DEUT931 The Code of Jewish Law, authored by Rabbi Yosef Caro, states that it is forbidden for a Jew to try to determine the future by using astrology or lots (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 179:1). Rabbi Caro, in a different book of his, explains that the origin of this Jewish law is from the Midrash (Beit Yosef commentary on Tur, Yoreh De'ah 179). Apparently, Rabbi Caro equates using a lottery to determine future events not only with astrology, but also with witchcraft and other forbidden Jewish practices (See chapter [in AMJV], "Alternative Medicine"). The verse mentioned as proof is, "You shall be complete with the Lord your God" [this verse]. This indicates, according to Rashi, that one should rely only on God, and not try to determine any future events by any means. Rather, one must accept what God doles out for him or her. Shulchan Aruch was averse to using lots in any situation relating to determining the future, equating this process with astrology. (However, he allowed lots regarding giving Shabbat food to children and dividing the deceased parents' land among their heirs, as noted above.) Therefore, based on this line of thinking, many later Rabbis banned the concept and the practical application of drawing lots to determine future events. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a leading Rabbinic leader of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, forbade using lots in our times (Responsa Yabia Omer, section 6, Choshen Mishpat 4).

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DEUT932 What you must know is that the aim and objective of the duties of the heart are for both our outer and inner selves to share equally in serving God; that the heart, tongue, and limbs be consistent in their testimony, that they authenticate each other and bear out one another, rather than oppose and contradict each other. This is what Scripture calls being “wholehearted”: “You must be wholehearted with Hashem your God (Devarim 18:13); He was wholehearted in his generation (Bereshis 6:9); He who acts wholeheartedly does what is right, and speaks the truth from his heart (Tehillim 15:2); I contemplate the wholehearted path; when will I attain it? I will conduct myself with wholeness of heart, within my own house (ibid. 101:2).” Regarding one whose inside is not like his outside, Scripture says: “His heart was not whole with Hashem his God” (Melachim 1, 11: 4); “They flattered Him with their mouths, lied to Him with their tongues; and their hearts were disloyal to Him” (Tehillim 78:36-37). As is well known, if someone contradicts himself or proves himself a liar, whether in speech or in deed, people no longer believe in his integrity and have no confidence in his sincerity. Similarly, if our outer and inner selves are in contradiction, if our talk is not matched by our intentions, if the actions of our limbs are at odds with the convictions of our hearts, then our worship of God is imperfect; for God does not accept insincere service, as it is written: “I cannot tolerate iniquity along with holy assembly” (Yeshayahu 1:13) ...

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DEUT929 See [[LEV750]] Leviticus 19:26 soothsayer GATES 263-5

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DEUT933 See [[LEV750]] Leviticus 19:26 soothsayer GATES 263-5

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DEUT934 On any given matter, how can we know what the will of God is? A number of the biblical leaders simply asked God and received what were, to their minds, clear and dependable answers. (See, for example, Leviticus 24:10-23 and Numbers 15:32-36, 27:1-11). Already in biblical times, though, people were not sure how to distinguish a true prophet from a false one, for absolutely anyone could claim that a given position was not only his or her own opinion but was rather a message from God. This was not just a theoretical possibility; Jeremiah, in particular, complains often and bitterly of an abundance of false prophets misleading the people. [Jeremiah 6:13-15, 14:4, 23:23-40, 27:9-18, 28:1-17, and 29:21-32. To make matters worse yet, a true prophet might be misled by a false one (1 Kings 13), and a false prophet might even be inspired by God to deceive and entice Israel (1 Kings 22:21ff. God might even seduce a true prophet to deliver a false message (Ezekiel 14:9-11).] The Book of Deuteronomy twice tries to suggest a way to discern the difference between true and false prophets, once claiming that true prophets are known by their ability to predict what will happen (Deuteronomy 18:9-22) and the other time proclaiming that true prophets are those who simply reinforce their traditional adherence to God (Deuteronomy 13:1-6). But the latter criterion reduces prophets to good preachers, for no true prophet, by that measure, can tell us anything new. Moreover, although the biblical prophets certainly do not suggest that Jews worship other Gods, a number of them do announced new rules. 23 The other criterion for true prophecy-- that the prophet foretells events correctly-- also fails as a test, for according to the Bible's own testimony, several of the prophets accepted as true predict things that do not come to be. 24 [Continued at [[EXOD350]] Exodus 20:1 all DORFFDRAG 41-2].

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DEUT935 What constitutes a "foe"? One with whom he did not converse for three days out of hatred (Sanhedrin 27b)

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DEUT936 The Torah does acknowledge and empathizes with the anger and feelings of revenge by the aggrieved relatives. First, if the accidental killer ever leaves the city of refuge (illegally, before the death of the Kohen Gadol), then the relatives are allowed to kill him with impunity [this verse]. In addition, after the person has been judged to be an accidental killer and is on his way to the city of refuge, the Talmud understands the great anger of the relatives and is afraid that the relatives may try to kill that accidental killer on his way to the city of refuge. Therefore, the court appoints two Torah scholars to accompany the accidental killer to the city, in case they meet up with the relatives of the victim. As they attempt to calm down the relatives seeking revenge, the Torah scholars attempt to convince them not to act illegally and kill that person then and there (Makkot 10b). When the Kohen Gadol dies after many years and the entire people mourn his death, it is hoped that this public mourning and the effect of time will overcome the relative's desire for revenge. Maimonides explains all of these laws in detail, which demonstrate Judaism's great sensitivity towards the feelings of one who seeks revenge (Maimonides, Hilchot Rotze'ach 5:7-11).

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DEUT937 See [[NUM408]] Numbers 35:19 death BLOCH 65-6

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DEUT938 … the intelligent reader will be able to appreciate that the holy virtue of chesed is of such supreme importance that the entire Torah is pervaded by it. How tenaciously should one cling to this holy trait and not weaken his hold of it all the days of his life on earth! In this connection the Torah states [this verse]: "to walk in His ways all the days"--meaning that one should not be satisfied with the occasional performance of an act of chesed once a month or once a week… It is also necessary to be familiar with the laws governing the exercise of this virtue…

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DEUT939 We must do chesed every single day of our lives. The Chafetz Chayim notes that the Torah stresses that we must walk in God's ways all the days. The Sages explain that walking in God's ways means that we must emulate Him by bestowing kindness and being compassionate. Some people mistakenly think that if they do someone a favor, especially a major one, they have fulfilled their obligation to do chesed for the next few weeks. Therefore, the Torah stresses that the obligation of chesed is all the days. Every single day of our lives we must go out of our way do someone a favor. (Ahavas Chesed, ch. 12)

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