Voodoo is more in the news since the earthquake in Haiti and lots of weird things are being said, especially about how other faiths do or should regard it. Here’s what I told Jonathan Mark over at the New York Jewish Week when he interviewed me for his wonderful article which even includes the story of a Jewish Voodoo practitioner.
“Do you want me to tell you Voodoo is magic and forbidden and contrary to Jewish tradition? OK, I can tell you that.
“But I can also tell you that there’s a deep theurgic impulse in Kabbalah, meaning attempts to manipulate the Divine. There’s a distinction between magic and ritual, which is that ritual tries to influence God; magic believes that it can influence God, whether God wants to be influenced or not.
“Now, that’s a very fine distinction,” says Rabbi Hirschfield. “So I don’t make fun of Voodoo, because anyone who prays to God in the hope of shaping what God does shouldn’t be making fun of Voodoo.
“We all love to tell the story of the Golem. If that isn’t shamanic,” continues the rabbi, “I don’t know what is. Some guy goes into an attic, recapitulates the Genesis story, making a person out of dirt, slaps [the Holy Name] on its forehead and it comes to life. Change that ever so slightly and you have a guy with a doll in Haiti.”
“Voodoo is one more spiritual mechanism for both bridging worlds, between life and death; for people to feel empowered in their relationship with God,” says the rabbi. “We shouldn’t confuse the rituals we reject, and the theology we reject for the underlying human impulses that are part of all of us.”
Once again we are reminded that if we look for differences in order to make our choices feel superior to those of others, we can always find them. We can also find the ways in which every religious tradition, from those most like ours to those most different, are responding to the eternal human needs for love, safety, meaning, health, forgiveness, inspiration, liberation, renewal, etc. It’s up to us.
This doesn’t mean that all traditions are the same or that they are “just” utilitarian responses to human needs. It means that there is some force in the world, one many of us call God, who is so loving that He/She/They/It provides a seemingly endless variety of ways to find what we need, and help us to meet the needs of others. In our crazy world, that’s something to bank on.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
posted February 5, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Thank you for this very interesting article. I am reminded of the incredible use made of Divine Names in “Practical Kabbalah,” as for example listed in Rabbi Moses Zacutto’s encyclopaedic “Shorshei ha-Shemot.”
posted February 5, 2010 at 7:32 pm
The Names of HaShem are an amazing part of Judaism and mysticism, and in fact inspired a piece of jewelry/artwork I created in college.
I’m glad that you make the distinction between “magic” and the Voodoo Haitian theology, Rabbi! I’ve met such practitioners and can tell you they are not “conjurers” or “magicians.”
posted February 7, 2010 at 11:37 am
Before reading the article that Rabbi Hirschfield wrote I couldn’t imagine what he could say about the practice of Voodoo.My understanding of such religion is put in a better perspective with this article.He always speaks with love and respect for all.No right or wrong.Thank you for your helping me see this in another light.
posted February 7, 2010 at 3:53 pm
i can not condone the practices of voodoo,and other methods where people try to manipulate GOD , GOD CANNOT BE MANIPULATED , HOW DARE THIS RABBI SUGAR COAT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES! REPENT ISRAEL! YOU WHO FORGET OUR DIVINE LAWS GIVEN TO MOSHE AT SINAI- AND YOU TWIST THE SCRIPTURES TO SOOTH THE EARS OF THE WORLD. REPENT ISRAEL YOU WHO KNOW THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AND GO AFTER OTHER gods that can not see , nor hear , nor speack! HASHEM IS A JUDGE AND A JEALOUS GOD , STOP GIVEING THIS TYPE OF LIBERAL -NEW AGE INTERPRETATION TO THE READERS. SO A JEW WHO PRACTICES VOODOO IS STILL A JEW AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW JESUS ARE NOT? THIS SEEMS A CONTRADICTION. I AM AN ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEW – AND WHO MADE YOU YHE JUDEGE? READ LEVITICUS, ALLL OF IT! NOT JUST PARTS OF THE SCRIPTURES. HOW MANY WILL BE LEAD TO FOLLOW SORCERY, WICHCRAFT. WITH TESES TYPE OF POLITICALLY CORRECT OPINIANS.
posted February 7, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Speaking as someone who was raised Catholic, I have to remind Rabbi Solomon Ben Yehuda that Voodoo makes the same distinction between God and the saints that Catholicism does. So, if you’re going to attack a hand full of people for alien beliefs, you might as well attack a billion for the same beliefs.
posted February 7, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Rabbi Solomon, I feel for you. Yes there are universal Laws and universal spiritual laws. But even if Rabbi Hierschfeld expresses himself in a way to be political correct, he is still a human being, and only tries to get us to think where we and each of us stand on this subject. I agree, God can not be manipulated ultimatly, unless a Jew or a Rabbi thinks he is God, or a little God, who can manipulate his congregation, people and events with his phyche, thoughts or teachings to a favorable outcome for himself, his people or race. There have been Rabbis like this before. I respect “your opinion” and understand Rabbi Hierschfelds “intent”. Hopefully it does no harm. May God forgive us all.
posted February 7, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Wow. Is Rabbi Solomon for real? I have my doubts; the post reads as if it were written by someone pretending to be an ultra-Orthodox Jew.
Rabbi Hirschfield is only trying to show that all humans have a need to reach out to God…and we have to try to be understanding. God cannot be manipulated, of course, and those who try to manipulate God in order to harm others are doing wrong. They succeed only if the other person know of the efforts and BELIEVES in it and this has nothing to do with God and everything to do with human suseptability to suggestion.
Hatians are no more or less evil that the rest of the world. Right now, they are among the most unfortunate. Let’s try to be as kind and helpful as possible.
Interesting article, Rabbi!
posted February 7, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Shame on you ! How many souls will you continue to deceive ?! Your comments are always so ‘new-age’ I’m beginning to wonder who you really are. And when you call God a he/she/they I realize how wrong you really are. Please search the scriptures before it’s too late for you.
posted February 7, 2010 at 9:01 pm
There is nothing Jewish about the views expressed in this article. The rabbi should call this his own views of this satanic practice. How does he justify this being Jewish? Or might I say how dare he call this Jewish (when it contravenes the very first commandment)! Why do I receive this blog again?
posted February 7, 2010 at 9:09 pm
I am a real Jew that follows TORAH: Read Leviticus 20:26 and Deuteronomy 18:10-12.
And go to 1st Samuel chapter 28. HASHEM, is not going to have a Necromancer to contact/raise his servant Samuel.
Meaning of Necromancer: http://www.elook.org/dictionary/necromancer.html
What are our Jewish Rabbis making HASHEM a WIZARD etc.?
posted February 7, 2010 at 9:14 pm
What the ‘Rabbi’ is teaching, HASHEM is his Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He needs help really bad to go that far backwards. Don’t go to his synagogue ever!!!
posted February 8, 2010 at 10:36 am
I am always surprised by how much hate is expressed by the posters. Here’s a clue, people: HATE IS EVIL. Too bad it’s not the Middle Ages; you’d be able to burn “witches” to your heart’s content.
posted February 8, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Max, and this is a dialogue among their own. It would be scary to be or become jewish. Although I like so many of their tenets. If you can’t get along among yourselfs, how can you get along with others. Hate spills over, beware, how does this add up.
posted February 12, 2010 at 11:29 am
Your Name said: “It would be scary to be or become jewish. Although I like so many of their tenets. If you can’t get along among yourselfs, how can you get along with others. Hate spills over, beware, how does this add up.”
Get along? What does that have to do with anything? From biblical times men disagreed and questioned G-d’s directives (women were rarely given a voice). Lot bargained with Him. Abraham actually fell down laughing at G-d’s prophecy of a son. Moses downright argued, wheedled and cajoled. If these heroes of the bible could question and argue with G-d, why can’t we question and argue among ourselves as to G-d’s will for us or decisions for each other’s welfare? It is natural for people to question and argue. Even my grandmother, a candidate for sainthood if there ever was one, sometimes argued with G-d. When I was young and expressed horror about her being angry at G-d, she smiled her sweet and gentle smile and said, “He’s my Friend. He knows it’s my way of trying to understand, and He can take it.”
Gavriella
posted March 4, 2010 at 1:40 am
People were given the right to decide what is right or wrong that is what makes us human. God tested our faith from Adam and Eve, Abraham and Issaac, Moses doubted God with the water from the rock. To be a Jew is not Just the religion, It’s knowing that God is with you
and knowing that your not alone. I atone for my physical sins and my thoughts daily. If you want to be a Jew it’s because you agree with judaism and you accept the fact that God is everywhere but only works threw people, we are all sons and daughters of God, all part of God.
and when the Body dies the soul goes back to God. I just want you to know we are all Children of God, from the beginning of Mankind to present.
posted November 6, 2010 at 5:37 am
What a great blog!There have a chance that we can have an furthur exchanges and cooperation.I will always pay attention to your blog.you should update it on time.I support you forever.