Yid'oni - Negative Commandment 9

The 9th prohibition is that we are forbidden from performing the practice of yidoni. It is also a form of idolatry, in which the person takes a bone from the bird called yadu'a,1 places it in his mouth, burns incense, utters certain words, and performs certain actions, until he reaches a state similar to unconsciousness, when he goes into a deep sleep and predicts the future. Our Sages said,2 "Yidoni is when the person places a bone from a yadu'a in his mouth, and it speaks by itself."3

This prohibition is contained in the verse,4 "Do not turn to the idols called ov or yidoni."

Do not think that this prohibition is a in the category of a "general prohibition."5 This is because when mentioning the punishment,6 they were separated, as it is written,7 "[Any man or woman who is involved in] the idolatry called ov or8 yidoni [shall be put to death]."

One who transgresses either of them intentionally is executed by stoning and karet, as written in G‑d's statement (exalted be He),9 "Any man or woman who is involved in the idolatry called ov or yidoni shall be put to death."

In the words of the Sifri,10 "The verse,11 'Any man or woman who is involved in the idolatry called ov or yidoni shall be put to death,' designates the punishment. Which verse serves as the actual prohibition itself? The verse,12 'Do not turn to the idols called ov or yidoni.'"

One who transgresses this commandment unintentionally must also13 bring a sin-offering.

The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the seventh chapter of Sanhedrin.14

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Negative Commandment 8

Negative Commandment 10

Footnotes

See Kapach, 5731, note 44, where he relates the tradition received from his teachers regarding the pronunciation of this word.

Sanhedrin 65b.

As with ov, the Rambam learns that the person imagines that the bone is speaking (Kapach, 5731, note 45).

Lev.19:31

Such a "general prohibition," in which one prohibitive statement covers more than one act, may not be counted among the 613 commandments, as set forth in the Ninth Introductory Principle. In this case, the verse which states the prohibition says, "Do not turn to the idols called ov or yidoni," with the word "or," written with the Hebrew letter, "vav," which normally means, "and." The verse would then literally read, "Do not turn to the idols called ov and yidoni," and be considered a single "general prohibition" containing two prohibited acts. The Rambam now explains why this is not the case.

As mentioned many times, each prohibition has one verse designating the punishment, and another for the actual prohibition.

Lev. 20:27.

In this verse, the word "or," is written with the Hebrew word, "oh," which normally means, "or" (unlike the verse which states the prohibition using the Hebrew letter which means, "and"). In doing so, it splits the two acts into two separate prohibitions.

Lev. 20:27.

10.

Kapach, 5731, (note 49) points out that this quote is not in our version of the Sifri, but in Sifra, Kedoshim.

11.

Lev. 20:27.

12.

Lev. 19:31.

13.

As is the case with N8 above.

14.

65a and b.

By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Berel Bell