֶה כְדַרְכּוֹ וְעוֹלֶה בַשַּׁבָּת וְהַהֶדְיוֹט מַעֲלֶה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְהַמַּעֲלֶה בִזְכוּרוֹ אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה כְדַרְכּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה בַשַּׁבָּת וְאֵין הַהֶדְיוֹט מַעֲלֶה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ. “The necromancer is the πύθων285Πύθων, -ωνος, ὁ, “the serpent Python”, a spirit of divination. The plural πύθωνες “ventriloquists”. and one who286In the Babli and the independent Mishnah mss: the Πύθων who speaks from his armpit. speaks from his armpit. The medium58Lev. 20:27. The necromancer is the person who raises the spirits of the dead; cf. 1S. 28. The medium is one who incorporates a spirit which predicts the future, speaking from the medium’s body, not his mouth. speaks through his mouth. These are stoned but one who consults them is forewarned287While turning to necromancers and fortune-tellers is repeatedly forbidden (Lev. 19:31, Deut. 18:10–11), no punishment is spelled out in the biblical text.. And one who asks the dead332Deut. 18:11. No criminal sanction is spelled out for this.. 333Tosephta 10:7, explaining the term “interrogating the dead”. In the Babli, 65b, the same baraita explains the term “necromancer”. Some Tannaïm state: this is one who interrogates a skull. Some Tannaïm state: this is one who interrogates his334,The dead.173The form זְכוּר denotes, if not the penis, then the male as appendix to his sex organ. masculinity. What is the difference between one interrogated by his skull or one raised by his masculinity? The one interrogated by his skull rises normally, rises on the Sabbath, and a commoner can raise a king. But one raised by his masculinity does not rise normally335The dead appears feet up, head down., does not rise on the Sabbath, and a commoner cannot raise a king.
אָמַר רִבִּי הוּנָא. קִרְיָיא מְסַיֵיעַ לְמָאן דְּאָמַר. אוֹב זֶה הַמַּעֲלֶה בִזְכוּרוֹן. מַה טַעֲמָא. קָסֳמִי נָא לִי בָּאוֹב וְהַעֲלִי נָא לִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר אוֹמַר אֵלָיִיךָ. מַה אַתְּ שְׁמַע מִינָּהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא. מִיכָּן דַּהֲוָת יָדְעָה מִילִּין מִילִּין סַגִּין. מַאי כְדוֹן. וְהָיָה כְּאוֹב מֵאֶרֶץ קוֹלֵךְ. Rebbi Huna said, a verse supports him who said, the necromancer is the one who raises by his masculinity. What is the reason? Please apply necromancer’s magic and raise for me whom I shall tell you336IS.28:8.. What do you understand from here? Rebbi Mana said, it implies that she was competent in many ways337Since Saul had to request a particular method, the woman must have been competent in all sorts of sorcery. She realized that her customer was Saul because she recognized Samuel whose status was that of a king.. What about it? Your voice will be from the earth like that of a necromancer338Is. 29:4..
מִילֵּיהוֹן דְּרַבָּנִין מְסַיְיעָן לְרִבִּי יָסָא. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יָסָא בְשֵׁם רַבָּנִין. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן מַקְטִירִין לַשֵּׁדִים. רִבִּי הִילָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יָסָא. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּכְלְלוּ כוּלָּן עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה. The words of the rabbis support Rebbi Yasa, as Rebbi Yasa said in the rabbis’ name: Because they burn incense to spirits339This returns to the statement of R. Yasa in the first paragraph here. The user of necromancy is a potential candidate for a purification offering since it depends on an action, viz., burning incense to spirits. But a medium who is totally passive does not qualify.. Rebbi Hila in the name of Rebbi Yasa: Because they all were included by actions340A different formulation of the argument of Note 339; all transgressions mentioned in Keritut 1:1 involve some action..