דברים, פרק י״ח, פסוק י״ב

The absolute rejection of witchcraft and sorcery is not merely a dismissal of superstition, but a profound opposition to surrendering to forces of evil, destruction, and death [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Engaging in these practices strips a person of their moral free will. It causes them to rely on dark, morally bankrupt forces instead of taking responsibility for their own actions and choices, a path that ultimately led to the moral corruption of the Canaanite nations [רש ר הירש]. Such practices are considered an abomination, representing something entirely distant and despised [נתינה לגר]. In fact, these acts are so vile that they transform the person performing them into an abomination themselves [ביאור יש״ר]. A person does not need to engage in every type of sorcery to reach this degraded state; committing even one of these forbidden acts is enough to be entirely condemned [רש״י, משכיל לדוד, רבנו בחיי, אדרת אליהו].

Regarding the fundamental nature of this prohibition, commentators offer a fascinating conceptual debate. One approach suggests that these practices are inherently repulsive to a healthy human intellect, stemming from corrupt traits and a spirit of impurity. Because basic human reason dictates that such acts are wrong, even non-Jews are warned against them and held accountable for their violations [ביאור יש״ר]. Conversely, another perspective argues that the natural human desire to foresee the future through divination is not inherently abominable. According to this view, God forbade these practices to the Israelites specifically because He elevated them to a higher spiritual level. They are meant to receive God's word directly through true prophets, making any reliance on magical substitutes entirely unacceptable [הטור הארוך].

The severe consequence for these actions was the complete destruction and expulsion of the Canaanites [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While an individual might be punished for a single offense, the Canaanite nations were driven out because they committed all of these abominations collectively [מלבי״ם]. Their punishment clearly indicates that they received prior warning, as there is no divine retribution without a prior warning [אדרת אליהו, מלבי״ם]. God desires that these dark practices be eradicated entirely, particularly within the borders of the Land of Israel [העמק דבר]. Furthermore, the expulsion of the Canaanites perfectly illustrates the utter futility of their magic. The fact that God drove them out proves that their sorcerers and diviners were powerless to save them from His judgment, making it completely illogical to pursue such practices [חזקוני]. God, who stands far above all wisdom and astrology, alters the very systems of nature to dispossess these nations [רבנו בחיי], specifically because they relied on a spirit of impurity instead of seeking Him and His true prophets [רשב״ם].

The downfall of the Canaanite nations serves as a severe warning to the Israelites. If the Israelites were to adopt the exact same abominations, God's act of driving out the Canaanites to bring them into the land would be reduced to a meaningless exchange [בכור שור]. Instead, the expectation is to completely distance oneself from anything God despises and to remain entirely whole in serving Him. This requires a person to be sincere, with their inner character matching their outward actions, trusting absolutely in God to guide the world without ever turning to dark and futile forces [רבנו בחיי].