How is astrology interpreted in Judaism, and what is Jewish astrology? (THREAD)

Astrology has been a topic of debate among Jews for thousands of years. Some Rabbis and Jewish sages rejected the idea while some accepted its validity.

The meaning of “Zoadic” in ancient Greek is “Circle” also known as “Circle of small animals”.

In Hebrew “Zodaic” is called Galgal Mazalot.
Galgal means Circle/Wheel but the concept of “Mazal” is a bit complex.

According to Jewish texts, Mazalot means constellations and destiny. God created 12 Mazalot, which every Mazal consists star cluster. Every star cluster exists in another star cluster.

A 1,500 years old Jewish script used ancient Hebrew measurements (not in use today) to describe the amount of stars.
According to the script the universe is made up of trillions of trillions of stars which these nearby stars are called “Mazalot”.

Since “Mazal” affects the people and the destiny, over the years the word "Mazal” has taken on a new meaning and is “luck”. Thus, the phrase "Mazal Tov" was created, which is used as a joyful bless.

The 12 Mazalot are divided according to the Hebrew calendar. Unlike the Babylonian, Roman, Greek zodiac signs, a zodiac sign in Judaism is associated with angels and not Gods.

For example, in the Georgian calendar, a Pisces is whom was born in February-March and his rulers are Neptune and Poseidon (Roman/Greek Gods).
In Judaism, “Pisces” is whom was born in the month of Adar, his angel is Raziel and his biblical character refers to Moses.

Every Zoadic sign has an affiliation with the book of Psalms, there are certain chapter to each sign which brings its Mazal to a higher spirituality position, abundance and luck if you read them in your Hebrew month (Can be seen below)

However, astrology doesn’t have a definite opinion and Jewish rabbis and sages have divided opinions.
Some say that engaging in astrology and believing in it, is considered Avoda Zara (idolatry) which is forbidden in Judaism.

While there are Jewish rabbis and sages who believe that astrology is a divine creation by God which takes an important part in the religion and man’s destiny.

Judaism states that a person shouldn’t behave according to what his horoscope or his Mazal predicts, he must live in the knowledge that he was born to certain Mazal that may affect him, but he has the possibility to change his destiny with Torah and the observance of its mitzvahs

Judaism states that what’s predicted to happen will happen whether a person wants it or not, he mustn’t change his actions following a vision he has told or read. He can try to change his luck,his Mazal will remind the same but its affection on him will be less through good deeds

Mazal affects man consciously or unconsciously, but beyond that there’s something more divine and sublime that man can strive for by his good deeds, and by that - his luck and so his destiny can be both changed for good.

Therefore, things like divination, magic, card reading, fortune teller are strictly forbidden in Judaism. Reading the horoscope & avoid doing things because of prediction is forbidden too. Judaism advocates an approach of knowing & awareness but not to engage in it too much.

The origin of the zodiac in Judaism is not clear. It’s claimed that it was inherited back in the days of Abraham who would look at the sky and read them but this presumably intensified with the Hellenistic period that took place in Judea 332-63BC.