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How can a Torah observant Jew perform (including fake) a Magic Show — or even attend one?
Rambam, Hilchos Avodas Kochavim 11:9 and 11:15, writes that it is prohibited to perform acts that appear magical even though there is no actual magic involved. Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvos no. 32, specifically includes acts of sleight of hand in this prohibition.
Chochmas Adom 89:6, rules that acts that appear to be magical are prohibited, even if they are acts of sleight of hand. Rav Ovadia Yosef , Yechaveh Da’as 3:68, accepts the Chochmas Adam’s opinion as binding.
I should not that the B’Tzel HaChochma 4:13, paskens that even those who prohibit acts of sleight of hand only prohibit acts of optical illusions. If someone performs acts of sleight of hand by switching two items while the audience is not looking or other similar acts, it is permissible, even according to Chochmas Adam.
Does anyone know how “magicians” do their shtick?
thats kind of like saying: can you tell me how to fix a car?
Some years ago when one of our favorite summer library circuit magicians was starting out, part of his routine was showing how a few simple tricks were done and sending home props.
So now we know it’s all illusion and sleight of hand requiring lots of practice.
I think that all frum magicians tell the audience before the show or at the end of the show that all the tricks he did were illusions. I know that some magicians even show how some tricks are done, just to prove his point.
When was sorcery extinguished? When Yehoshuah hung the witches, as mentioned in Navi?
Shemos 22:17
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Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live.
The Gemorah says that R. Shimeon ben Shetach defeated eighty witches. Enforcing the halachic penalty, R. Shimeon ben Shetach had all of them hung.
I have seen many magic shows. The tricks are presented as slight of hand or illusion. They are not being presented as the work of some sort of paranormal entity, or witchcraft.
It’s entertainment and is presented as such.
If you’re talking about someone reading a palm or tea leaves, ok, but someone doing card tricks is not pretending to be a witch. Come on folks.
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