Dose of Halacha

Question: I have always been fascinated by magic tricks. Is it appropriate to study to become a magician? Answer: The Mishna (Sanhedrin 67a) teaches that one who performs magic ( kishuf ) is liable to the death penalty, though one who creates an illusion is exempt. Rashi explains that this refers to one who merely gives the impression that they are performing magic, i.e., sleight of hand. The Gemara (ibid. 67b) teaches that while one is exempt for performing such trickery, it is still prohibited. Rambam (Sefer Hamitzvos Lo Sasei 32; Avoda Zara Vechukos Hagoyim 11:15) includes sleight of hand among the 365 negative mitzvos and warns of the dangerous consequences that such trickery can cause. In addition, one transgresses geneivas daas (deception). The Shulchan Aruch (YD 179:15) writes that sleight of hand is forbidden. While the Tur (YD 179:1) and Shulchan Aruch concede that it is permitted to perform magic by utilising the Sefer Hayetzira, the Shach (YD 179:18) emphasises th...

Question: My teacher taught me that I mustn’t write on my hands. Is this forbidden in halacha ? Answer: The Mishna (Makkos 21a) teaches that there are two components of the prohibition of tattoos, scratching the skin and marking it with ink. If one just marked it with ink one has not transgressed the aveira (See Shulchan Aruch YD 180:1). Rambam (Avoda Zara 12:11) writes that if one only wrote but didn’t scratch the skin, one is pattur . Usually, when Rambam writes this it means that it is nonetheless prohibited miderabanan. The Minchas Chinuch (253:1) quotes Tosafos (Gittin 20b) and the Beis Shmuel (EH 124:16) who write regarding a slave with a divorce document tattooed onto him, that one mustn’t sign their signature onto their skin as doing so is assur mideraban . R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 3:111:1) challenges this, however, writing that the Beis Shmuel was referring to when one had scratched one’s skin. If one were to fill an existing scratch with ink, one would transgres...

Question: I know that one isn’t supposed to draw the sun or moon. Does that prohibition also extend to taking pictures of a sunset? Answer: The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 24b) asks how Rabban Gamliel could have had diagrams of the moon in various phases as the halacha is that one mustn’t create pictures of the sun and moon, etc. as they were worshipped by the pagans. The Gemara concludes that he had special dispensation to do so as he needed them to question witnesses who had reported seeing the new moon and for teaching others. Thus, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 141:4) writes that one mustn’t draw any such pictures unless they are for educational purposes (See Igros Moshe YD 3:33; Minchas Yitzchak 10:72; Shevet Halevi 7:134:8). While the Shulchan Aruch writes that one mustn’t even keep such pictures in one’s home, the Chochmas Adam (85:5) and Darkei Teshuva (YD 141:34) write that this only applies to three dimensional images. R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 10:72) writes that...