כישוף witchcraft and occult are areas of Torah Law that are largely forgotten. Amulets, going to graves of tzadikim, doing different rituals to gain spiritual powers seems to be part and parcel of the cult that the Gra signed the excommunication on. This is to some degree a surprise because these things are expressly forbidden in the Torah.
These things get to be called doing a mitzvah in the context of the cult that the Gra signed the excommunication on
To gain mystic powers would seem to be just what Bilaam was about. He was open to God but also open to the Sitra Achra (Dark Side).
The way this is made to be kosher is by a slight of hand. They do not call it כישוף but rather "תיקונים" But the idea is the same. Instead of doing God's will in the Law it is to gain spiritual powers.
And often it works. People would not be having shamans and rituals of this nature for thousands of years if there was not some effect.
These things get to be called doing a mitzvah in the context of the cult that the Gra signed the excommunication on
To gain mystic powers would seem to be just what Bilaam was about. He was open to God but also open to the Sitra Achra (Dark Side).
The way this is made to be kosher is by a slight of hand. They do not call it כישוף but rather "תיקונים" But the idea is the same. Instead of doing God's will in the Law it is to gain spiritual powers.
And often it works. People would not be having shamans and rituals of this nature for thousands of years if there was not some effect.
