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Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Satlow on astrology

MICHAEL L. SATLOW: The Business of Astrology.
The practice of astrology is, of course, ancient. So too is criticism of it. Like today, most politicians and intellectuals throughout antiquity thought astrology to be, at best, a dubious activity. At worst, it was a way to manipulate the masses to oppose the State. At the same time, these same intellectuals largely subscribed its basic tenets.
My new translation of Sefer HaRazim is forthcoming in MOTP 2. It should be out early in 2025.

It is also worth noting that there is a roughly Geonic tractate on astrology written in Hebrew: Baraita di-Mazzalot, "The External Tractate of the Constellations."

For more on astrology in ancient Judaism, see here and links (cf. here).

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