[Avodah] Fwd: A Different Approach to Sheidim

[Zev Sero]

On 15/03/2013 4:38 PM, Micha Berger wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 04:23:28PM -0400, Zev Sero wrote:
>>> >>Thus, it is appropriate that Rambam wrote (Commentary to Mishnah
>>> >>	Avodah Zarah 4) that sheidim do not exist in reality,
>> >
>> >Which mishnah in chapter 4?  I've skimmed through the PHM for the whole
>> >chapter and didn't find any discussion of sheidim.
> 4:7. There is a list of falsehoods that AZ embraced, and sheidim is
> on it.

That is about those who assign powers to the stars, to their various
configuations, and to particular angles they form with other stars, etc.
The only reference to sheidim I can find is an aside about "the people
from whom Avraham Avinu distanced himself and disputed [...] they were
the ones who established the laws of the stars, and the magics, and the
incantations, and the summoning of spirits, and the conversations with
stars and sheidim and the Ov and Nachash and Yid`oni in all their kinds,
and necromancy, and many of these things against which the True Torah
drew its sword and cut off, which are the roots of AZ and its branches."

Now he's certainly not saying that stars don't exist, or that dead
people don't exist, and probably not even that spirits don't exist, so
why assume he's saying that sheidim don't exist?

-- 
Zev Sero               A citizen may not be required to offer a 'good and
zev at sero.name          substantial reason' why he should be permitted to
                        exercise his rights. The right's existence is all
                        the reason he needs.
                            - Judge Benson E. Legg, Woollard v. Sheridan