Shoftim 18:10 · unit 2

TT #172 · Parashas Shoftim · Fourth Aliyah · Passuk 18:10

The Complete Passuk

לֹֽא־יִמָּצֵ֣א בְךָ֔ מַעֲבִ֥יר בְּנֽוֹ־וּבִתּ֖וֹ בָּאֵ֑שׁ קֹסֵ֣ם קְסָמִ֔ים מְעוֹנֵ֥ן וּמְנַחֵ֖שׁ וּמְכַשֵּֽׁף׃

There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or his daughter through the fire, a diviner of divinations, a soothsayer, a diviner by omens, or a sorcerer.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 65a–b.

TT lemma: קֹסֵם קְסָמִים מְעוֹנֵן וּמְנַחֵשׁ וּמְכַשֵּׁף.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 65a–b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
קֹסֵם קְסָמִים – אֶחָד הַקּוֹסֵם בְּמַקֵּל וְאֶחָד הַקּוֹסֵם בְּעוֹפוֹת.

English: ‘A diviner of divinations’ – whether one who divines with a stick or one who divines with birds.

On the daf / in context: The various forms of forbidden divination are enumerated and defined.

Type of Learning

Derash defining the categories of forbidden magic (Bavli) — each term is given a practical definition.

What Is Learned

All forms of divination, soothsaying, omen-reading, and sorcery are forbidden; the Torah lists them to close every avenue of these practices.