Our daf discusses the various prohibitions against divining omens and portents. The relevant verses are found in Devarim (18:10-18):  

Let no one be found among you who consigns a son or daughter to the fire, or who is an augur, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer,  one who casts spells, or one who consults ghosts or familiar spirits, or one who inquires of the dead.

For anyone who does such things is abhorrent to Hashem, and it is on account of these abominations that Hashem your God dispossessed those nations from before you.  

You shall be tamim with Hashem your God.

Those nations that you are about to dispossess do indeed resort to soothsayers and augurs; to you, however, your God has not assigned the like.  

From among your own people, your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself; that is whom you shall heed.  

Taken as a whole, this series of prohibitions and directives instructs the Jewish people to refrain from using unauthorized channels to discern or influence the future. Instead, they are to rely on prophets, who are sanctioned by Hashem to communicate His will. The underlying idea seems to be that magical and formulaic methods do not constitute dynamic communication with God. At best, such practices are performative and transactional; at worst, they veer into idolatry. In contrast, seeking out a prophet provides more than just a "horoscope"—it offers moral and spiritual instruction, whether or not it includes foresight into the future.  

What Does Tamim Mean?  

The Torah commands us to be tamim with Hashem. How should we understand this term? The root of tamim is similar to shalem (Tav and Shin often interchange), which can mean whole, unblemished, but also pure and without guile. This range of meaning is reflected in various verses:  

Shemos 12:5 – "Tamim," referring to an unblemished korban  

Bereishis 6:9 – "Noach was a righteous man, tamim in his generations" (meaning upright or pure)  

Bereishis 20:5 – Used to indicate sincerity and lack of deceit  

Bereishis 25:27 – Describing Yaakov as a "ish tam", implying innocence or simplicity  

Ramban, Seforno, and Rav Yosef Bechor Shor all understand this verse in Devarim similarly: Do not engage in extreme efforts to predict or control the future. Rather, trust in Hashem with emunah peshutah—simple, wholehearted faith.  

These authorities accept that certain magical omens and practices may have been effective (as was the general belief in the pre-scientific world), but they are nonetheless forbidden. However, the Rambam takes a radically different stance. For him, not only are these practices idolatrous, but they are also intellectually corrupt, leading to a loss of connection to Hashem. As we discussed in Psychology of the Daf, Sanhedrin 62, the Rambam sees intellectual development as encompassing both wisdom and character. This intellectual pursuit, in turn, facilitates a deeper attachment to God, since it represents the highest form of human resonance with the Divine.  

In Hilchos Avodas Kochavim (11:16), the Rambam writes:  

All the above matters are falsehood and lies, with which the original idolaters deceived the gentile nations in order to lead them astray. It is not fitting for the Jews—who are wise sages—to be drawn into such emptiness, nor to consider that they have any value, as it says (Bamidbar 23:23): "No black magic can be found among Jacob, or occult arts within Israel." Similarly, (Devarim 18:14) states: "These nations which you are driving out listen to astrologers and diviners. This is not what Hashem has granted you."  

Whoever believes in such things and considers them to be true—just forbidden by the Torah—is foolish and feebleminded... The true masters of wisdom and perfect knowledge know with clear proof that all these crafts which the Torah forbade are not reflections of wisdom, but rather emptiness and vanity, which attract the feebleminded and cause them to abandon the paths of truth. For this reason, when the Torah warns against these false matters, it commands (Devarim 18:13): "Be tamim with Hashem your God."  

Notably, the Rambam uses tamim here in the sense of completeness without blemish. The Torah is not instructing us to be naïve or simpleminded; rather, it is commanding us to refine our intellect and beliefs to a state of wholeness, allowing us to properly connect to Hashem.  

The Rambam did not just view superstition and idolatry as religiously problematic—he saw them as socially destructive as well. In a remarkable teshuvah (Ma’amar Chozim Be-Kochavim), the Rambam makes a stunning assertion:  

The real reason the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed is because the Jews started to believe in astrology. This led them to rely on foolish, baseless predictions instead of studying the tactics of war.  

Historically, the Romans were renowned for their advanced military strategy. The Jews, despite their zeal, lost to a tactically superior foe. According to the Rambam, this was not merely a matter of bad luck or divine decree—it was the direct result of misplaced faith in superstitions, which led them to neglect rational defensive planning.  

The Rambam delineates three valid reasons a person might believe something:  

1. It is logically proven  
2. It is perceived through the five senses  
3. It comes from a reliable tradition, either sacred texts or teachings from a righteous sage  

Beyond this, he stresses the need for intellectual clarity: one must differentiate how and why they know something. This emphasis on critical thinking is crucial—not only in religious matters but in all aspects of life.  

According to the Rambam, the Midrashic teachings about the moral failings that led to the Temple’s destruction (Bava Metzia 85b, Yoma 9b, Eichah Rabbah Pesikta 2) were only the final manifestations of a deeper rot. The true downfall began long before the Roman invasion, and even evil deeds. When the Jewish people abandoned intellectual clarity and rational thinking, the country imploded from within before it was conquered from without.  

This message is profoundly relevant today. While modern society is less superstitious, we are still plagued by intellectually and morally undeveloped worldviews that hinder true wisdom. We live in remarkable times—on the brink of technological breakthroughs in AI, biotechnology, and sustainable energy. The coming decades hold unprecedented opportunities. If we do not destroy ourselves first, we may enter an era of abundance, where material needs are no longer a concern.  

But excess can lead to corruption—either out of boredom, or from a fear of confronting deeper truths. The challenge before us is clear: will we squander our potential, descend into foolish dogmas of arbitrary and rigid beliefs, religious or socially, or will we embrace intellectual and spiritual enlightenment?  

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families as well male sexual health. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com