## Sefer HaChinukh Mitzvah 515

###### Sefer HaChinukh 515:1
[Sefer HaChinukh 515:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/515:1)

**שֶׁלֹּא לִדְרֹשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים** – שֶׁלֹּא לִדְרֹשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים. וְעִנְיַן דְּרִישָׁה זוֹ הוּא (עי' רמב"ם ל"ת לח), שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּנֵי אָדָם מַרְעִיבִים עַצְמָם וְהוֹלְכִים וְלָנִים בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹא לָהֶם הַמֵּת בַּחֲלוֹם וְיוֹדִיעֵם מָה שֶׁיִּשְׁאֲלוּ עָלָיו, וְיֵשׁ אֲחֵרִים שֶׁלּוֹבְשִׁין בְּגָדִים יְדוּעִים וְאוֹמְרִים דְּבָרִים וּמְקַטְּרִים קְטֹרֶת יְדוּעָה וִישֵׁנִים לְבַדָּם כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹא הַמֵּת שֶׁהֵם רוֹצִים בּוֹ וִיסַפֵּר לָהֶם בַּחֲלוֹם, וְעַל כָּל מְלָאכוֹת אֵלּוּ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּם נֶאֱמַר (דברים יח י יא) לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ וְגוֹ' וְדוֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים.

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
**To not inquire of the dead:** To not inquire of the dead. And the content of this inquiring (see Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 38) is that there are people that starve themselves and lay down in the cemetery, so that the dead will come to them in a dream and inform that which they asked him about; and there are others who wear well-known clothes and say things and offer well-known incense and sleep alone so that the dead who they want will come and speak to them in a dream. And about all of these types of crafts and similar to them is it stated (Deuteronomy 18:10-11), “There shall not be found in you, etc. or one who inquires of the dead.”


###### Sefer HaChinukh 515:2
[Sefer HaChinukh 515:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/515:2)

מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּאִסּוּר כִּשּׁוּף בְּסֵדֶר זֶה (מצוה תקיא) וּבְסֵדֶר מִשְׁפָּטִים (מצוה סב).

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
What I wrote on the prohibition of magic in this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 511) and in the Order of *Mishpatim* (Sefer HaChinukh 62) is from the roots of the commandment.


###### Sefer HaChinukh 515:3
[Sefer HaChinukh 515:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/515:3)

וְדִינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (פרק שביעי).

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
And the laws of the commandment are in *Sanhedrin* (Chapter 7).


###### Sefer HaChinukh 515:4
[Sefer HaChinukh 515:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sefer%20HaChinukh/r/515:4)

וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלָיו וְעָשָׂה שׁוּם מַעֲשֶׂה כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹא הַמֵּת וְיוֹדִיעֵהוּ שׁוּם דָּבָר, חַיָּב מַלְקוּת.

**Sefer HaChinukh, translated by R. Francis Nataf, Sefaria 2018:**
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and does any act so that the dead will come and inform him anything is liable for lashes.