Incantation and darchei Emori

 Yosef Ometz (3 Nichush and signs) In Sefer HaYirah it is written, “Do not say any incantation”, and in a number of places the Torah prohibits doing so. We in fact are not to utilize signs (Simon) except what Chazal say. Therefore if a person is going to start a mitzvah such as beginning the study a new gemora or to start educating his son in Torah, he should not say I will wait until Rosh Chodesh – even though it says in Shulchan Aruch that there is a custom to begin things on Rosh Chodesh because even though incantations are prohibited signs are allowed. It seems to me that it is best to br strict to fulfil the mitzva of Tamim Tehiyu with your G-d. We find written in Sefer Chasidim (59) that this custom is not the proper path because a person might die within the month and thus miss the mitzva. And furthermore a person who was never concerned with this should not adopt this practice while those who are particular to observe it, Satan is there to oppose him. And because a person can’t always keep his concerns it will lead to problems.  He also notes that the critical factor is the degree of concern as we see non-Jews who name their children after their fathers during the father’s lifetime – and no harm results. In contrast Jews are particular not to do this. The Rokeach in his commentary to Yechezkeil notes that this that Chazal  say that  only those who are particular will it effect him. That means all those things that people typicallly say that they are particular to do  this is called the magic of living concern. Therefore all those things which people are concerned to do which involve either doing or avoiding a specific action are in fact violating a severe prohibition as Rabbeinu Yonah wrote in Shaarei Tshuvah and was also stated by Sefer Chasidim (59) who also notes a number of prohibited incantations. I will mention just one of them since it is not rare in modern times. He states, “those who make an oath not to eat the head of an animal or not to eat the intestines of an animal this is darchei Emori (prohibited nonJewish activity). The issue of incantations that are common now it is not necessary to write about them. I will just give a general rule. All those things which don’t have a natural mechanism and are not explicitly permitted in a sefer – are prohibited. Similarly those medicines which are called segulos are permitted as are lachashim – as long as they actually work.