Kosher Astrology? Author of New Book Says Yes

The year was 2009. Yitzchok Aharon Pinkesz, a frum Jew from Boro Park, went to an engagement party for his best friend Shulem and his future wife. After the party, he offered to drive the new couple back to their homes. Shulem had mentioned that he had a relative who was a Torah-observant astrologer, so on the drive home, for some inexplicable reason, Yitzchok asked Shulem to call this astrologer so they could ask her some questions. He hadn’t previously thought a lot about astrology, but somehow at this moment he was intrigued.

The group called the astrologer and gave her their birthdates. She had a strong reaction to Yitzchok’s birthday, noting that he had a lot of “air” in his chart. She asked him if he was a scholar, rabbi, or writer. He wasn’t, but he loved writing and learning for fun. The astrologer then proceeded to describe everyone perfectly, sparking Yitzchok’s curiosity and putting him on a new path in life.

Now Pinkesz has released Kosher Astrology: A Jewish Guide to Celestial Wisdom (Mosaica Press), a comprehensive, nearly 500-page book complete with the halacha on astrology and 75 pages of full-color Illustrated infographics. It explains everything you need to know about what astrology can do as well as how to understand it from a Torah and Jewish perspective.

“The biggest reason I wrote it is because kosher astrology is a huge part of Judaism that very few people are aware of,” Pinkesz told The Jewish Press. “It is deeply ingrained in our mesorah, and it can lead us toward becoming closer to Hashem.

“Most people think astrology is just about zodiac signs. ‘I’m a Gemini,’ ‘I’m a Leo.’ But there is so much more information in a birth chart. It reveals a person’s struggles, gifts, and even their spiritual strengths. It offers deep insight into who you are, your purpose in this world, and the timing of events in your life. All this wisdom exists within our tradition, yet almost no one is talking about it. I have not heard anyone explaining it in this way, and I felt a responsibility to bring it out into the world.”

In the book, Pinkesz, who previously worked as the executive director of a social services agency that helps single moms, includes chapters on his own journey with astrology. He also writes about halachic rulings on it, the fundamental Jewish sources describing it, and the rules from a Jewish perspective. For instance, fatalistic astrology, which is called astromancy, is forbidden.

“People practicing astromancy would say that if you’re born under the energy of Mars, you have a bloodthirsty energy, and you will become a bandit or a murderer,” Pinkesz said. “The Gemara says that you can channel this energy in a positive way to become a butcher or a mohel. So, the energy applies to you, but the fatalistic approach does not.”

Astral magic, which involves worshipping the planets, is also assur.

“People used different spells to serve the planets, but the Gemara calls this idol worship,” he said. “People think that if they served them the right way, it would benefit them and harm their enemies.”

The sages talked about astrology, including Rambam and the Ramchal. While Rambam specifically was against astral magic and astromancy, according to Pinkesz, the Ramchal said that Hashem directs the world through astrology.

Kosher Astrolog shows, in illustrations, the other Jewish sources that teach astrology. In the Gemara (Shabbos 156a and 156b), the Rabbis examined astrological stories and taught which days and hours are associated with which planets. Sefer Ha’chochmoni, by Rabbi Shabbetai Donnolo, offers commentary on the rules and values of astrology. And the Ibn Ezra lists the personality traits of the zodiac signs and planets as well as many details about astrology.

“According to the Ran, the reason why it’s a mitzvah to know astrology is because it helps you recognize the greatness of the Creator,” Pinkesz said.

In the book, he goes into the main charts of kosher astrology: the birth, development, and couples chart. The birth one is the blueprint of your psychological makeup which reveals hidden strengths and clarifies your life’s purpose. The development chart highlights times in your life that are designated for your personal growth, and the couples chart shows the chemistry between two people and explain why you may be drawn to or repelled by certain individuals. It can also help you resolve conflicts with your spouse.

Pinkesz, who now offers astrological readings and coaching to people, was working with one couple going through a lot of turmoil. Once he read their chart and saw the husband was dealing with difficult energy, the couple was able to work through their issues. He also helped a woman in her forties who was single; he looked at her chart and saw there was a conflict between her and a man she had previously dated.

“I told her, ‘You have all these other energies that are nicely connecting,’” Pinkesz said. “‘See if you can learn to be OK with it and take it from there.’”

She dated this man for three months, got engaged, and had a child.

“I just received the invite to their son’s bar mitzvah,” Pinkesz said.

One thing the author notes is that simply Googling your sign and your spouse’s (or potential’s spouses) sign to see your compatibility is a mistake – what you will find is much too simplistic. You have to also look at the elements, fire, earth, air, and water, how the planets in your chart interact with each other, and the zodiac sign of the sun and the moon, just to name a few. Seeing the details of your chart can give you a greater understanding of yourself – and of Hashem’s plan for you.

“One of the commentators talks about how Hashem waits for the right astrological configuration, and then He brings a baby into the world,” Pinkesz said. “Hashem waits until the astrological timing is right for us to be born.”

While Pinkesz expected there to be some pushback, he has been pleasantly surprised there that has been very little.

“Any criticism came only from people who did not know anything about kosher astrology and had not read my book,” he said. “Many of them later apologized for initially making fun of it. Once they read it, they saw how serious it is. I show people directly that all of this comes from the sources themselves, from many different sefarim, and I am bringing it out to the world. Once you read the book, it becomes very clear, and the confusion people have falls away.”

With his work – the book as well as his kosher astrological coaching – Pinkesz’s main goal is to help people.

“I want to fulfill my purpose and uplift others,” he said. “I did it in the past through social services, and now Hashem sent me kosher astrology to help people reach their goals and figure out their purpose too.”

“Kosher Astrology: A Jewish Guide to Celestial Wisdom” is available for purchase exclusively on Amazon and KosherAstro.com.