Also, the rambam knew this gemara quite well. He also knew chumash very well – Kishuf is a capital offense as spelled out beferush “machsefa lo sichayeh” regardless of whether or not it is sleight of hand. I personally am of the opinion that the rambam didn’t mean it fully, and was trying to get his Egyptian Jewish constituents removed from the abominable practices. However, many do take the rambam at face value, so we are not to dismiss it as being demonstrably false from gemaros and pesukim that decry kishuf.
