Reply To: The Salem Witch Trials

Avira,

Your excellent point about Salem and its incomparability to the 80 Jewish witches who were rightfully hung, is well taken. Admittedly, I’m much more an expert on Chazal than on Colonial America. One thing I should point out is that the “trial by water” for suspected witches was utilized in centuries prior to Salem but it was in fact not done to the Salem suspects.

Btw, similar to your relating the false scare promoted by elements of the media regarding witchcraft, similarly in about the same time frame you mentioned there was a false scare based on similar “rediscovered memories” of having been abused as children. Innocents were prosecuted and convicted, only years later to be exonerated.

One part of your comment stuck out as out of order. You wrote: “There’s no record that they denied it and were therefore required to undergo a din Torah.” Even if the witches had been brought to a Din Torah on a capital offense, the accusers would have to prove their case regardless of any lack of denials. Beis Din can’t even accept a guilty plea in a capital case. As your later comment pointed out, though, of course Shimon Ben Shetach used the Sanherdrin’s extrajudicial powers, without trial, due to the fact that the witches would have been able to use kishuf to escape had they been brought to Beis Din.

Where have you seen that the Egyptian Jewish community suffered from a notable number members who were practitioners of witchcraft during Rambam’s time?

And which authorities argue that sleight of hand isn’t included in the prohibition? Obviously Rambam’s (and other concurring authorities) ruling that even sleight of hand carries the death penalty associated with “machsefa lo sichayeh” raises very serious issues about contemporary “frum” magicians.

P.S. If you can fetch the mekoros on what you referenced about a migdar milsa, I would appreciate it.