The Talmud in Berachot 10a relates the following incident.
"There were once some highwaymen in the neighbourhood of R. Meir who caused him a great deal of trouble. R. Meir accordingly prayed that they should die. His wife Beruria said to him: How do you make out [that such a prayer should be permitted]? Because it is written Let hatta'im cease? Is it written hot'im?5 It is written hatta'im! Further, look at the end of the verse: and let the wicked men be no more. Since the sins will cease, there will be no more wicked men! Rather pray for them that they should repent, and there will be no more wicked. He did pray for them, and they repented."
I was reminded of this incident in the Talmud when I read an article this morning about a judge who ruled that "praying for God to hurt someone is not illegal."
Is it okay to ask God to do harm to another person? The theology of such “imprecatory prayer” may be a matter of debate, but a Dallas judge has ruled it is legal, at least as long as no one is actually threatened or harmed.
Read full article: http://www.religionnews.com/politics/law-and-court/Praying-for-God-to-hurt-someone-is-not-illegal-judge-rules
There is an obscure Canadian law that outlaws the "occult or crafty science" (terminology used to describe Witchcraft and Sorcery): Section 365 of the Criminal Code of Canada makes it an "offence punishable on summary conviction" to pretend "to exercise or to use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment or conjuration."
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