Musar sobre Êxodo 7:22

The Rekanati writes that knowledge of what are the circumstances when something of this nature, i.e. contending with those who perform witchcraft, is permissible, is wide spread. Do not think that מעשה כשוף and מעשה שדים are one and the same thing. The Talmud in Sanhedrin 16, is explicit in identifying the machinations of Pharaoh's magicians i.e. בלטיהם, as the acts of שדים (Exodus 7,22), whereas the Torah refers to בלהטיהם (Exodus 7,11,) when the meaning is witchcraft. This teaches that כשוף can be performed without resorting to שדים, creatures commonly known as מלאכי חבלה, destructive agents. This is the way Rashi explains the matter. On occasion even שדים perform מעשה כשוף. They are known as the מלאכי חבלה, since מעשה כשוף, is invariably used destructively. So far the quote from the Chinuch.