The Greatest Magic of All: Trusting in Hashem | Parshat Shoftim

*The Greatest Magic of All — תמים תהיה עם ה' אלוהיך* Is there such a thing as magic? Can we discover the future, change our destiny, or somehow gain control over what is going to happen to us? In Parshat Shoftim, the Torah warns us against those who seek to discover the future through magic, divination, astrology and other supernatural means. Instead, we are given a very different instruction: *"תמים תהיה עם ה' אלוהיך" — "You shall be wholehearted with Hashem your God."* But what does this really mean? Here are key points in the video to help you navigate: 00:00 – Introduction: Can we perform real magic? 01:25 – The human desire to know the future 02:46 – The Torah's warning against psychics and magicians 04:00 – The ultimate verse: Being faithful with Hashem 04:18 – Rashi’s secret to living in simplicity 05:25 – The Story of Rabbi Akiva’s daughter and the astrologers 08:11 – How Tzedakah (charity) changes the future 09:37 – The Story of Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak 11:15 – The meaning of the Yarmulke (Head covering) 13:23 – Abraham Avinu: Rising above the stars 16:31 – The "Magic" of our choices and actions 18:55 – The real meaning of "Abracadabra" 20:52 – Why simplicity is bett