By Hillel ben David (Greg Killian)
I. Definitions and explanation:
V. Star and Constellation Names
VII. Josephus and the celestial bodies?
VIII. Book of Jubilees and the celestial bodies?
X. Interesting Talmudic Passages:
XI. Relationship to the twelve tribes:
The Mazzaroth, also known as the zodiac, is the name given to the pattern of
stars found on the celestial equator, or ecliptic. The ecliptic is an imaginary zone of the heavens
containing the twelve signs within which lie the paths of
the principal planets, and through which the sun passes in its annual course.
Mazzaroth is the Hebrew word for
constellation. There is a related Hebrew word: mazzaloth.
In this paper I would like to explore the wealth of information that relates
to the celestial bodies. I will examine the Scriptures, the oral law, and the wisdom of the Jewish
Sages in my quest to understand the purpose of the celestial bodies.
The Sages teach us that the primary use of the astronomical bodies is for calculating
times and seasons and to serve as signs. The torah also emphasises this idea:
Bereshit (Genesis) 1:14 And God said,
Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night;
and let them be for signs, and for seasons,
and for days, and years:
The Torah emphasises the importance of time
and keeping track of time. Therefore, keep this in mind as we study. The astronomical
bodies are to serve as:
Rashi says the following about ‘signs’:
2 [If there will arise among you
a prophet...] and he gives you a sign Hebrew אוֹת
, [meaning a sign] in the heavens,
as it is stated in the case of Gideon [who said to the angel]: “then show me a sign
(אוֹת) ” (Shoftim [Judges] 6:17),
and then it says [further], “let it be dry only upon the fleece [and upon all the
ground let there be dew]” (Shoftim [Judges] 6:39).
Thus we learn that anytime we see an ot,
a sign, we are looking at a reference to the celestial object.
In the Sanctum of the Holy Temple there were two major
holy vessels, the menorah and the shulchan [Table]upon
which the lechem hapanim were arranged. Themenorah consisted of seven candles, corresponding to the seven
"moving stars" [from our earthly perspective]– the sun, the moon, and the five planets closest to the earth. Arranged
upon the Table were twelve loaves ofshowbread,
corresponding to the twelve constellations used as astrological signs of the Zodiac.
These loaves are arranged in two tiers of
six because of the twelve signs, six are
always ascending and six are in decline. Thus, the menorah stood for the
heavenly lights and the Table for the astrological signs.[1]
The very first mitzva given to the
Jewish people concerned time and it’s calculation:
Shemot (Exodus) 12:1-4 And HaShem spake unto Moses and Aaron in the
land of Egypt, saying, This month [shall be] unto you the beginning of months: it [shall be] the first
month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take
to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their] fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the
household be too little for the lamb,
let him and his neighbour next unto his house take [it] according to the number
of the souls; every man according to his eating
shall make your count for the lamb.
Such is the importance of time and the astronomical bodies!
The Talmud[2] speaks about the influence of the constellations on
a person's destiny. Being born under a certain constellation can predispose a person
to certain personality traits, but it's up to the individual into which area to
channel these predilections. For example, someone who is influenced by Mars (the
"red planet") will have a tendency to shed blood. This can express itself
in becoming a murderer or a surgeon, a butcher or a mohel (who performs circumcisions). The choice is up to the
individual. Any talent, character trait or aptitude can be used for the highest
good or the basest evil. We are the ones who make the choice.
4216 Mazzarah, maz-zaw-raw'; appar.
from 5144 in the sense of distinction; some noted constellation (only in the plur.),
perh. collect. the zodiac:- Mazzaroth. Comp. 4208.
------------------- Dictionary Trace -------------------
5144 nazar, naw-zar'; a prim. root;
to hold aloof, i.e. (intrans.) abstain (from food and drink, from impurity, and
even from divine worship [i.e. apostatize]); spec. to set apart (to sacred
purposes), i.e. devote:- consecrate, separate (-ing, self).
4208 mazzalah, maz-zaw-law'; appar.
from 5140 in the sense of raining; a constellation, i.e. Zodiacal sign (perh. as
affecting the weather):- planet. Comp. 4216.
Mazzaroth occurs twice in scripture. The first is in:
Iyov (Job) 38:31-33 "Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you
loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their
seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up [God's] dominion
over the earth?
The second time it is in a slightly different form:
II Melakim (Kings) 23:3-5 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant
in the presence of HaShem--to follow
HaShem and keep his commands, regulations
and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the
covenant written in this book. Then
all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. The king ordered Hilkiah the
high priest, the priests next in rank
and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple
of HaShem all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He
burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields
of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel. He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah
to burn incense on the high places of
the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem--those who burned incense to Baal,
to the sun and moon, to the constellations and
to all the starry hosts.
CONSTELLATION[3]. For untold thousands of years men have traced the
outlines of familiar things among the stars. These patterns in the night sky are
called constellations, from Latin words meaning together and stars.
Many of the constellations have names that are very old. The Sumerian shepherds
and farmers of Mesopotamia 7,000 years ago may have called the Bull, the Ram, the
Lion, and many other constellations by the same names we use. Students of history
are sure these names started in Mesopotamia because the choice of animals suggests
this. If the names had first been used in Egypt, there should be a hippopotamus
or elephant among the stars. If they had started in ancient India, there should
be a tiger or crocodile.
The later people of Mesopotamia took over the old Sumerian names for the constellations
and still later the Greeks adopted them. The Greeks added many names of heroes and
demigods to the list of constellations. The Romans
used the Greek list but translated the names into Latin.
About AD 150 the Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy listed the 48 constellations known
to him in his book the `Almagest'. His list did not cover the entire sky. There
were blank spaces between constellations; and there were no constellations at all
for the southernmost stars because these could not be seen from the Mediterranean
region. In later centuries astronomers added constellations to Ptolemy's list. Some
of these later constellations are named for scientific instruments, such as the
Sextant, the Compasses, and the Microscope. Others bear the names of birds and beasts
in tropical regions (the Giraffe, the Chameleon, the Toucan). Today 88 constellations
are recognized by astronomers.
To most people a constellation is a group of bright stars, but to an astronomer
it is a definite area in the sky. Thus every star, no matter how dim, lies in one
constellation or another, just as any point in the world is in one country. Although
all the stars in the same constellation look close together in the sky, they are
not necessarily close in space because some may be much farther out in space than
others. The boundaries of the constellations used to be very irregular and had many
curved lines. In 1928 astronomers straightened them out so that the outline of any
constellation includes only straight lines running north and south or east and west. Astronomers use the constellation
names to identify most bright stars and all variable stars, so it was important
to make the boundaries clear and precise.
The constellations are useful to astronomers today, not for their connections
with ancient myths, but for telling where in the sky different stars can be found.
Many of the brightest stars have individual names that come from Greek, Latin, or
Arabic, and the navigators of ships and aircraft call them by these names. Astronomers,
however, find it more convenient to name them by their constellations, with a Greek
letter to distinguish the different stars in each constellation. For example, Polaris,
the Pole Star, in the Northern Hemisphere, is the brightest star in the constellation
Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, and the astronomers' name for it is alpha Ursae Minoris.
The path of the sun among the stars is called the ecliptic. The twelve constellations that lie along the
ecliptic form the Zodiac. The other constellations are divided into those north
of the Zodiac and those south of it.
From one place on the Earth
different constellations are seen at different times of the year. This happens because, as
well as turning on its axis, the Earth is always moving around the sun, making one
orbit each year. A star that is visible at night during one part of the year may
appear close to the sun six months later;
it would not then be seen at night.
Some constellations can be seen only from the Northern Hemisphere and some only
from the Southern Hemisphere. The constellations of the Zodiac can be seen from
both hemispheres.
The equator system[4] is based on the concept of the celestial sphere. All
the stars and other heavenly bodies can be imagined to be located on a huge sphere
that surrounds Earth. The sphere has several imaginary lines and points. One such
line is the celestial equator, which is the projection of Earth's equator onto the
celestial sphere. Another is the line of the ecliptic, which is the sun's apparent
yearly path along this sphere. The celestial equator and the ecliptic intersect
at two points, called the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox. (When the sun is at either point, day and night on
Earth are equally long.) The north and south celestial poles are extensions of the
North and South poles of Earth along Earth's axis of rotation.
In the equator system, the position of a star is given by the declination and
the right ascension. The declination locates the star from the celestial equator,
and the right ascension locates the star from the vernal equinox. Since this system
is attached to the celestial sphere, all points on Earth (except the poles) are
continually changing their positions under the coordinate system.
Bereshit (Genesis) 1:14-19 And God said,
"Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the
night, and let them serve as signs
to mark seasons and days and years,
And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth."
And it was so. God made two great lights--the
greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the
night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light
on the earth, To govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.
And God saw that it was good. And there
was evening, and there was morning--the fourth day.
4150 mow`ed, mo-ade'; or mo`ed, mo-ade';
or (fem.) mow`adah (2 Chron. 8:13), mo-aw-daw'; from 3259; prop. an appointment,
i.e. a fixed time or season; spec. a festival; conventionally a year; by implication,
an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation;
by extension, the place of meeting also a signal (as appointed beforehand):-appointed
(sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly,
congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn (-ity), synagogue, (set) time (appointed).
Govern:
4910 mashal, maw-shal'; a prim. root; to rule:-(have,
make to have) dominion, governor, X indeed, reigh, (bear, cause to, have) rule (-ing,
-r), have power.
Years:
8141 shaneh (in plur. only), shaw-neh'; or (fem.) shanah,
shaw-naw'; from 8138; a year (as a revolution
of time):-+ whole age, X long, + old, year (X -ly).
------------- Dictionary Trace ---------------
8138 shanah, shaw-naw'; a prim. root; to fold, i.e.
duplicate (lit. or fig.); by impl. to transmute (trans. or intrans.):-do (speak,
strike) again, alter, double, (be given to) change, disguise, (be) diverse, pervert,
prefer, repeat, return, do the second time.
In the account of the fourth
day of creation, the sun and moon are referred
to as the "great luminaries", but then, within the same verse, the sun
retains that title, but the moon is called the "small luminary". In fact,
both descriptions are correct. When considered from our human perspective, both
the sun and the moon are large. They are the only two sources of light that appear to the naked
eye as more than a point oflight in the sky. (Planets appear as disks only when
viewed with telescopes; stars, even giant ones, remain "points" even under
very high magnification.) In fact, the sun and the moon appear to be almost exactly the same
size, as seen from Earth. This results from the sun having a diameter approx. 400
times that of the moon, while being approx. 400 times as distant. On the other hand,
the moon is actually quite small in comparison to the sun. One commentator noted
that when the sun and moon are referred to as "M'orot birkiya hashamayim",
luminaries in the heavens, the word "M'orot" is spelled "deficiently",
without a "vav", indicating that in the heavens, they are not on equal footing.
The moon doesn't even provide its own light. There really is only one (major) luminary
in the heavens. However, when the phrase used is "M'orot birkiya hashamayim
l'ha'ir al ha-aretz", luminaries to illuminate the Earth, then the word "M'orot"
has a "vav", since from our perspective, there are two (major) sources of light in our sky. The
Torah speaks (mostly) in terms that fit our perspective.
Compare also:
Tehillim (Psalms)
136:1-9 Give thanks to HaShem, for he is good. <His love endures
forever.> Give thanks to the God of gods. <His love endures forever.> Give
thanks to the Lord of lords: <His love endures forever.> To him who alone
does great wonders, <His love endures forever.> Who by his understanding made
the heavens, <His love endures forever.> Who spread out the earth upon the
waters, <His love endures forever.> Who made the great lights--<His love
endures forever.> The sun to govern the day, <His love endures forever.>
The moon and stars to govern the night; <His love endures forever.>
Tehillim (Psalms) 19:1-6 {For the director of music. A psalm of David.} The
heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is
not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the
world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
The "heavens" seem to be
outer space.
Tehillim (Psalms)
97:1-6 HaShem reigns, let the earth be glad; let
the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness
and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes
on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The
mountains melt like wax before HaShem, before the Lord of all the earth. The
heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
Tehillim (Psalms) 50:1-6 {A psalm of Asaph.} The Mighty One, God, HaShem, speaks
and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From
Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens
above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made
a covenant with me by sacrifice."
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. <Selah>
Notice that the heavens and the earth are witnesses against us.
Proclaim:
5046 nagad, naw-gad'; a prim. root; prop. to front,
i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by impl. (causat.), to manifest; fig. to announce
(always by word of mouth to one present); spec. to expose, predict, explain, praise:-bewray,
X certainly, certify, declare (-ing), denounce, expound, X fully, messenger, plainly,
profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, X surely, tell, utter.
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 4:14-19 And HaShem directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you
are crossing the Jordan to possess. You saw no form of any kind the day HaShem spoke
to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore
watch yourselves very carefully, So that you do not become corrupt and make for
yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,
Or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, Or like any creature
that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look
up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars--all the heavenly array--do
not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things HaShem your God has
apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
The "heavenly array" could also be translated the "heavenly army".
This is a military term!
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 4:25-27 After you have had children and grandchildren and
have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind
of idol, doing evil in the eyes of HaShem your God and provoking him to anger, I
call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly
perish from the land that you are crossing
the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed.
HaShem will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among
the nations to which HaShem will drive you.
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against
you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children
may live
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:24-30 After Moses finished writing in a book the words of
this law from beginning to end, He gave
this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of HaShem: "Take this Book of the Law
and place it beside the ark of the covenant of HaShem your God. There it will remain
as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If
you have been rebellious against HaShem while I am still alive and with you, how
much more will you rebel after I die! Assemble before me all the elders of your
tribes and all your officials, so that
I can speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to testify against them.
For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn
from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall upon you
because you will do evil in the sight of HaShem and provoke him to anger by what
your hands have made." And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning
to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:
Midrash
Rabba[5] writes:
"The sun and the moon shed light upon the world. What
is their source of light? Sparks of light from the heavens, as it is written, `From
the light of Your arrows as they speed, and at the shining of Your glittering spear'
(Chavakuk 3:11). The light above is so intense that creatures cannot bear
to see it; only one in a hundred" (a fraction of a percent). Perhaps an example
is the sun during an eclipse, which can only be viewed through
smoked glass. Similarly, the tremendous light released during atomic fission or
fusion.
The sun and moon are, therefore, creations which serve as a medium for the illumination of the spiritual light. They are the fallout, the residue of a very mighty spiritual light that penetrates everything, a light that illuminates from one end of the world to the other.
If these luminaries transmit a spiritual light, then they must be spiritual themselves, as well. This leads us to what the Rambam taught.
The heavens are made up of spheres. There are nine spheres. The closest to us is that of
the moon. Above it, the second sphere contains the planet Kochav (Mercury).
Above this, the third sphere contains the planet Nogah (Venus). The fourth
sphere contains the Sun. The fifth contains the planet Ma'dim (Mars). The
sixth sphere contains the planet Tzedek (Jupiter). The seventh contains the
planet Shabbtai (Saturn). The eighth sphere contains all the stars we see
in the sky. The ninth sphere revolves from east
to west every day. It surrounds and encompasses everything. The planets and stars
all appear to be in a single sphere even though one is higher than another. This
is because the spheres themselves are pure and refined like glass or sapphire....
This is why the stars in the eighth sphere may appear lower than the first sphere.
Each of the eight
main spheres containing the planets and stars is itself divided into many individual
spheres, one above the other like the layers of an onion. Some of these spheres
revolve from west to the east, others from
east to west..... There is no empty space between any of them.
None of the spheres are light or heavy. They are neither red,
black nor any other color. Although we see them as blue, this is only our perception
because of the height of the atmosphere. Similarly they have neither taste nor smell,
because those qualities are present only in lower forms of matter. All these nine
spheres surrounding the world are spherical like a ball, and the Earth is suspended
in the middle....
From knowing the daily movements of the stars and planets,
their positions north or south in the sky and their distance from or closeness to
Earth, it is possible to know the total number of spheres and the way they revolve.
This is the science of astronomy. Many books about these subjects were written by
the wise men of Greece.
The Zodiac
The ninth sphere, which encompasses all the others, was divided
by the sages of the early generations into twelve sections. They gave each of these
sections a name based on the shapes that appeared to be formed by the stars in the
corresponding section of the eighth sphere just below it. These are the mazalot
(lit. sources of influence): the Ram (Aries), the Ox (Taurus), the Twins (Gemini),
the Crab (Cancer), the Lion (Leo), the Virgin (Virgo), the Scales (Libra), the Scorpion
(Scorpio), the Bow (Sagittarius), the Goat (Capricorn), the Bucket (Aquarius) and
the Fish (Pisces).
The ninth sphere itself has no divisions and does not possess
any of these shapes or stars. Rather, the larger stars in the constellations of
the eighth sphere are seen in the shape of these forms or in a form resembling them.
These twelve forms corresponded to these divisions only at the time
of the flood, which is when they were given these names. However at present they
have already moved slightly, because all the stars in the eighth sphere move just
like the sun and the moon. It is just that these stars move
more slowly....
All the stars and spheres possess a soul, knowledge and intellect. They are alive
and stand in recognition of the One who spoke and brought the world into being.
According to their size and level, they all praise and glorify
their Creator, just like the angels. And just as they are aware of the Holy One,
blessed-be-He, they are also conscious of themselves and of the angels above them.
The level of consciousness of the stars and spheres is less than that of the angels
but greater than of humans.
Especially influential is
Avraham Ibn Ezra’s astrological treatise called Sefer HaOlam (The Book of
the World). Its main message is to warn
users against wrong applications of astrology. Of course, like most scholars until
modern times, he was an ardent believer in astrology, but only when it is practiced
correctly.
In particular, he warned that
all the astronomical tables predicting the times of planetary conjunctions are erroneous,
because they assume uniform
motion of the planets. He also made a very good point on the accumulation
of errors, and for the need to account for experimental errors, and how unreasonable
it is to extrapolate from ancient data. Hence, he only relied on astronomical observations
made by contemporary 'sages of experiments'.
Do the stars control us?
Are we under a mazel?
The "eighth day,"
the eighth day of the inauguration of the Mishkan. It was on this day that the Divine
Presence finally descended and "inhabited" the Mishkan. For, the number eight always alludes to a departure from
the "natural" world, and entry into the supernatural world (which is why
Chanukah also is eight days long).
Therefore, brit milah acts as a threshold
of sorts for the new baby, over which he crosses to enter into the world ABOVE mazel.
There is a discussion in the
Talmud about whether or not a Jew is subject to mazel, that is, destiny[7]. We believe that, for the most part, events are predetermined
as part of a master plan for creation.
Within the stars is encoded six thousand
years of history, and a true astrologer can peek into the stars and foretell the
future, as Avraham did when he told HaShem that he saw that he was to remain childless
through his wife Sarah; Hagar bore Yishmael for him.
However, HaShem told Avraham that he was not necessarily
correct, for, he could by choice rise above his mazel, and beat his destiny, so-to-speak.
And as history and the Torah testifies, Avraham did precisely that with the birth
of his son Yitzchak, something, apparently,
he could only achieve AFTER he had performed
brit milah (first he was commanded
to perform brit milah, and then Yitzchak was conceived).
Hence, brit milah is far more
than an initiation rite into Judaism; it is a mystical door through which the Jewish
nation passes on the way to freedom
from nature.
Tehillim (Psalms)
147:1-5 Praise HaShem. How good it is to sing praises to
our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! HaShem builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and
binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each
by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
HaShem gives them their names?
Revelation 8:10-11 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star,
blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs
of water-- The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned
bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 40:25-26 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?"
says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who
brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because
of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Iyov (Job) 9:7-10 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off
the light of the stars. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on
the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and
the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
Iyov (Job) 38:28-33 Does the rain
have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? From whose womb comes the ice? Who
gives birth to the frost from the heavens When the waters become hard as stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen? "Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their
seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up [God's]
dominion over the earth?
Amos 5:6-10 Seek HaShem and live, or he will sweep through the
house of Joseph like a fire; it will devour, and Bethel will have
no one to quench it. You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness
to the ground (He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns blackness into dawn
and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them
out over the face of the land--HaShem is his name-- He flashes destruction on the
stronghold and brings the fortified city
to ruin), You hate the one who reproves in court and despise him who tells the truth.
Shoftim (Judges) 5:19-20 Kings came, they fought; the kings of Canaan fought
at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they carried off no silver, no plunder.
From the heavens the stars fought,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 13:6-10 Wail, for the day of HaShem is near; it will come like destruction
from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will
melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe
like a woman in labor. They will look
aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of HaShem is coming--a cruel
day, with wrath and fierce anger--to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners
within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened and the moon
will not give its light.
Constellation:
3685 Keciyl, kes-eel'; the same as 3684; any notable
constellation; spec. Orion (as if a burly one):-constellation, Orion.
------------- Dictionary Trace ---------------
3684 keciyl, kes-eel'; from 3688; prop. fat, i.e. (fig.)
stupid or silly:- fool (-ish).
Bamidbar (Numbers) 24:15-19 Then he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam
son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, The oracle of one who hears
the words of God, who has knowledge
from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and
whose eyes are opened: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel. He
will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will
be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the
city."
What does this mean?
Iyov (Job) 9:9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades
and the constellations of the south.
Bear:
5906 `Ayish, ah'-yish; or `Ash, awsh; from 5789; the
constellation of the Great Bear (perh. from its migration through the heavens):-Arcturus.
Ayath. See 5857.
------------- Dictionary Trace ---------------
5789 `uwsh, oosh; a prim. root; to hasten:-assemble
self.
5857 `Ay, ah'-ee; or (fem.) `Aya' (Neh. 11:31), ah-yaw';
or `Ayath
(Isa. 10:28), ah-yawth; for 5856; Ai, Aja or Ajath,
a place in Pal.:-Ai, Aija, Aijath, Hai.
Orion:
3685 Keciyl, kes-eel'; the same as 3684; any notable
constellation; spec. Orion (as if a burly one):-constellation, Orion.
------------- Dictionary Trace ---------------
3684 keciyl, kes-eel'; from 3688; prop. fat, i.e. (fig.)
stupid or silly:- fool (-ish).
Pleiades is the Septuagint translation
of:
3598 Kiymah, kee-maw'; from the same as 3558; a cluster
of stars, i.e. the Pleiades:-Pleiades, seven stars.
--------------- Dictionary Trace -------------
3558 kuwmaz, koo-mawz'; from an unused root mean. to
store away; a jewel (prop. gold beads):-tablet.
II Luqas (Acts) 28:11 After three
months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian
ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
Constellation: Bethulah
Meaning......: Virgin
Star...: Tsemech
Meaning: Branch. Used exclusively of the Messiah. Jer 23:5-6, Zech 3:8, Zech
6:12 Isa 4:2.
Star...: Zavijaveh
Meaning: Gloriously beautiful. Isa 4:2
Constellation: Mozanaim
Meaning......: Scales. Iyov (Job) 31:6, Eze 45:10
Ibn Ezra (From "The Secret of the Torah", A translation
of Abraham ibn Ezra’s Sefer Yesod Mora Ve-Sod Ha-Torah, by H. Norman Strickman.)
The secret of the ephod[8] is extremely precious[9], for six names[10] were inscribed on each one of the two sapphire stones that were on the ephod. One stone was on its right, and one[11] was on its left[12].
Observe: There was no image on the stones [of the ephod]. This alludes[13] [to the twelve
sections of the sky]. These sections can be perceived only by the mind[14]. They correspond to the number of the tribes of Israel.
The breastplate was like the work of the
ephod (Shemot (Exodus) 28:15)[15]. It was square[16], corresponding to the four compass points. Each one of its stones[17] was therefore[18] unlike the other.[19] The boxes and the rings that were permanently set
in the breastplate[20] allude to the celestial equator.
The urim[21] are to be taken at face value.[22] So is the tummim.[23] The tummim
corresponds to the cubed number.[24] Moses first placed them[25] on the breastplate, in accordance with the position
of the heavenly bodies[26], on the day that he erected the tabernacle. The wise will understand.
B. Talmud
Yoma 73b... And although the decree of a prophet could be revoked, the decree of the
‘Urim and Thummim’ could not be revoked, as it is said: By the judgment of the Urim.
Why were they called ‘Urim and Thummim’? ‘Urim’ because they made their words enlightening.[27] ‘Thummim’ because they fulfil their words. ...
Yoma 73b ... in wrong order and received his answer in right order.[28] And as soon as he knew that he had asked in wrong
order, he asked again in right order, as it is said: Will the men of Keilah deliver
up me and my men in to the hand of Saul? And the Lord said.’ They will deliver thee
up.[29] But if the occasion required both questions, both
were answered, as it is said: And David inquired of the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue
after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him: pursue; for thou shalt
surely overtake them and shalt without fail recover all.[30] And although the decree of a prophet could be revoked,
the decree of the ‘Urim and Thummim’ could not be revoked, as it is said: By the
judgment of the Urim. Why were they called ‘Urim and Thummim’? ‘Urim’ because they
made their words enlightening.[31] ‘Thummim’ because they fulfil their words. And if
you should ask: Why did they not fulfil their words in Gibeah Benjamin?[32] It is because they did not inquire[33] [whether the result would be] victory or defeat.[34] But at last, when conquered, they [the Urim and Thummim]
approved their action, as it is said: And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son
of Aaron, stood before it in those days, saying: ‘Shall I yet again go out to battle
against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?’ and the Lord said:
Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver him into thy hand.[35]
How
was it effected? — R. Johanan said: [The letters]
stood forth.[36] Resh Lakish said: They joined each other. But the
‘Zade’ was missing?[37] R. Shmuel (Samuel) b. Isaac said: They contained also
the names of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But the ‘Teth’, too, was missing? — R. Aha b. Jacob
said: They contained also the words: The ‘tribes’[38] of Jeshurun.
An
objection was raised: No priest was
inquired of who does not speak by means of the Holy Spirit and upon whom the Divine
Presence does not rest, for Zadok inquired and succeeded, whilst Abiathar inquired
and failed, as it is said: But Abiathar went up until all the people had done passing
out of the city?[39] — He helped along.[40]
AND
ONE INQUIRED ONLY FOR A KING. Whence do we know these things? — R. Abbahu said:
Scripture said, And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire
for him by the judgment of the Urim;[41] ‘he’ i.e., the king, ‘and all the children of Israel
with him’, i.e., the [priest] Anointed for Battle, ‘even all the congregation’,
that is the Sanhedrin.
* * *
A prophet needs no "tools" to speak the word of HaShem, but I would point out to you that
the oracle of Urim and Thummin was used by HaShem's prophets and priests to divine the will of HaShem, dozens
of times in the Tanakh, the Old Testament. See for example: Shemot (Exodus) 28:30.
Interestingly the words Urim and Thummin are of Chaldean origin and translate as
"perfects lights". Lights could
be taken as a reference to the heavenly hosts. Is it mere coincidence that the modern
hymn of the three wise men sung at Christmas should go "guide us to thy
perfect light."?
Ur (same root as Urim) of the Chaldees, birthplace of Abraham, translates "Light
of the Astrologers.":
Yirimiyah (Jeremiah) 50:10 And Chaldea
shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith HaShem.
+------------------------------------------------+
3778 Kasdiy, kas-dee' (occasionally with enclitic Kasdiymah,
kas-dee'-maw; towards the Kasdites:-into Chaldea), patron. from 3777 (only in theplur.);
a Kasdite, or desc. of Kesed; by impl. a Chaldean (as if so descended); also an
astrologer (as if proverbial of that people):- Chaldeans, Chaldees, inhabitants
of Chaldea.
-------------- Dictionary Trace -----------------
3777 Kesed, keh'-sed; from an unused root of uncert.
mean; Kesed, a relative of Abraham:-Chesed.
The Urim and Thummin oracle was thought to be two distinct objects fastened to the breastplate
of the high priest for discerning HaShem's
will. This bares a remarkable resemblance to a legend recalled in the Torah[42] concerning a
large astrological tablet which Abraham, the Chaldean, bore on his chest at times
when he was consulted as a prophet by kings of the east.
Jacob's son Joseph who is a prophet of God makes use
of a prophetic tool called a "cup of divination":
Bereshit (Genesis)
44:1-5 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward
of his house: "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and
put each man's silver in the mouth of his sack. Then put my cup, the silver one,
in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the silver for his grain."
And he did as Joseph said. As morning
dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the
city when Joseph said to his steward, "Go
after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, 'Why have
you repaid good with evil? Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also
uses for divination? This is a wicked
thing you have done.'"
And has predictive dreams with what is clearly astronomical meaning. The only
way to correctly interpret his dream
is my means of astronomy. His father immediately understands Joseph's dream of the
sun and the moon being references to
himself and his wife:
Bereshit (Genesis)
37:5-10 Joseph had a dream, and when he old it to his brothers,
they hated him all the more. He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of
grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your
sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to him,
"Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they
hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another
dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had
another dream, and this time the sun
and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said,
"What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually
come and bow down to the ground before you?"
This further suggests that Jacob
himself understood astronomy. These predictions of Joseph are fulfilled EXACTLY, see: Bereshit
(Genesis) 45:9-12. Joseph is further described in scripture as a "God fearing
man" Bereshit (Genesis) 42:18, who receives the blessing of his father Jacob after his prophesy with its astronomical
symbolism concerning him comes to pass.
Scripture clearly states that Daniel was "learned" in the knowledge of the Chaldean astrologers
and in fact was made "Chief of the astrologers":
Daniel 4:4-9 I, Nebuchadnezzar,
was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying
in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I
commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the
dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told
them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came into
my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name
of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) I said, "Belteshazzar,
chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you,
and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
He was obviously a different kind of prophet from the other royal advisers.
At no point does he explicitly condemn Astronomy as such. Only that HaShem alone
provides the "inspiration" (ie. Holy Spirit) for correct prophesy. Indeed,
He even intervenes to prevent the execution of the pagan astrologers and is kindly
towards them.
First century historian of the Jews,
Herodias asserts that the Patriarch Abraham was the inventor of astrology. There
is widespread misconception that Astrology started solely with the "pagan"
Greeks when it actually started with the Chaldeans. The Midrash supports the notion that Abraham
was an astrologer. Biblical evidence of this may be found in Bereshit (Genesis)
17:15 where HaShem orders Abraham to change this wife's name from Sarai to Sarah
in order that she conceive a child. It is a Jewish custom that changing or adding
a name blesses that person with a "new" new beginning. HaShem has supreme
knowledge of the future because he is the first cause in creation, and hence has complete knowledge of all subsequent beginnings
following from that as it is written "declaring the end from the beginning.
"Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 46:11.
THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, Book 3, Chapter 6:7
7. Over against this table, near the southern wall, was set a candlestick of
cast gold, hollow within, being of the weight of one hundred pounds, which the Hebrews call Chinchares, if it be turned
into the Greek language, it denotes a talent. It was made with its knops, and lilies,
and pomegranates, and bowls (which ornaments amounted to seventy in all); by which
means the shaft elevated itself on high from a single base, and spread itself into
as many branches as there are planets, including the sun among them. It terminated
in seven heads, in one row, all standing
parallel to one another; and these branches carried seven lamps, one by one, in
imitation of the number of the planets. These lamps looked to the east and to the
south, the candlestick being situate obliquely.
THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, Book 3, Chapter 7:7
7. Now here one may wonder at the ill-will which men bear to us, and which they
profess to bear on account of our despising that Deity which they pretend to honor;
for if any one do but consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments
of the high priest, and of those vessels
which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator
was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others; for if any one
do without prejudice, and with judgment, look upon these things, he will find they
were every one made in way of imitation and representation of the universe. When
Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three
parts, and allowed two of them to the priests,
as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, these being of
general access to all; but he set apart the third division for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men. And when
he ordered twelve loaves to be set on
the table, he denoted the year, as distinguished into so many months. By branching
out the candlestick into seventy parts, he secretly intimated the Decani, or seventy
divisions of the planets; and as to the seven
lamps upon the candlesticks, they referred to the course of the planets, of which
that is the number. The veils, too, which were composed of four things, they declared the four elements;
for the fine linen was proper to signify the earth, because the flax grows out of
the earth; the purple signified the sea, because that color is dyed by the blood
of a sea shell-fish; the blue is fit to signify the air; and the scarlet will naturally
be an indication of fire. Now the vestment of the high priest being made of linen, signified
the earth; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and
in the noise of the bells resembling thunder. And for the ephod, it showed that
God had made the universe of four elements; and as for the gold interwoven, I suppose
it related to the splendor by which all things are enlightened. He also appointed
the breastplate to be placed in the middle of the ephod, to resemble the earth,
for that has the very middle place of the world.
And the girdle which encompassed the high priest round, signified the ocean, for
that goes round about and includes the universe. Each of the sardonyxes declares
to us the sun and the moon; those, I
mean, that were in the nature of buttons on the high priest's shoulders. And for
the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months, or whether we understand
the like number of the signs of that circle
which the Greeks call the Zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. And
for the mitre, which was of a blue color, it seems to me to mean heaven; for how
otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it? That it was also illustrated
with a crown, and that of gold also, is because of that splendor with which God
is pleased. Let this explication suffice at present, since the course of my narration
will often, and on many occasions, afford me the opportunity of enlarging upon the
virtue of our legislator.
Jubilees, Chapter 12:15... And Terah went forth from Ur of the Chaldees, he
and his sons, to go into the land of Lebanon and into the land of Canaan, and he
dwelt in the land of Haran, and Abram dwelt with Terah his father in Haran two weeks of years. And in the sixth week,
in the fifth year thereof, [1951 A.M.] Abram sat up throughout the night on the
new moon of the seventh month to observe
the stars from the evening to the morning, in order to see what would be the character
of the year with regard to the rains,
and he was alone as he sat and observed. And a word came into his heart and he said:
All the signs of the stars, and the signs
of the moon and of the sun are all in the hand of the Lord. Why do I search (them)
out?
Antiquities of the Jews:
Book 1 - Chapter 3:9. Now when Noah had lived three hundred and fifty years
after the Flood, and that all that time happily, he died, having lived the number
of nine hundred and fifty years. But let no one, upon comparing the lives of the
ancients with our lives, and with the few years which we now live, think that what
we have said of them is false; or make the shortness of our lives at present an
argument, that neither did they attain to so long a duration of life, for those
ancients were beloved of God, and [lately] made by God himself; and because their
food was then fitter for the prolongation of life, might well live so great a number
of years: and besides, God afforded them a longer time of life on account of their
virtue, and the good use they made of it in astronomical and geometrical discoveries,
which would not have afforded the time of foretelling [the periods of the stars]
unless they had lived six hundred years;
for the great year is completed in that interval. Now I have for witnesses to what
I have said, all those that have written Antiquities, both among the Greeks and
barbarians; for even Manetho, who wrote the Egyptian History, and Berosus, who collected
the Chaldean Monuments, and Mochus, and Hestieus, and, besides these, Hieronymus
the Egyptian, and those who composed the Phoenician History, agree to what I here
say: Hesiod also, and Hecatseus, Hellanicus, and Acusilaus; and, besides these,
Ephorus and Nicolaus relate that the ancients lived a thousand years. But as to these matters,
let every one look upon them as he thinks fit.
The following text is quoted from: Abraham Ibn Ezra's Sefer Yesod Mora Ve-Sod
Ha-Torah
Ten is the foundation of all sums,[43] for all sums that follow ten[44] are made up of a part[45] or parts of ten,[46] or one come into being by doubling ten,[47] multiplying ten[48] or by a combination of the two.[49] Furthermore, it is well known that wind and fire form one sphere, and water and earth
a second sphere.[50] There is indisputable proof that these spheres are
circled by eight other spheres.[51] All of this clearly adds up to ten. The yod[52] therefore has the shape of the periphery of a circle
that encompasses everything in it.[53]
The word yod means a gathering.[54] It comes from the same root[55] as the words todah [company[56] and todot [companies][57] in And the other company (Ezra-Nechemiah (Nehemiah)-Nechemiah
(Nehemiah) 12:38)
Now if one starts counting the spheres from the first sphere,[58] then the first sphere is the holy sphere.[59] On the other hand, if one starts the count of the
spheres from the lunar sphere,[60] then the tenth sphere is the holy sphere. Both the
firstborn and the tenth born are there fore holy.[61]
However, from another point of view, the integers end with nine.[62] For ten is the first of the tens, and one is not considered
a number. There are thus only eight numbers.[63] Four of them-namely, two, three, five, and seven, are prime numbers.[64]
When we add one, which is a root, and a square, a foundation[65] and a cube, to the square of the first of the even
numbers,[66] we get five[67] If we add one to the square of the first of the odd
numbers,[68] we get ten.[69]
We thus have the revered name of God.[70] If we add one to the square of five, we get the sum of God's entire name.[71] The same is also the case if we add up the letters that spell out yod, heh.[72] If we add one to the square of seven, we get fifty,
[which alludes to] the holy jubilee year[73] and the day when the festival of Shavuot is observed.[74]
Berachoth 58b OVER SHOOTING-STARS
[ZIKIN]. What are ZIKIN? Shmuel (Samuel) said: A comet.[75] Shmuel (Samuel) also said: I am as familiar with the
paths of heaven as with the streets of Nehardea, with the exception of the comet,
about which I am ignorant. There is a tradition that it never passes through the
constellation of Orion, for if it did, the world would be destroyed. But we have seen
it pass through? — Its brightness passed through, which made it appear as if it
passed through itself. R. Huna the son of R. Yahoshua (Joshua) said: Wilon[76] was torn asunder and rolled up,[77] showing the brightness of Rakia.[78] R. Ashi said: A star was removed from one side of
Orion and a companion star appeared on the other side, and people were bewildered
and thought the star had crossed over.[79]
Shmuel
(Samuel) contrasted two texts. It is written, Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the
Pleiades.[80] And it is written elsewhere, That maketh Pleiades
and Orion.[81] How do we reconcile these? Were it not for the heat
of Orion the world could not endure the cold of Pleiades; and were it not for the
cold of Pleiades the world could not endure the heat of Orion. There is a tradition
that were it not that the tail of the Scorpion has been placed in the Stream of
Fire,[82] no one who has ever been stung by a scorpion could
live. This is what is referred to in the words of the All-Merciful to Iyov (Job):
Canst thou bind the chains of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion?[83]
What
is meant by Kimah [Pleiades]?6 Shmuel
(Samuel) said: About a hundred [ke'me-ah] stars. Some say they are close together;
others say that they are scattered. What is meant by ‘’Ash [the Bear]’?6 — Rab Judah said: Jutha. What is Jutha? — Some say
it is the tail of the Ram; others say it is the hand of the Calf.[84] The one who says it is the tail of the Ram is more
probably right, since it says: ‘Ayish will be comforted for her children .[85] This shows that it lacks something, and in fact it
looks like a piece torn off;[86] and the reason why she follows her is because she
is saying to her: Give me my children. For at the time when the Holy One, blessed
be He, wanted to bring a flood upon the world,
He took two stars from Kimah and brought a flood upon the world. And when He wanted to stop it, He
took two stars from ‘Ayish and stopped it.
But why did He not put the other two back?
— A pit cannot be filled with its own clods;[87] or another reason is, the accuser cannot become advocate.
Then He should have created two other stars for it? — There is nothing new under
the sun.[88] R. Nahman said: The Holy one, blessed be He, will
one day restore them to her, as it says: and ‘Ayish will be comforted for her children.[89]
Shabbath 146a the serpent came upon Eve he injected a lust into her:[90] [as for] the Israelites who stood at Mount Sinai, their
lustfulness departed; the idolaters, who did not stand at Mount Sinai, their lustfulness
did not depart.[91] R. Aha son of Raba asked R. Ashi. What about proselytes? Though they were not present,
their guiding stars[92] were present, as it is written, [Neither with you
only do I make this covenant and this oath], but with him that standeth here with
us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us
this day.[93] Now he differs from R. Abba b. Kahana, for R. Abba
b. Kahana said: Until three generations the lustful [strain] did not
disappear from our Patriarchs: Abraham begat Ishmael, Isaac begat Esau, [but] Jacob begat the twelve tribes in whom there was no taint whatsoever.[94]
Rosh HaShana 11b R. Yahoshua (Joshua) and R. Eliezer are herein consistent
[with views expressed by them elsewhere], as it has been taught: ‘In the sixth hundredth
year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month.[95] R. Yahoshua (Joshua) said: That day was the seventeenth
day of Iyar, when the constellation of Pleiades sets at daybreak and the fountains
begin to dry up, and because they [mankind] perverted their ways, the Holy One,
blessed be He, changed for them the work of creation and made the constellation
of Pleiades rise at daybreak and took two stars from the Pleiades and brought a
flood on the world. R. Eliezer said: That day was the seventeenth of Marheshvan,
a day on which the constellation of Pleiades rises at daybreak, and [the season]
when the fountains begin to fill , and because they perverted their ways, the Holy
One, blessed be He, changed for them the work of creation, and caused the constellation of
Pleiades to rise at daybreak and took away two stars [from it] and brought a flood
on the world’.[96]
Baba Bathra 16b The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things[97] [ba-kol].What is meant by ‘in all things’? R. Meir
said: In the fact that he had no daughter; R. Judah said: In the fact that he had
a daughter. Others say that Abraham had a daughter whose name was ba-kol. R. Eliezer
the Modiite said that Abraham possessed a power of reading the stars[98] for which he was much sought after by the potentates
of East and West.[99]
Shabbath 156a It was stated. R. Hanina said: The planetary influence
gives wisdom, the planetary influence gives wealth, and Israel stands under planetary influence.
R. Johanan maintained: Israel is immune from planetary influence.[100] Now, R. Johanan is consistent with his view, for R.
Johanan said: How do we know that Israel is immune from planetary influence? Because
it is said, Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed
at the signs of heaven, for the nations are dismayed at
them:[101] they are dismayed but not Israel.[102] Rab too holds that Israel is immune from planetary
influence. For Rab Judah said in Rab's name: How do we know that Israel is immune
from planetary influence? Because it is said, and he brought him forth from abroad.[103] Abraham pleaded before the Holy One, blessed be He,
‘Sovereign of the Universe! one born in mine house is mine heir.’[104] ‘Not so,’ He replied, ‘but he that shall come forth
out of thine own bowels.’[105] ‘Sovereign of the Universe!’ cried he, ‘I have looked
at my constellation and find that I am not fated to beget child.’ ‘Go forth from
[i.e., cease] thy planet [gazing], for Israel is free from planetary influence.
What is thy calculation?
Shabbath 156a R. Hanina said to then, [his disciples]: Go out and
tell the son of Levi, Not the constellation of the day but that of the hour is the
determining influence. He who is born under the constellation of the sun[106] will be a distinguished[107] man: he will eat and drink of his own and his secrets
will lie uncovered; if a thief, he will have no success. He who is born under Venus
will be wealthy and unchaste [immoral]. What is the reason? Because fire was created therein.[108] He who is born under Mercury will be of a retentive
memory and wise. What is the reason? Because it [Mercury] is the sun's scribe. He
who is born under the Moon will be a
man to suffer evil, building and demolishing, demolishing and building. eating and drinking that which is not his
and his secrets will remain hidden: if a thief, he will be successful.[109] He who is born under Saturn (Shabbtai) will be a man
whose plans will be frustrated.[110] Others say: All [nefarious] designs against him will
be frustrated. He who is born under Zedek [Jupiter] will be a right-doing man [zadkan]
R. Nahman b. Isaac observed: Right-doing in good deeds. ‘He who is born under Mars
will be a shedder of blood. R. Ashi observed: Either a surgeon, a thief, a slaughterer,
or a circumciser. Rabbah said: I was
born under Mars.[111] Abaye retorted: You too inflict punishment and kill.[112]
Shabbath 156b Because Zedek [Jupiter][113] stands in the West?[114] I will turn it back and place it in the East.’ And thus it is written, Who hath raised
up Zedek from the east?[115] He hath summoned it for his sake.[116]
Midrash Rabbah - Bamidbar
(Numbers) X:8 Wine and intelligence have been compared to Kimah[117] and to Scorpio. Whenever Kimah is visible in the sky, Scorpio is invisible,
and as soon as Scorpio appears Kimah goes out of sight. So wine is like Scorpio
and knowledge is like Kimah. As the
scorpion injures with its tail so wine injures in the end; as it says, At the last
it biteth like a serpent (ib. XXIII, 32). And as Kimah ripens the fruit and gives
it flavour, so intelligence imparts fragrance and relish to a man's words. When
the wine goes in intelligence takes its leave. Wherever there is wine there is no
intelligence. ‘When the wine enters, the secret (sod) comes out’; the numerical total of wine
(yayin) is seventy2 and the total of sod (secret) is seventy.3
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:1-9 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth,
the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like
showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name
of HaShem. Oh, praise the greatness of
our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful
God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. They have acted corruptly toward
him; to their shame they are no longer his children, but a warped and crooked generation. Is this the way you repay HaShem,
O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and
formed you? Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your
father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. When
the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he
set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.
For HaShem's portion is his people, Jacob
his allotted inheritance.
The stars, too, were bounded according to the number
of the sons of Israel.
Midrash Rabbah
- Bamidbar (Numbers) II:7 7. ACCORDING TO THE ENSIGNS (II, 2).[118] There were distinguishing signs for each prince; each had a flag and a different color for every flag,
corresponding to the precious stones on the breast[119] of Aaron. It was from these that governments[120] learned to provide themselves with flags of various
colors. Each tribe had its own prince
and its flag whose color corresponded to the color of its stone.
[In Aaron's breast-plate]
Reuben's stone was
ruby and the color of his flag was red; and embroidered thereon were mandrakes.[121]
Simeon's was topaz
and his flag was of a green color; the town of Shechem was embroidered thereon.[122]
Levi's[123] was smaragd and the color of his flag was a third white,
a third black, and a third red; embroidered thereon were the Urim and Thummim.[124]
Issachar's was a sapphire
and the color of his flag was black like stibium, and embroidered thereon was the
sun and moon, in allusion to the text, And of the children of Issachar, men that
had understanding of the times[126] (I Chron. XII, 33).
Zebulun's was an emerald
and the color of his flag was white,[127] with a ship
embroidered thereon, in allusion to the text, Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea (Gen. XLIX,
13).
Dan's was jacinth
and the color of his flag was similar to sapphire,[128] and embroidered on it was a serpent, in allusion to
the text, Dan shall be a serpent in the way (Gen. XLIX, 17).
Gad's[129] was an agate
and the color of his flag was neither white nor black but a blend of black and white;
on it was embroidered a camp, in allusion to the text, Gad[130], a troop
shall troop upon him (ib. 19).
Naphtali's was an amethyst
and the color of his flag was like clarified wine of a not very deep red; on it
was embroidered a hind, in allusion to the text, Naphtali is a hind let loose (ib.
21).
Asher's was a beryl
and the color of his flag was like the precious stone with which women adorn themselves;
embroidered thereon was an olive-tree, in allusion to the text, As for Asher, his
bread shall be fat (ib. 20).
Joseph's was an onyx
and the color of his flag was jet black; the embroidered design thereon for both
princes, Ephraim and Manasseh, was Egypt, because they were born in Egypt.
On the flag of Ephraim was embroidered a bullock, in allusion to the text, His firstling
bullock (Deut. XXXIII, 17), which applies to Yahoshua (Joshua)[131] who came
from the tribe of Ephraim.
On the flag of the tribe of Manasseh was embroidered a wild ox, in allusion to the text, And his
horns are the horns of the wild-ox (Deut. XXXIII, 17), which alludes to Gideon son
of Joash who came from the tribe of Manasseh.[132]
Benjamin's was jasper and the color of his flag was a combination
of all the twelve colors; embroidered
thereon was a wolf, in allusion to the text, Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth (Gen.
XLIX, 27). The reason, then, why it is said, ACCORDING TO THE ENSIGNS is because each prince had his own
distinguishing sign.
Midrash Rabbah - Esther VII:11 With Kislev came the merit of Hanukah,[133] with Tebeth the merit of Nehemiah, as it says, And the children
of the captivity did so. And Nehemiah the priest... were separated... in the first
day of the tenth month... and they were finished with all the men that had married
foreign women, etc. Nehemiah X, 16 f.). With Shebat came up the merit of the Men
of the Great Synagogue; for on the twenty-third
of that month all Israel gathered together to take counsel about the concubine of
Gibeah and the graven image of Micah.[134] When the month of Adar came up, he found no merit in it and he began to rejoice. He then
turned to examining the signs of the Zodiac.
In the sign of the Lamb[135] he found the merit of Passover, as it says, Every man a lamb,
according to their fathers’ houses (Ex.
XII, 3). In that of Taurus (ox) was found the merit of Joseph who was called ox, as it says, His
firstling bullock, majesty is his (Deut. XXXIII, 17); and also the merit of the
offering, as it says, When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat is brought forth, etc.
(Lev. XXII, 27). In Gemini (twins) was found the merit of Peretz and Zerach[136] who were called twins, as it says, Behold, twins were
in her womb (Gen. XXXVIII, 27). In Leo (lion) was found the merit of Daniel who
was from the tribe of Judah which is
called lion, as it says, Judah is a lion's whelp (ib. XLIX, 9). In Virgo (virgin)
there was the merit of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were like a maiden that
knows no man except her husband; so they did not change their God or their law and clung to their Judaism. Libra (scales)
is Iyov (Job), as it says, O that my vexation we weighed, and my calamity laid in
the balances (Iyov (Job) VI, 2). Scorpio is Yechezkel (Ezekiel), as it says, Thou
dost dwell among scorpions (Ezek.,
6).[137] Sagittarius (bowman) is Joseph, as it says, But his
bow abode firm (Gen. XLIX, 24). Capricornus (kid) is Jacob, as it says, And she put the skins
of the kids of the goats upon his hands (ib. XXVII, 16). Aquarius (water-carrier)
is Moses, as it says, And moreover he drew water for us (Ex. II, 19).[138] On reaching the sign of Pisces (fishes) which shines
in the month of Adar, he found no merit
in it and rejoiced saying, ‘Adar has no merit, its sign has no merit, and what is
more, in Adar Moses their master died.’ He, however, did not know that on the first[139] of Adar Moses died and on the first of Adar he was
born. He said: ‘Just as fishes swallow one another, so I will swallow them.’ Said
the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: ' Wretch! Fishes sometimes swallow and sometimes
are swallowed, and now it is you who will be swallowed.’ Said R. Hanan: The same
thing is intimated by the verse, Whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the
Jews had rule over them that hated them
(Est. IX, 1). R. Tanhuma said: And the Lord said not that He would blot out the
name of Israel (II Melakim (Kings) XIV, 27), but what He said was, For I will utterly
blot out the remembrance of Amalek (Ex.
XVII, 14)
Midrash Rabbah - Vayikra (Leviticus) XXIX:8 8. R. Hiyya b. Abba in the name of R. Levi opened his
discourse with the text, Sons of Adam[140] are vanity, and sons of man[141] are a lie; if they be laid in the balances, they are
together from nothingness (Ps. LXII, 10).[142] In the ordinary way, what do people say? Such-and-such
a man shall marry such-and-such
a woman; but ’Sons of Adam are vanity’; such-and-such a woman shall be married to
So-and-so, but ’Sons of man are a lie; they are together from nothingness’.[143] R. Hiyya explained this to mean that while they are
still composed of nothing in the womb of their mother they are united. R. Nahman
explained the verse to mean: In spite of all the vanities and lying acts which the
children of Abraham our father commit in this world, he is sufficiently worthy to
make atonement for them all. Hence
it is written, He was the greatest man among the Anakim (Josh. XIV, 15).[144] If they be laid in the balances’-- (be-moznayim):
they are granted atonement during ’moznayim’; that is to say, in the month whose
constellation is Libra (moznayim). Which month is that? It is the month of Tishri, which signifies: Mayest
Thou dissolve (tishre), pardon, and atone for the sins of Thy people. When? IN THE
SEVENTH MONTH. Another exposition: It
is called ’the seventh (hashebi'i) month’ because it is full[145] (mesubba’) of everything; in it the wine-vats are
full, in it there are blessings, there is atonement in it, there is the festive
booth, the palm-branch and the willow’ in it.
* * *
The sign of Nisan is T'leh / Aries / Ram corresponding
to Judah and the faculty of speech. This is the month the Jews overcame the Egyptian
deity of the ram. Judah means
"thanks", related to speech and on Passover of this month the Pascal lamb
was offered and we recite the haggada.
Iyar is Shor / Taurus / Bull
corresponding to Issachar (Torah scholars) and the faculty of thought. In this month
we must be as strong and stubborn as a bull in preparation to receive the Torah.
Sivan is Te'umim / Gemini
/ Twins corresponding to Zevulun (Torah supporters) and the faculty of motion. This
is the month of Shavuot when we received
the double tablets and should strengthen our efforts to support Torah.
Tamuz is Sartan / Cancer /
Crab corresponding to Reuven (means "see") and the faculty of sight. Just
as the crab hides, so we should refrain from the distractions of this summer month
and direct our sights toward spiritual pursuits.
Av is Ari / Leo / Lion corresponding
to Shimon (means "hear") and the faculty of hearing. In this month, the
lion-like nations of Babylon and Rome destroyed
the Temple and we must listen to the
lesson and return to G-d.
Elul is Bethulah / Virgo / Virgin corresponding
to Gad and the faculty of action. This is the month of repenting, to purify our
thoughts and deeds in preparation of Rosh
Hashana.
Tishri is Moznaim / Libra
/ Scales corresponding to Ephraim (fruitful) and the faculty of coition. In this month is Rosh Hashana
on which we are judged, and hope to merit
a productive new year.
Cheshvan is Akrav / Scorpio
/ Scorpion corresponding to Menashe and the faculty of smell. This month lacks a
holiday and may be spiritually cold
as venom, yet one must work hard to change the letters of Menashe to "neshama"
- spirituality.
Kislev is Kashet / Sagittarius
/ Archer corresponding to Benjamin
(warriors) and the faculty of sleep.
Here we must direct and propel the inspiration from Chanukah through the rest of the winter
to overcome spiritual slumber.
Tevet is Gedi / Capricorn
/ Kid corresponding to Dan (judge) and the faculty of anger. The siege against Jerusalem began in this month as a result
of baseless hatred among Jews. Here
we must be as steadfast as a goat to refrain from judging unfavorably which leads
to anger and destruction.
Shevat is D'li / Aquarius
/ Water Drawer corresponding to Asher (wealth) and the faculty of taste. By this
month most of the rain in Israel has fallen
and we celebrate Tu b'Shevat by eating bountiful fruits.
Adar is Dagim / Pisces / Fish
corresponding to Naftali and the faculty of laughter. Just as fish are covered by the
sea, in this month we observe Purim which
celebrates the hidden miracles of G-d which bring salvation and joy to the Jewish people.
* * *
Pesiqta de Rab Kahana, Pisqa
Twenty-Three:The New Year, XXIII:VIII 2. Said R. Nahman, “All of the vanities and lies that
the Israelites do in this world — Abraham, our father, is worthy of effecting atonement for all of them, What is the
Scriptural proof text? He was the greatest
man among the Anakim (Joshua 14:15).
“If they are placed in the
balance, when does he effect atonement for them in the scales? It is in the month that is subject to the constellation
of the scales [of Libra]. And which month is subject to the constellation of Libra?
It is Tishri.
The word Mazal does
not literally mean "luck." The Hebrew
word Mazal, which literally means the astrological zodiac sign or the luck which comes from the stars,
has been said to really be composed of three words: makom, z'man, limmud, being
in the right place at the right time and knowing how to utilize opportunities.
"Mazal" is
literally associated with the twelve
signs of the Zodiac, which are called the "Mazalot," but we use
the word in a way which means more than just the Zodiac. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto
explains that there is a multi-leveled conceptual system through which HaShem interacts with the physical creation. In other words, "energy"
which originates with HaShem travels through this system and eventually reaches
us. At some point along the way, this energy is said to pass through the Mazalot,
the stars and the planets, which then transfer it to the rest of creation. This
explains how people trained in astrology may know what will happen to an individual
in the future. They are "reading," through the configuration of the Mazalot,
the energy that is yet to be delivered. However, we are actually forbidden to engage
in the prediction of the future via astrology even though it may work. The source
of this prohibition is, "You shall be tamim (pure, perfect, simple)
with HaShem your G-d."
Mazal ("sign," pl. mazalot):
1. a spiritual conduit of Divine beneficence (from
the Hebrew root "to flow" [nozel]).
2. specifically, the thirteen tufts of the "beard" of Arich Arpin.
3. a physical
embodiment of such a spiritual conduit, such as a star, planet, constellation, etc.
4. specifically, the twelve constellations of the zodiac.
5. According to our sages, the Jewish People are not
under the influence of the mazalot[146].
HaShem chose not to give the
Torah in Nisan or Iyar, for the mazal of Nisan is a lamb and the mazal of Iyar is
a bull and neither is capable of singing praise. Rather, He gave the Torah in Sivan, for the mazal of Sivan
is twins, who have hands with which to
clap and legs with which to dance.[147]
In Kabbala and Chasidut,
it is explained that the thirteenth mazal transforms the entire set of mazalot
into attributes of mercy. This is because numerically, twelve is a closed, rigid, perfect system;
reflected in the physical world by the twelve lunar months and the twelve signs of the zodiac; in the Jewish people, by the twelve tribes; in the spiritual realm, by the twelve
permutations of the letters of the Divine
Name Havaya, and so on. In each of these sets, however, there is a (sometimes
hidden) thirteenth element that adds the flexibility and adaptive quality that makes
the set alive, pliable and viable. This is perhaps most clearly evident with regard
to the twelve lunar months. In the Jewish
calendar, a thirteenth month is added in seven out of every nineteen years in order
to align the lunar year with the solar year. Here, the thirteenth lunar month makes
the twelve original ones into an empathic system that can coexist with its solar
“mate.” Similarly, the thirteenth tribe, Levi, officiates at the Temple, reconciling the twelve tribes of
the Jewish people with their “mate,” HaShem.
By Rabbi Yaakov Bernstein and Bereshit
(Genesis), '97
To Rashi, the meaning of the
verses becomes: "If you will struggle diligently in Torah study in order to
guard and perform the commandments, I will
give rain in its season the earth will give forth its produce and the tree will
yield its fruit..."
The reward is difficult to
understand... for keeping the commandments there will be tangible reward in this
material world? Didn't the Talmud say: "The reward for mitzvot is not in this world?"[148]
Similarly, the Talmud states[149]: "Children, Length of days and wealth are not
dependent on merit [alone] but on 'mazal'
(fortune)."
However, the Tosafot commentary
there mentions that "a great mitzva is different," and can change one's
"mazal." The legal commentary Elya Rabba explains that this is Rashi's
meaning here, as well. Amailot Batorah, diligent application to Torah studies, is
a "great mitzva" that can help inspire a change in one's mazal.
Indeed, Torah study is unlike
any other study. In Midrash Tanchuma
to Parshat Noach, the Hakhamim describe
to what lengths the Torah Scholars must go: "The people who walked in darkness, saw a great light,"
refers to them, because they deny themselves sleep, struggling over obscure passages
in the Talmud, until the great light of understanding comes. They deny themselves
food and drink and pleasures in this world, instead spending their time toiling, struggling to understand the
Torah.
Mishlei (Proverbs)
16 "The soul of the working man works for him, for his mouth forces him."
The soul of the man striving for Torah works for him, for while he works in one
area of Torah study, his soul strives for him in another area. (Sanhedrin 99b).
The Elya Rabba explains: One
who constantly reviews his learning, it will become orderly for him. This is the
meaning of the prayer (in the daily blessings
over Torah study): "Please, HaShem, make the words of Your Torah sweet in our
mouths... so that we... may all know Your name and learn Torah for Your name's sake..."
"So that we may all know
Your name:" All the Torah is the Name of HaShem. Another explanation: The Zohar states (like Rashi and Tosaphot quoted
above), that diligent study of Torah can change a heavenly decree. Therefore, we
will know HaShem's name, and not the name of the "mazal" (literally, a
constellation).
(c) Rabbi Yaakov Bernstein
and Bereshit (Genesis), '97
* * *
The Egyptians worshiped Capricorn
(toleh) which was the "first-born" of the zodiac. When the Israelites
saw that Capricorn had fallen, they assumed that the sign of Taurus (shor), which
comes after Capricorn, was now foremost and had conquered Capricorn. Because of
this error they made the Calf, which parallels the sign of Taurus. Therefore, whatever
they did, they learned from the Egyptians. It is not surprising that they followed
what they were accustomed to.
[Hakham Yitschaq Magriso (
* * *
The Camp: Bamidbar (Numbers) 2:2
"The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each
man under his standard with the banners of his family."
W
The camp of Reuben The Camp of Ephraim
-------------
Reuben 46,500 | Bull
| Ephraim 40,500
Simeon 59,300 | | Manasseh
32,200
Gad 45,600 | E
| Benjamin 35,400
------ | P
| ------
151,400 | H
| 108,100
| R |
Numbers 2:10-16
| A | Numbers 2:18-24
| I |
| M
|
| |
-------------
-------------- -------------
--------------
| |
| L E V I | | |
The Camp of Levi | Man
| |L ----- L| | Eagle |
Numbers 1:44-53 | |
|E | * | E| | |
S | REUBEN | |V | | V| | DAN
| N
| |
|I ----- I| | |
| |
| L E V I | | |
-------------- -------------
--------------
-------------
| |
| Lion |
| |
The Camp of Judah
| | The Camp of Dan
| |
Judah 74,600 | J
| Dan 62,700
Issachar 4,400 | | Naphtali 53,400
Zebulon 57,400 | U
| Asher 41,500
------ | | ------
186,400 | D
| 157,600
| |
Numbers 2:3-9
| A | Numbers 2:25:31
| |
| H |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
-------------
E
If the above image is scrambled, then the folling image may be viewable:
Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 1:4-13 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the
north--an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light.
The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, And in the fire was what looked
like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, But each
of them had four faces and four wings.
Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like
burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a
man. All four of them had faces and wings, And their wings touched one another.
Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved. Their faces looked
like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each
had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face
of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each
had two wings, one touching the wing of
another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. Each one went straight ahead. Wherever
the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. The appearance
of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and
forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures
sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.
Constellation order, birth order, numerical order, and alephbet order:
|
Month |
-4k Years Greek |
-4K Years Hebrew |
Value |
|||
|
Nisan |
Taurus |
Reuben |
Shaur |
Toleh |
Hay |
5 |
|
Iyar |
Gemini |
Simeon |
Teomaim |
Shaur |
Vav |
6 |
|
Sivan |
Cancer |
Levi |
Sartan |
Teomaim |
Zayin |
7 |
|
Tammuz |
Leo |
|
Arieh |
Sartan |
Het |
8 |
|
Av |
Virgo |
Zebulon |
Bethulah |
Arieh |
Tet |
9 |
|
Elul |
Libra |
Issachar |
Meoznaim |
Bethulah |
Yod |
10 |
|
Tishrei |
Scorpio |
Dan |
Aqurav |
Meoznaim |
Lamed |
30 |
|
Cheshvan |
Sagitarius |
Gad |
Qashot |
Aqurav |
Nun |
50 |
|
Kislev |
Capricorn |
Asher |
Ghedi |
Qashot |
Samnkh |
60 |
|
Tevet |
Aquarius |
Napthali |
Deli |
Ghedi |
Ayin |
70 |
|
Shevat |
Pisces |
Joseph |
Dagim |
Deli |
Tzadi |
90 |
|
Adar |
Aries |
Benjamin |
Toleh |
Dagim |
Koph |
100 |
יהוה
permutes (4 factorial minus two factorial) to 12 different
combinations:
|
Month |
HaShem |
Tribe |
Hebrew |
|
Nisan |
יהוה |
Reuben |
Toleh |
|
Iyar |
יההו |
Simeon |
Shaur |
|
Sivan |
יוהה |
Levi |
Teomaim |
|
Tammuz |
הוהי |
|
Sartan |
|
Av |
הויה |
Zebulon |
Arieh |
|
Elul |
ההיו |
Issachar |
Bethulah |
|
Tishrei |
והיה |
Dan |
Meoznaim |
|
Cheshvan |