Many Jews and non-Jews alike are surprised that Judaism and astrology can be compatible. How can that be? It depends. We can all agree that luck, good or bad, plays a role in our everyday lives. However, the Jewish belief is that nothing is left to chance. Everything is influenced both for ease or difficulty in life by a celestial intermediary, a mazal. The word ‘mazal’ (mazalot, plural) refers to astrological influence as conditioned by the signs of the zodiac associated with the Jewish lunar calendar, the stars and the seven planets, including the sun and moon, and more.
Many prominent rabbis, from the times of the Talmud to the Middle Ages and to our own modern era, view knowledge of astrological influence, mazal, as a major desideratum for understanding human life; mazal is viewed as a natural force, and like nature itself, astrological influence is ultimately controlled and supervised by God or in the words of Rabbi Ḥanina: “All is in the hands of Heaven, except fear of Heaven.” And Rashi comments: “All is in the hands of Heaven — everything about a person is by God such as being tall or short, poor or rich, wise or foolish, white or black — it is all in the hands of Heaven — however, righteousness and wickedness are not in Heaven’s hands. God presents a person the choice to make — to choose fear of heaven.” — Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot 33b : 29
The Jewish Astrologer’s mission is to facilitate the dissemination of Jewish teachings on astrology, to match visitors with professional astrologers whose approach to astrology is integrated with and demonstrates those teachings, and to provide a space for advanced students to contribute original essays, articles, horoscope interpretations, translations, etc.