Magic and Monotheism

Rabbi Melanie Aron

January 4, 2003

From the Bible's own words and from the evidence gathered by contemporary archeologists, we know that the ancient Israelites did not move from polytheism to monotheism is one easy step. The belief in one God, unseen and without a physical representation, was quite a stretch and the Israelites were constantly backsliding. The pagan festivals looked inviting and many Israelites seem to have kept a Baal or Ashtarte figurine around the farm, as a little bit of extra insurance.

Equally important as the transition from the belief in many Gods to the belief in a single ultimate unity in the universe, is the transition from belief in magic to true religion. Defeating magic was one of the important goals of the Ten Plagues, yet magical thinking about God continues into our own day.

The plagues are understood within Jewish tradition as not being primarily punitive but educational. They were meant to teach both the Egyptians and the Israelites some basic truths in a very dramatic way. Ten times, once for each of the plagues, Moses reminds the Pharoah and the people that "This is so that they will know that Adonai is the Lord." Proving to Pharoah that there is a greater power in the universe, certainly seems a part of this story.

But there is another aspect to this contest. It is also a contest between Adonai and the magicians of Egypt, and it is this contest that comes to a head in the seventh plague, the plague Aaron and Kerry chose as their reading this morning.

At first the magicians can reproduce the plagues, then they cannot end them and finally in the 6th plague they themselves are stricken in their own bodies. Only after the magicians are out of the way does Moses becomes the one to physically effectuate the plague, as he does for the hail, locusts and darkness. Up until that point, it is critical that Moses not be seen as just another magician, controlling Adonai the way the magicians draw upon their powers. It is interesting too that only with the 7th plague, with the magicians gone from the scene, some of the Egyptians begin to revere God's word. Hearing Moses's threat of hail from God, they bring their slaves and livestock indoors.

Magic is a very tempting alternative to religion, because it is about using God to make our own wishes come true, rather than making our personal desires secondary to greater goals and purposes. I still see this magical attitude toward spirituality in much of what is popular in society today. Yesterday I was part of a program for community leaders on spirituality in the workplace. Much of the focus was on God as a kind of energy we can tap into for our own purposes, about how spirituality can help make you more cheerful and pleasant to be around, and a more productive worker besides.

I think it is a positive thing to have business leaders interested in spirituality and I do believe that people's lives are enhanced through the development of the spiritual side of their personalities. Still our Torah portion is a reminder that the unleashing of great spiritual forces may make for great demands and great upheavals and that religion, while sometimes the opiate of the people, is more often the force arousing conscience, passion and commitment.

Let us be wary of those who see religion as a tool towards other ends and consider how the Bible's strong words against magic might have meaning for us today. As we try to become more spiritually aware, let it be not for the narcissistic benefits to ourselves, but because we wish to be attuned to higher values and become a force for good for others.