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- ב"ה - The Solar Eclipse
Editor's Note
Dear Friends,
Whether you are in the path of a total eclipse or far away, we hope you will enjoy some insights and reflections on this rare phenomena.
And remember: If you do go out to watch the eclipse, be sure to protect yourself and wear protective gear.
Your friends at Chabad.org
Also, some claim that eclipses are a bad omen of things to come. What is the Jewish perspective on eclipses?
by Yehuda Shurpin
Question
I have been reading articles about the upcoming solar eclipse. It is being billed as the first solar eclipse in over a century that will be visible in the the contiguous United States. Some claim that eclipses are a bad omen of things to come.
In light of this, what is the Jewish perspective on eclipses?
Also, is there any blessing recited upon witnessing an eclipse? I found blessings for all sorts of phenomena such as lightning, thunder, rainbows and earthquakes, but I see no such blessing for witnessing an eclipse?
Reply
The sages of the Talmud state:
When the luminaries are stricken, it is an ill omen for the world. To what can we compare this? To a king of flesh and blood who prepared a feast for his servants and set a lantern to illuminate the hall. But then he became angry with them and said to his servant: “Take the lantern from before them and seat them in darkness.”1
The Talmud then goes on to describe the particular sins for which the luminaries are “stricken.”
Natural Phenomenon or Bad Omen?
Now that’s puzzling.
The predictability of eclipses was already well known in Talmudic times (the Talmud was completed in the 5th century in Babylonia). And aside from the prevalent scientific knowledge of the day, the sages of the Talmud were well aware of how to calculate eclipses due to their meticulous and complex astronomical calculations for sanctifying the new Jewish month. (Trivia: A solar eclipse can only occur around the time of a new month on the Jewish lunar calendar.)
This leads to the obvious question: How could the sages of the Talmud state that an eclipse is a bad omen caused by our sins? They knew that an eclipse is predictable. But they also certainly believed that sins are not predictable!
To make things yet more puzzling, the Midrash Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer—which predates the Talmud—takes both sides of the coin: that eclipses are both a natural astronomical phenomenon as well as a bad sign!2
Eclipses or Sunspots?
Some, most notably Rabbi Yonatan Eibeshitz (1690–1764) in his work Ya’arot Devash, explain that the Talmud’s mention of “stricken luminaries” does not refer to eclipses, but rather sunspots and other such phenomena that darken the sun and do not have a pre-set schedule or determinable cause.3
While this makes for an intriguing theory, there are a number of difficulties with this explanation. For one thing, the Talmud speaks about the moon being “stricken” as well, not just the sun. For another, sunspots themselves are predictable.
Additionally, in the analogy the Talmud provides, the king says, “Remove the lantern from them and let them sit in the dark,” i.e., the luminaries being “stricken” results in our sitting in darkness.4
Constellations and a Predisposition for Good or Bad
The most simple explanation: An eclipse is not caused by sin. Rather, it is an indication of a trying time, a time when there is a natural predisposition for sin, and for strict judgment of that sin.5
Time, in traditional thought, is not homogeneous. The Talmud provides many other examples of the good and bad seasons of time. Certain times are a better opportunity to take specific action. “Most of a person’s wisdom is achieved only at night.”6 Similarly, the early morning is considered an auspicious time for prayer to be received. Being born at certain times creates a predilection for a specific mode of behavior—for good or for the opposite.
Obviously, this does not contradict a fundamental principle of Jewish thought, that human beings have free will. “Freedom is granted to every person,”7 states the Mishnah, whether to be righteous or the opposite.
If so, it is impossible that your innate predisposition should draw you immutably to good or bad; rather, the sign under which you are born merely creates within you a proclivity toward certain behaviors. With effort, you can overcome your natural tendencies, and even transform them.
The same is true regarding eclipses and other “signs in the heavens.” When G‑d created the world, He created signs in the heavens for people to be aware of times when there would be a greater predisposition for sin and punishment. The eclipse itself does not necessarily mean that people will act on that predisposition and actually sin, thereby causing punishment. Rather, it is a generous warning: Take care at this time. Put more effort into doing good. Avoid situations that may tax your moral fortitude.
No Blessing …
In light of the above we can understand why you were unable to find any blessing for witnessing an eclipse. The Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—explains that since eclipses are meant to be opportunities for increasing in prayer and introspection—as opposed to prompting joyous blessings, we do not recite a blessing when witnessing one.8
… But No Fear
In the creation story at the beginning of the book of Genesis,9 the Torahstates, “And G‑d said, "Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens … and they shall be for signs and for appointed seasons and for days and years.” The classic commentaries explain that “they shall be for signs” is a reference to eclipses.10 Thus, we learn that these phenomena are meant to be a sign for us.
At the same time, the prophet Jeremiah proclaims, “Hearken to the word that the L‑rd spoke about you, O house of Israel . . . So says the L‑rd: ‘Of the way of the nations you shall not learn, and from the signs of the heaven be not dismayed…’”11
In other words, these are indeed “signs in the heavens,” yet the prophet tells us that we should not fear them, for, as the sages of the Talmud explain, as long as one acts properly, there is nothing to fear.
See Also
FOOTNOTES
1.Talmud, Sukkah 29a.
2.See Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 7.
3.Ya’arot Devash 2, derush 10 (derush on 25th of Elul).
4.See Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 7, fn. 6.
5.See Iyun Yaakov on Ein Yaakov, Sukkah 29a; Aruch LaNer, Sukkah, ibid.; Ma’amar Shnei HaMe’orot from Rabbi Isaac “Homler”; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 10.
6.Maimonides, Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:13.
7.See Talmud Berochot 33b; Maimonides, Hilchot Teshuvah 5:1.
8.Igrot Kodesh 15:1079.
10.See Rashi, ad loc.
One can calculate in advance when eclipses will occur. Yet the Talmud appears to say that they happen as a result of human failings. Which is it?
Adapted from a public talk by the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Eclipses: Fate and Freedom
On the Verse, “Let there be luminaries… and they shall serve as signs…”1Rashi quotes the statement of our Sages:2 “When the luminaries are stricken it is an ill omen for the world, as in the verse3 ‘Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, etc.’ But when you comply with the will of G‑d, you need not worry about punishment.”
Regarding the cause of eclipses the Talmud says,4 “On account of four things the sun is stricken: if the head of the rabbinical court dies and is not properly eulogized, etc. On account of four things the luminaries are smitten: on account of writers of forged documents, etc.” In other words, eclipses are related to people’s actions.
There is a famous question: The fact that the ‘luminaries are stricken’, i.e., that the sun and the moon become eclipsed, is a matter fixed in the nature of the cosmos, occurring at set intervals. In fact, one can even calculate in advance when it will occur. So how can we say that it happens as a result of human failings when it is really an unavoidable fact of nature?5
Over the course of time, certain people have used this “question” as “proof” that not everything the Sages said is correct.6 Thus, they excused and justified their own behavior, i.e., their decision not to fulfill Torah and Mitzvot.
The truth is, however, that one’s lack of Torah observance is not really because of his “intellectual questions”; it is rather because of the “appetite” of his emotions. The questions are no more than excuses to justify his improper behavior. That is why he can be comforted even with such a “question” that can be completely dispelled with even a little thought.
To preface:
It is well known that in Mishnaic and Talmudic times, the non-Jewish sages already knew the calculations to predict solar and lunar eclipses. Anyone who knows Jewish history (from the narratives in the teachings of our Sages, and — in greater detail — from the history texts of that era) knows that the non-Jewish scholars were in close contact with the Jewish Sages about matters of philosophy and science. They even traveled to meet each other and debate about various areas of knowledge,7 including astronomy.8
And even for those who are obstinate and unwilling to admit that the Jewish sages had a comprehensive knowledge of science9 and astronomy10 and that it was through them that this knowledge came to the non-Jews,11 it is nevertheless certain — completely beyond contention — that at the time when non-Jewish scholars knew about solar and lunar eclipses, our Sages knew as well,12 through the above-mentioned contact. This is especially true regarding astronomy, as the Sages had a particular interest in knowledge that impacts upon the Mitzvah of setting the Jewish calendar.13
It is therefore apparent that our Sages’ statement — that eclipses are an ill omen, and that they come because of specific misdeeds, etc. — cannot be contradictory to the necessity of eclipses according to the laws of nature.
Theoretically, one could explain14 that the statement that “eclipses are an ill omen, etc.” does not refer to the occurrence of the eclipses themselves, but rather to the fact that the person has seen one. Since the point of G‑d exhibiting an “ill omen” would be so that the people should return to Him,15they must obviously be able to see the sign.
Accepting this premise would answer our original question: All that is required by the laws of nature is the eclipse itself. Nature does not require that we be able to see the eclipse, since there could be clouds, etc., which conceal the eclipse.
This detail is dependent on human behavior: When people commit those “four misdeeds,” they are shown an ill omen by being able to see the eclipse, while if they are behaving properly there are clouds to conceal the eclipse, so that there is no “ill omen.”
However, this explanation is not satisfactory.
(First of all, there are some locations where there are almost never clouds, such as in Egypt.16 But in addition to that…)
From the wording of our Sages, “when the luminaries are eclipsed,” the implication is that the ill omen is the eclipse itself, and not the sighting of it.
This is why the Talmud17 differentiates there between Jews and heathens: “When the sun is stricken, it is an ill omen for heathens. When the moon is stricken, it is an ill omen for the ‘enemies of18 the Jews’; for Jews count by the moon and heathens by the sun.” The eclipse in their behavior causes the eclipse of the sun and moon. Solar and lunar eclipses (and failings) come as a result of the eclipses (and failings) in the behavior of heathens and Jews, respectively.
Thus, it is obvious that when Jews are behaving properly, there should not be any lunar eclipse at all (and not just that if there is one it would not be seen).
There is a simple explanation:19
The idea that “when the luminaries are stricken it is an ill omen” (and that this happens “on account of four things…”) is: When an eclipse occurs it is a sign that this time is dominated by a “mazal ra” — bad luck, or literally, an evil constellation.20 It is a time that has a predilection for tragedy. That, in turn, causes it to be a time more prone to being punished for the “four things.”
This is why “when you comply with the will of G‑d, you need not worry about punishment.”21 If people are behaving as they should, there is nothing for which to be punished — even if it is a stricter time.
According to this interpretation, there is no longer any problem arising from the fact that eclipses must occur at predetermined times, in accordance with the laws of nature. Obviously the eclipse itself is not a consequence of human behavior. It is merely a sign of a period of tragedy, a time especially predisposed to punishment for the four things. These times (of bad luck etc.) with their omens are indeed predetermined within the nature of G‑d’s creation [just like the times enumerated in tractate Shabbat:22 “One who is born on Sunday… will be a… etc.].
Some explanation is still needed:
The Talmud23 differentiates between Jews and idolaters. “When Jews are complying with the will of G‑d, they need not fear all of these… ‘Do not be frightened by the signs of the heavens, though the nations are frightened by them’ — the idol worshippers shall be frightened, but the Jews need not be frightened.” In other words, under the very same circumstances that Jews “need not be frightened” (i.e. when they “are complying with the will of G‑d”), idolaters “shall be frightened.”
This requires explanation: If an “ill omen” just means a time when punishments are especially harsh (for not keeping the four things) — and the meaning of “complying with G‑d’s will” is that one has not transgressed and therefore will not be punished — why should “the idolaters be frightened” if they have not transgressed His will?
The explanation is as follows:
The way a mazal – “constellation” affects a specific time period (not only with regard to rewards and punishments meted out then, but also) with regard to a person’s behavior, is that the “constellation” creates a predilection for a specific mode of behavior, or for certain deeds (whether for good or for…). For instance: “Most of a person’s wisdom is achieved only at night.”24 This does not mean that a person cannot have success in daytime study of Torah.25 It is just that the night is a time that is especially auspicious for success in Torah, more so than by day — since by day greater toil is needed to ensure success.
The same is true with regard to the statement in tractate Shabbat that “one who is born on … will be a…” — that the nature and characteristics of a person are dependent on (the astronomical context) when he is born.
That doesn’t mean that the constellation has an inevitable effect on the person who is born during that time period. “Freedom is granted to every person” whether to be righteous or the opposite;26 it is impossible that one’s “innate predisposition should draw him immutably to something.”27 Rather, the sign of that time merely creates within the person a “slight partiality”28 to a specific thing. If one works on himself, he can overcome his natural tendencies, and even transform them.
This is similar to that which is explained in Rambam’s Shemoneh Perakim:29 “A person cannot be born to success or failure;” he can only be “by nature predisposed to success or failure.” Thus, one’s nature does not affect one’s free choice.
Then what does one’s nature do?
One who is “by nature predisposed to success” will not have to work as hard to make the choice to become something, since his nature assists him. (Nevertheless, he still has free choice to choose to be the opposite.) The one who is “predisposed to failure,” on the other hand, must work much harder to make himself successful. (On the other hand, this in itself is proof that he was given greater energies and potential than the other person, for “according to the size of the camel is the load”30 — a person is only given such challenges that he can manage.)
The same is true of those innate qualities that come as a result of (the astronomical sign of) the time when a person is born. While the Talmud states “one who is born on… will be a…” that does not mean that the person is forced to be so; it is just that he needs to apply more strength and toil to overcome this nature.
[A similar idea is true of those days that are called “inauspicious days”31 and the like. It is merely that during those times a negative occurrence is more likely — which is why extra caution is suggested on those days, such as the rule that “one should not start an endeavor on Monday or Wednesday,” etc. — but it is in no way certain to happen.
That is why the rule that “one should not start an endeavor on Monday or Wednesday32” is only applicable where it does not conflict with the rule that “one may not pass over an opportunity to do a Mitzvah.”33 Also, as long as the right effort is put into it, it is feasible to have success even on an inauspicious day.34]
According to all of the above we can explain the statement “when the luminaries are eclipsed it is an ill omen for the world” as meaning [not only that it is a calamitous time, when one is more easily punished for improper behavior, but also] that it is a time when there is aroused in the nature of man a partiality and bias towards a certain bad behavior. At the same time, that does not mean that he has no choice but to behave that way inasmuch as he has the ability to overcome his predisposition.
[According to this, we can appreciate the specificity of the illustration the Talmud uses for the concept of a solar eclipse:35 “A human king made a banquet for his servants, and placed a lantern before them. When he got angry, he said to his servant, take the lantern away from them….” In other words, it is “his servant” who “removes the lantern,” rather than the king himself. The eclipse and the ill omen are something that is completely within nature (the King’s servant)].
Following this track, the statement “On account of four things the sun is eclipsed…” means [not that the eclipse of the luminaries is because of actual misbehavior in these four areas, but rather] that because during these times there is a predilection towards the “four things,” this is why the luminaries are eclipsed.
Now we can also understand why specifically Jews are told “not to be frightened,” and not idolaters:
Idolaters can also overcome the natural predispositions etc., caused by the time period and behave properly — for although they do not posses the ultimate degree of free will,36 they would not be punished unless they were sinning “independently.”37 Yet they are ruled by the laws of nature. Thus, it would require a great amount of work and toil etc. to break the natural effect. Therefore, “non-Jews will be frightened of them” — they are fearful of the predispositions caused by nature.
Jews, on the other hand — if they increase in their Divine service — are higher than the measures and bounds of their nature. They “fulfill the will of their Creator,”38 and so they are higher than nature (even than “the signs of the heavens”). Thus, “they are not afraid of all these.”
Not only are Jews able to overcome their nature (through hard work etc.), but rather they don’t take these “signs of the heavens” into account in the first place — they can begin endeavors on Monday and Wednesday, etc. The ultimate level is when we no longer have to pay attention to the rules of nature at all.39 This is the way G‑d behaves with righteous people40 (and “Your nation are all righteous”41) — a clearly miraculous manner that is completely beyond nature42.
FOOTNOTES
1.Bereishit, 1:14.
2.Tosefta Sukkah, 2:7. Sukkah, 29a. Mechilta Bo, 12:2.
3.Yirmiyahu, 10:2.
4.Sukkah, ibid. Tosefta, ibid. 6. cf. Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer, end of chapter 7.
5.Rabbi Yehonatan Eibeshitz [5450-5524, 1690-1764] in his Ya’arot Devash (vol. 2, 7. p. 67d.) explains that the intent in “luminaries being smitten” is not eclipses, but rather sun-spots and other such temporary darkening of the light of the sun or moon events that do not have a pre-set schedule or determinable cause.”But I have not merited to understand his words (Note that it is well known that he was often forced to debate publicly with the non-Jewish scholars of his day (including famous astronomers). See Bava Batra, 116b. Menachot, 65b. Bechorot, 8b. et al.): (a) Who would know about the sunspot to recognize that it is a sign for him? (b) There are opinions, currently, that maintain that sunspots too have a natural frequency that can be calculated in advance. (c) This interpretation contradicts the straightforward meaning and also opposes many early commentators on the Talmud and the Mechilta (including those that did not comment at all). (d) This bad omen is “analogous to a physical king… remove the lantern from them and let them sit in the dark.” Tosefta Sukkah, 2:7. From here we understand that even if the eclipse is a natural event and even if it was determinable in advance, the result is “sitting in the dark.”
In the Chasdei David commentary on this Tosefta, we find that the intent of our Sages is “Eclipses sometimes occur at times inappropriate according to astronomical calculations. Such timing indicates that the eclipse is due to punishment for those offences.” However in addition to arguments 3 and 4 above, when has such a thing ever happened? And yet, the causes listed in the Talmud (about the head of the Rabbinical Court dying, etc.) have certainly happened a great many times.
6.Note Perush HaMishna L’HaRambam, Sanhedrin beginning of Chelek, “And the second group…” Ibid. “And this is the fourth concept….”
7.See Bechorot, 8b, et al.
8.Pesachim, 94b.
9.See Encyclopedia Talmudit, Chochmot Chitzoniot, (p. 58). Cit. loc.
10.As explained in the books dealing with the Jewish calendar. Cf. Rambam, Kiddush HaChodesh, 17 that this knowledge was written in Jewish books already in the times of the prophets, by the children of Yissachar. However, those books didn’t reach us. (See ibid. 1:6. 11:3-4.) Cf. Targum, Divrei HaYamim Im 12:32. Cf. Shabbat, 75a: “It is a Mitzvah to figure out the seasons and constellations… for it is your wisdom and your insight before the eyes of the nations.” Some even count this as one of the 613 Mitzvot. (Semag, PC 47. Sefer HaMitzvos L’HaRambam, ShoreshII.)
11.See Sefer HaIbur by Rabbi Avraham ben Chiyah HaNassi, 2:2. et al.
12.See Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 7. Me’iri Shabbat, ibid.: “A person is obligated… to calculate the seasons and constellations, since this wisdom is beautified with knowledge of the signs of heaven and eclipses, without any error at all.” See Yesod Olam, 3:17.
13.See Rambam, Kiddush HaChodesh, end of chapter 17.
14.See Shelah Noach (Amsterdam imprint, p. 244b, fn) who quotes the Ramah on the subject of rainbows, and his citation of an “extremely wise man” regarding rainbows and eclipses.The Shelah explains that “G‑d foresaw all the generations, and He created the world in such a way that there would be eclipses when people are worthy to be punished for these sins. Do not wonder… if these sins were already known to G‑d, and based on them He acted and created His creation, then… these sins are inevitable… I have already explained this concept at length…” [It can be explained according to that which it says in Torat Chaim (Toldot, 13a ff.) about “awesome is the libel against man” — that even sins are by Divine Providence. (See Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 65 ff. cit. loc.).]
However, see Ma’amar Shnei HaMe’orot (by Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac of Homil) 11b fn.: “The eclipses cannot be explained in this manner…” Note that it is known (See Likutei Sichot, vol. 5, p. 132, fn 3. vol. 6, p. 65, fn 46. cit. loc.) that when G‑d’s knowledge is expressed in speech, it does negate the possibility of choice (which is why “righteous or evil He does not say”). This would definitely be so in our case, since we are discussing a fixed natural order in creation; as the Shelah himself expresses it, “He acted and created His creation.”
15.See Sefer HaChassidim 64, p. 230. Quoted in Magen Avraham, Orach Chaim, 580:1. Ba’er Hetev, 571:1.
16.That is why there is generally no rain there, viz. Rashi, beginning of Mikeitz. It is implausible to contend that when Jews comply with G‑d’s will, He performs a miracle and brings clouds.
17.Tosefta Sukkah, 2:7. Sukkah, 29a
18.of the Jews and from among the Jews, i.e., Jewish anti-Semites, rachmana litzlan.
19.See a similar interpretation in Iyun Yaakov on Ein Yaakov, Sukkah ibid. Aruch LaNer, Sukkah ibid. Ma’amar Shnei HaMe’orot ibid.
20.For instance: Shabbat, 129b. 156a. Ta’anit, 29a ff. Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah, 179:2. Zohar III, 58a ff. 234a. Ra’ayah MeHemna, 281b.
21.Rashi cited earlier. See Sukkah, Tosefta, and Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer ibid. Cf. fn 38.
22.56a.
23.Sukkah ibid. et al.
24.Hilchot Talmud Torah – of the Rambam, 3:13; of the Alter Rebbe, 4:8.
25.Which is why “it is a Mitzvah to study both by day and by night.” (ibid.)
26.Rambam, Teshuvah, 5:1.
27.:4.
28.Lechem Mishna, ibid.
29.Chapter 8. Cf. Akeida, 22 and 26.
30.Sotah, 13b.
31.Ta’anit, ibid.
32.Yoreh De’ah, ibid. Ra’ayah Mehimnaibid. p. 273a. 234a. Shabbat, 129b.
33.See Sefer HaChassidim, 59. Ra’ayah Mehimna, 273a.
34.See Rashi Shemot, 10:10. At length in Ma’amar Shnei HaMe’orot ibid.
35.The Aruch LaNer interprets “his servant” as a reference to the moon, which blocks the light of the lantern (the sun) from reaching His servants (human beings).
36.True free will is possessed only by Jewish souls, as explained in Likutei Torah Emor, 38b.
37.See Rambam, Teshuvah, 6:3. Shemoneh Perakim, ibid.
38.See Maharsha, Berachot 35b. Ohr Torah of the Maggid, 53d. Likutei Torah Shelach, 42c. “Fulfilling G‑d’s will” is accomplished through a service beyond boundaries and limitations.
39.According to that which has been explained, we can better understand Rabbi Yochanan’s statement in the Mechilta: “These and these were given to non-Jews” — without mentioning any conditions, or if they are complying with G‑d’s will, etc. This is because Jews, both righteous and otherwise, posses two souls (Tanya, Chapter 1). About one of those souls G‑d declares, “a part of G‑d, is His nation” (Tanya, Igeret HaTeshuvah, Chapter 5) — even when they are not complying with G‑d’s will, they are a part of the Divine name, which supersedes nature.
40.For instance, this is the way He dealt with Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa (Berachot, 33a). Compare the idea that a completely righteous person may antagonize evil people in this world (Berachot, 7b. Megillah, 6b).
41.Yeshaya, 60:21.
42.Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 7.[We have included only a portion of the Rebbe’s footnotes, and in abbreviated form.]
In each of us there shines a bright sun. In each of us there is a time of its eclipse.
By Tzvi Freeman
The Solar Eclipse Within
If you can observe it, recognize it and understand it, it must be found somewhere within you.
Yet more: Anything you observe is teaching you something about something inside of you. Something vital for your Divine mission here on earth.
Yet more: The truth of each thing is the lesson it comes to teach you. Because if a thing enters your world, there could be only one reason: So that your soul could better fulfill the mission for which it is sent to this place.
If so, if there is anything you want to understand to its depths, you must first find it within yourself and listen to what it is teaching you. And the Torah is your guide to finding it there.
So here’sWhere is the solar eclipse within your life? the question of the day as the solar eclipse makes its way across America on August 21, capturing a nation’s attention: Where is the solar eclipse within your life, and within your life’s mission?
The Song of the Sun
Perek Shirah is a Midrash that describes the song of each creation as it praises its Creator—from the song of heaven and the song of earth, to the song of the waves of the sea, the rooster, the crane, and even the lowly rat. Each sings a verse from Tanach, each song appropriate to its character.
Indeed, the kabbalists tell us that the song of each being is its life-force, the Divine energy that brings it into being and endows it with its nature.
Of what does the sun sing?
Of the time of its eclipse:1
The Sun is saying: “The sun, when covered by the moon, stood in its abode; they walk to the light of your arrows, and by the shine of your glittering spear.”2
Why would the sun sing about its eclipse? Let it sing about its great light, its warmth, how it makes possible all the life of our planet.
Rabbi Moshe ben Yosef di Trani (known by the acronym of his name “Mabit”), a halachist and kabbalist of Tzfat in the 16th century, explains:
The sun sings its praises to G‑d for the bad just as it does for the good. Even as it is struck by the moon standing before it, blocking its light, the sun remains in its place with all its light. It is only that the moon interposes between us and that light.
The moon, on the other hand, is not that way. When the earth stands between it and the sun, it has no light, for all its light is from the sun.
Wonderful. Everything is for the good—only that from our limited perspective we can’t always see the good that is there.As the sages of the Talmud say, “Just as you must make a blessing for good tidings, so you must make one for bad tidings.”3 And they explain that this means you should accept it with joy.4 Why? Because “this is also for the good.”5 Everything is for the good—only that from our limited perspective we can’t always see the good that is there.6
Even this eclipse. For thunder, lightning, shooting stars, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc., there’s a blessing to be recited.7 For an eclipse—zilch. And yet, the sun sings, even this is good in truth.
Rabbi Moshe di Trani goes on to explain the words of the sun’s song this way:
At the time of the eclipse, the sun “stands in its abode,” shining just the same—unlike the moon—since it gives off its own light.
And even to those that stand in the path of its eclipse, “they walk to the light of your arrows,” they still have some light—the rays and arcs of light that shoot out as arrows at the time of the eclipse.
And for those in the rest of the world for whom the eclipse does not appear, they walk “by the shine of your glittering spear.”
Rabbi Moshe di Trani goes on to describe how the sun experiences an immediate recovery from the eclipse, suffering no scars or wounds, instantly returning to its full glory.
Reading this simply, the interpretation is lovely, but very problematic: If the sun never loses its light, then nothing bad has happened to it. How can we say that it is praising G‑d “for the bad as for the good”?
And we have yet to answer the major question: Why is this the praise that speaks most of the character of the sun?
The truth is, Rabbi Moshe is several steps ahead of us. He has taken his great depth of knowledge and wisdom, and squeezed them tightly into simple words that have meaning to all.
To understand those words, at least a little more deeply, we must first see the sun as its Creator knows it—not as a great gaseous ball of nuclear fusion, but as a key theme in the act of creation, merely reflected in our world as a physical object up in the sky.
A Higher Sun, A Higher Moon
The universe is a parable.8 A parable teaches wisdom by dressing wisdom in metaphor; the universe reveals the Divine wisdom by concealing it within the artifacts of heaven and earth.
Beginning with the power of infinite light, G‑d calls forth existence from the void, and by concealing that light He molds that existence into a world—filtering it, carefully articulating it within tight packets of creative energy by which all things are formed—the Divine words of creation.
Think of a musician playing a stringed instrument, such as a violin or a guitar: One hand causes the strings to vibrate, while the other opens and closes those strings, restricting them to the degree that the music demands.
Or think of an actor, who expresses his creativity by pretending to be that which he is not. Or of the novelist, who must stand back and see his story from the perspective of his characters, as if he were not there.
Creativity and restraint, presence and mystery, light and dark, yes and no—these are the fundamental elements of all creative work.Just as there is no music without the power of restraint, so there is no creation without concealment. Because the archetype of all creativity is the creation of heaven and earth, and heaven and earth are created by a harmony of these opposites.
From within the creation, these two powers can appear as a duality. Some see the story of the universe in this way—a struggle between the powers of light and the powers of darkness. They see evil as a ploy of the powers of darkness, good as a victory of the powers of light.
But a Jew has faith that there is only one Creator of all things, who calls existence into being and then breathes into it life, while all the time remaining a mystery withheld from those beings, so that they might feel themselves as true creations.
And therefore a Jew sees harmony in these opposites. Just as there is no music without the power of restraint, so there is no creation without concealment. And without a creation, to whom will the light shine? Without a creation, who will know their Creator?
In the language of Kabbalah, these are the two levels of the sefirot, za and malchut. On a higher level, they are the two Divine names Havayeh (the four-letter name of G‑d) and Elokim.
This is what Moses meant when he taught us, “Know today and take it to heart: Havayeh is Elokim. There is nothing else.”
Meaning: Meditate deeply upon the harmony and unity of darkness and light, concealment and revelation—to know that they are truly one. Then you will realize that there is truly nothing else but G‑d. For even the darkness is G‑d.9
As Two Loving Parents To Planet Earth
Within the physical world, these two elements find their most exquisite expressions as the sun and the moon.
The sun speaks of the Creator’s power to create,The sun speaks of the Creator’s power to create. The moon speaks of His power to conceal Himself within His creation. to provide energy, to give life.
The moon speaks of the Creator’s power to conceal Himself within His creation, to remain mysterious, to dwell in darkness so that the world looks and feels like a real world.
And see how they work together in wondrous harmony: The sun shines its great light and warmth upon our planet, but it is the moon that enables us to receive that light and live from it.
The moon’s gravity pulls our oceans’ tides, moving heat outward from the equator toward the poles. It creates undersea currents to circulate that heat to the furthest regions. Its mighty mass stabilizes our planet’s axis and slows its rotation, so that both seasons and days are neither too extreme nor too mild.10
As two parents to a child, so the sun and the moon nurture life on planet Earth.
Shining in the Darkness
Yet now, at the time of the solar eclipse, the moon comes to dominate over the sun. It does more than regulate its great energy—it blocks its light.
And this is Rabbi Moshe’s point: The sun itself is not affected. There really is no concealment at all. It is only from our perspective that G‑d’s light is hidden. G‑d is here, exactly the same as before the world came into being. All this descent and filtering of light does not affect Him in the slightest.
Go back to the analogy of a parable. When a teacher tells a parable, the student hears a nice story. Eventually, we hope, he discovers the teaching within the story. But to the teacher, there is only the teaching—that is all he sees, in every detail of the parable.
So for G‑d, all that is here now is the same infinite light that was here before creation began.
Everybody agrees that G‑d Himself is here.Everyone agrees that G‑d is here—seemingly somewhat like a stealth police vehicle with all the lights turned off. Truth is, the lights are glaring—we just can’t see them. He’s everywhere. But it seems that His presence is somewhat like a stealth police vehicle with all the lights turned off.
But the truth is that no, all the light is on—His infinite light, here, now, with us, in our world, providing infinite information of His presence. It’s just that we are not yet capable of perceiving that light—we would lose all sense of existence if we did.
Not until a time soon to come, when our physical eyes, and the entire physical world, will be refined to the point that we will be capable of absorbing that light and remaining self-sentient beings within its glow.
Now find the solar eclipse within you. Within each of us, as well, there is a great light that never ceases to shine. As we say each morning, “G‑d, the soul You have placed within me is pure.”11 And in Song of Songs: “Mighty waters cannot extinguish the love, and rivers cannot inundate it.”12
Just as it is certain that behind the moon the sun still shines, so it is certain that within each of us burns a Divine fire.
You can run away and hide, you can try to forget, you can deny everything—but just as a child can never lose the love for a parent, immeasurably more so, the soul inside us can never lose its unconditional love for G‑d.
“For darkness will cover the earth, and a thick darkness to the nations, but upon you G‑d will shine.”13
Staring at the Sun with the Naked Eye
That provides a glimpse into the fuller meaning of Rabbi Moshe di Trani’s interpretation. Now we understand why the eclipse best brings out the greatness of the sun—because we are speaking of a light that is never extinguished, and that is what we see best at the time of the eclipse.
Our other question, however, still remains unanswered. If the sun is shines just the same at the time of its eclipse, how does this teach us to give thanks for the bad as for the good?
I haven’t seen the following anywhere—I may be completely off track. But I can try to provide an answer:
Here is the irony of the solar eclipse.Here is the irony of the solar eclipse: It’s the only time we get to look at the sun.We bask in the sun’s rays all day. Yet this is the only time—and only for the short period of its totality—that we are able to stare at the sun with our naked eye.
At any other time or place—even the moment immediately before the eclipse or after it, even a few degrees off the narrow “band of totality”—a short glimpse of the sun can be literally blinding. Don’t do it without special glasses or equipment.
But for those two minutes or so, humanity has its only opportunity to behold the sun eye to eye. In fact, if it were not for the eclipse, it is doubtful that we would ever understand a thing about the sun.
Yet more: It is the only time when we can see the darkness of the moon, clearly, even in midday.
Meaning: At all other times, we bask in the sun’s light. At the time of the eclipse, we can stare at the sun itself.
As it turns out, the moon’s darkness hides the light, only to reveal the sun.
So, too, the darkness of this world hides the light, so that G‑d Himself can be revealed—through our labor in that darkness, our mitzvahs and our seeking out G‑d with all our heart despite every challenge.
The angels have light—they have little free choice, for they see only the truth. We who struggle in darkness, who must choose light on our own accord, we touch G‑d Himself.
The Solar Eclipse Within
In simple terms, for each of us:
There are times when light shines down upon us. We need neither struggle nor search. It is the daytime of our lives.
And then, “You bring on darkness, and it is night, when all the wild things of the forest creep forth.”14 In the darkness, each movement becomes a struggle. Nothing can be found without grappling to search. The world becomes a threatening, thick forest of confusion.
That is when we are forced to find our own inner light, a light that never fades nor flickers, but only hides behind the barriers we ourselves have set for it.It’s in the eclipses of our life that we discover G‑d Himself shining within us. Now, in the eclipses of our life, we uncover that light, and discover that it is G‑d Himself that shines within us.
And so it is the sun that teaches us to make a blessing for the good as we do for that which appears not so good. Because who knows better than the source of light that darkness, too, is good?
Indeed, there no good and evil. “From the mouth of the One Above there does not descend the good and the bad.”15 There is only good and very good. For it is this time of darkness that allows us to stare the Source of all good in the face, with the naked eye.
Soon will be a time when the darkness will shine openly, when all pain and suffering will transform to good, and the nighttimes of our life will endure only as memories of even greater good. As Isaiah describes in the metaphor of his vision:
The light of the moon shall be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold as the light of the seven days [of creation], on the day that G‑d will bind the fracture of His people, and the stroke of their wound He shall heal.16
May this solar eclipse be the harbinger of the realization of that vision, and may it come sooner than we can imagine.
See Also
FOOTNOTES
1.Perek Shirah 2:3.
2.Habakkuk 3:11. The translation here follows that of Rabbi Moshe di Trani in his commentary to Perek Shirah.
3.Mishnah, Berachot 9:5.
4.Talmud, Berachot 60b.
5.Ibid.
6.See Tanya, Likkutei Amarim, chapter 26; op. cit., Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle 11.
7.Talmud, ibid.
8.For a lengthy explanation of this topic, see Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch, Veyadata 5657.
9.See Tanya, Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, chs. 4 and 6.
10.See D. Waltham, “Anthropic Selection for the Moon’s Mass,” Astrobiology 4 (2004): 460–468; W. Munk and C. Wunsch, “Abyssal Recipes II,” Deep-Sea Research 45 (1998): 1976–2009, confirmed by G. D. Egbert and R. D. Ray, “Significant dissipation of tidal energy in the deep ocean inferred from satellite altimeter data,” Nature 405 (2000): 775–778.
11.Morning liturgy.
Whoever knew the job could be this complex—and exasperating?
By Tzvi Freeman
This August 21 (eve of the month of Elul on the Jewish calendar), daylight will suddenly become twilight. Birds will cease their chatter. Temperatures will plummet. Massive streamers of light will streak through the sky around the silhouette of the moon.
There will also be some real bad traffic. About 25 million people live within a day’s drive of the “narrow band of totality”—the perfect view of the solar eclipse that will make its path across America.
And how could you miss it?
Astronomy is pretty much built into Judaism. For much of our history, that’s how you figured out when the months and years began, and which direction to face so that you could pray towards Jerusalem.
It’s also considered Astronomy is considered a great way to get to know your Creator and fall in love with Him.a great way to get to know your Creator and fall in love with Him.
In the words of the great codifier of Jewish law, Maimonides:
When a person contemplates G‑d’s wondrous and great deeds and creations and appreciates His infinite wisdom that surpasses all comparison, he will spontaneously love, praise and glorify Him, yearning with tremendous desire to know His great name, as David sang: “My soul thirsts for the L‑rd, for the living G‑d” [Psalms 42:3].1
And the sages of the Talmud:
Anyone who knows how to calculate the astronomical seasons and the movements of the constellations and does not do so, the verse says about him: “They do not take notice of the work of G‑d, and they do not see His handiwork” (Isaiah 5:12).2
“Do you want to recognize the One who spoke and the world came into being?” said Rabbi Meir. “Do astronomy.”3
As for the solar eclipse, we found a true expert on the topic:
Cosmic Design For Meat-Heads—An Interview With an Expert
Tzvi Freeman for Chabad.org: Hey Solly, it’s great to have you on the show. So you were on the original team that engineered the solar eclipse?
Angel: Let’s just say we took care of implementation. The design…
TF: So what’s the big deal for a cosmic engineer? Just line up a moon in front of a sun, and, hey, you’ve got an eclipse!
A: [Blank stare]
TF: Like, earth . . . moon . . . sun . . . umm . . .
A: You humans are made of meat, aren’t you?
TF: Meat?
A: I mean, like your brains, too. It’s meat up there? ’Cuz that explains a lot. [holding head in hands] Oh, why? Why did we ever bother attempting this? They’ve had thousands of years, and they still don’t appreciate our incomprehensible genius. What can you expect from a walking meat patty?
TF: Let me explain again. It’s simple . . .
A: Not so simple, Tzvi. You see, to get a perfect solar eclipse, from the perspective of some meathead standing on Earth and looking up at our favorite orbs, the moon has to appear to be exactly the same size as the sun—but just a very slight degree smaller. Problem there: The sun’s diameter is overwhelmingly gigantic compared to the puny little moon. Like 400 times bigger.
TF: Whoa—so how does such a tiny speck cover up such a giganormous sun?
A: Yes, that was the problem. Like let me hold up a picture of what happened when we did a beta-test eclipse with Mars and its moon:
TF: Lousy job there.
A: No worries. We knew there wouldn’t be any people on Mars to see it for a really long time. So we did the math real careful-like for Earth and concluded we’d have to put the sun exactly 400 times further from the earth than the moon—but just a nudge less. I’m going to project a diagram now for the audience.
TF: But we don’t have a projector!
A: You do now—courtesy of Heaven Incorporated.
A: Get it? 1392000/3478 = 400.23001725.
TF: Cool.
A: Distance of earth from sun: ~150 million km. Distance of moon from earth: ~384 thousand km. 150000000/384000 = 390. That gives you a moon just slightly smaller than the sun—perfect for viewing the sun’s most outer layer with the naked eye.
TF: Well that’s pretty simple.
A: Oy.
TF: Can I get you a cold glass of water?
A: Tzvi, I’m sure even meat-patties like you get some tough assignments in life. The kind where the boss throws so many requirements at you, it looks downright impossible.
TF: Sure, like interviewing an angel.
A: Well, we were given a rather detailed spec sheet for this job. Take a look at this:
Project Solar Eclipse
Objectives:
Human beings will gradually learn to predict movement of cosmic bodies and recognize elemental forces of cosmos, including insights into the principles of gravity (through observation of movement of cosmic bodies), the electromagnetic spectrum (through observation of chromosphere during solar eclipse), and nuclear forces (with the aid of that same solar eclipse), with an ever-receding horizon of understanding.
Humanity will come to realize that like everything in nature that they take for granted, a solar eclipse is another exemplar of the astonishing miracles of everyday creation.
Requirements:
Intelligent life, capable of recognizing cyclical patterns and reducing them to formulas that attain accurate predictions.
Habitat capable of sustaining such intelligent life.
Atmosphere to protect such life from hazardous cosmic rays, asteroids, etc., while simultaneously allowing such life to observe cosmic bodies and their movements.
Habitat must be placed in a geometrically guided system simple enough to deduce from frame of reference of this intelligent life, sufficiently distant from dense galactic center for clear observation, yet close enough to have something to observe.
Large, spherical light-emitting body (heretofore known as “sun”) close enough to be observed as well as to provide necessary conditions for said intelligent life, yet far enough so as not to toast it.
Smaller body closer to frame of reference of said intelligent life, placed so as to appear just as round as abovementioned sun, large enough to cover the photosphere of the sun, but not so large as to cover the (otherwise imperceptible) chromosphere of the sun.
Said smaller body must follow a trajectory that allows for predictable perfect alignment with that sun.
Simultaneously, said smaller body will act as a critical element for favorable conditions of said intelligent life.
TF: Whoa, that’s ridiculous! Too much! Just no way! So how did you handle that? Didn’t you want to just throw your hands up in the air and walk off the project?
A: Well, we don’t have hands, for one thing. And we don’t walk. We’re just intellect without bodies. What you see here are avatars. But it was tough nonetheless. At first we thought it was impossible.
TF: So you asked for some wiggle room in the requirements.
A: So at first we figured, maybe we’re meant to make this habitat a moon. Maybe that would make the eclipse much easier.
TF: Hey, good thinking!
A: But no, that just made orbits and sizes even more impossible. And, besides, the intelligent life would never be able to figure out the movement of things. It would all look just so complicated that it might as well be random.
TF: I can imagine Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, et al, on the moon, trying to figure out what on earth is going on. One too many degrees of complexity.
A: So back to planets. We had to find a perfect ratio for the size of the sun and the distance of a planet spinning about it that would allow for the right temperatures, visibility, etc.
TF: You couldn’t fiddle with those parameters?
A: Hey, we’re just implementation. The gravitational constant, speed of light, electron charge and all that stuff was already set before we came on the job.
TF: So you were stuck.
A: Actually, no. That’s when we realized those constants were set up perfectly for the job. The fundamental parameters of the universe were dictating to us precisely how this event was to be set up.
TF: Okay, so now you found the right distance for the sun . . .
A: Which is real tight. Just a little closer or further, the whole H2O deal, the oxygen, carbon, nitrogen levels, temperatures—none of that could work.
TF: And the moon distance?
A: Same deal. We couldn’t make the moon smaller and super-close, because that would be a big problem for tides, axial instability—lots of stuff. So it had to be super-big in comparison to the planet.
TF: Hey, you just told me it was a speck!
A: Relative to the sun, yes. But humongous in comparison to the habitat planet. Here’s a chart to show that:
TF: That’s incredible! But wouldn’t such a relatively large moon just rip apart the planet?
A: Has it?
TF: No.
A: It’s all an outcome of those original parameters. We were able to put it far enough away that it wouldn’t be ripped apart and make rings like those around Saturn, but close enough to provide a total eclipse.
TF: Talk about economy of design!
A: We haven’t even touched on that yet. Get this: Once we determined the exact size and distance needed for the photosphere eclipse, we realized those were also the perfect conditions necessary to sustain an intelligent life-form observer on the planet!
TF: How does that work?
A: Without an enormous moon like this, your planet’s axis would be real wobbly. But the moon’s mass, at its perfect distance, is just what’s needed to stabilize the planet’s rotational axis.4
TF: I’m losing you.
A: The tilt of the axis is what makes the seasons. So with an unstable axis, sometimes you would get wildly extreme seasons, freezing half the planet and burning the other. And sometimes you would have almost no seasons at all. Without the stabilization that the moon’s mass provides, these changes would happen too quickly for life to adjust.
TF: So you might have life, but it wouldn’t be intelligent like us.
A: Hey, it takes a lot of stability to sustain intelligent meat.Then there’s the planet’s rotation, which gives you day and night. With the moon as it is, you get a nice 24-hour day that keeps the temperature fairly even from pole to equator. Change that, and you’ll either spin so fast that the poles get colder and the tropics hotter, or so slowly that the days are too hot and the nights too cold.
TF: Just because it’s in the right place for an eclipse?
A: And as soon as the moon drifts out of the zone where it can make the ideal eclipse, all that stability is kaput!
TF: But why should earth’s stability have anything to do with requirements for an eclipse?
A: And then there’s tides. Tides keep nutrients flowing from land to sea, sea to land. They help transport heat from the equator to the poles—so Miami doesn’t melt. And that’s how the deep sea currents work, too. Hey, Europe would be frozen over without the gravitational pull of that enormous moon on the ocean!5
TF: And there are no other planets in the solar system with eclipses?
A: Well, there’s one. Out of close to 200 moons, there’s one. There’s the potato moon.
TF: Potato moon?
A: A.k.a. Prometheus. It’s a moon to Saturn. It comes into alignment with the sun once in a while.
TF: So we’re not unique!
A: But there’s a problem. It’s a potato.
TF: Oh. I see. That wouldn’t look too spectacular.
A: It does do an eclipse—for about a second. And as you can see, no total eclipse. But the closest you get outside of Planet Earth.
TF: But it’s an alignment.
A: Well, yes, alignments are good. That way, humans begin to realize how clockwork everything out there is. They start putting math and science together.
TF: Never understood why math and science should work together.
A: No reason. Just another set-up job.
TF: Huh?
A: But alignments alone are not enough to achieve our objectives. The idea is also to make the chromosphere visible. And that happens because the visible sphere of the moon is just slightly smaller than that of the sun. So it blocks out the photosphere of the sun—the sphere you usually see—thereby allowing you to see the outer layer, namely the chromosphere. And some of the outer flares, as well.
TF: What for?
A: Hey, without viewing that chromosphere, you people would never have discovered helium—the second most plentiful element in the universe. You would have little idea of what stars are made of. Astrophysics would never have gotten off the ground.
TF: Astrophysics is cool.
A: Along with a lot of physics.
TF: We need physics.
A: Including Einstein’s relativity—which was proven by observation of the bending of light during an eclipse! Basically, the solar eclipse provides the clues that the universe is a never-ending mystery. Not some closed system, but a wonder of infinite depth.
TF: So let me get all this straight. You’re saying that the same conditions that are necessary to stage an eclipse that will reveal the chromosphere are the same conditions necessary to support intelligent life that can observe that eclipse and learn from it!
A: Yes! Now you’re getting it!
TF: Because an eclipse is entirely a subjective experience. So no observer, no eclipse.
A: You’re really thinking now!
TF: And these conditions, like the distance and mass of the moon, of the sun, our place in the universe . . .
A: All amazingly synchronized to fulfill two conditions at once!
TF: And there’s no real reason that should be so!
A: No. No physical reason. Like you said, economy of design. Way beyond anything that ever came out of Cupertino.
TF: But how could that be?
A: Are you getting it? Are you getting it? There’s only one way this could be. There’s no way you can design without any workarounds or glitches like this and such economy of design unless…
TF: Unless?
A: Unless the same One who makes the design is the same One who sets up the fundamental parameters of time, space, energy, mass and movement! Basically, existence and design—hardware and software—all from the same Manufacturer.
TF: What an amazing coincidence! Wow, life’s like that, you know. Full of coincidences!
A: I think I need a therapist.6
See Also
1.Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Foundations of Torah 2:2.
2.Talmud, Shabbat 75a. Further, there:
Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that Rabbi Yochanan said: From where is it derived that there is a mitzvah incumbent upon a person to calculate astronomical seasons and the movements of the constellations? As it was stated: “You shall guard and perform, for it is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations” (Deuteronomy 4:6). What wisdom and understanding is there in the Torah that is in the eyes of the nations [i.e., appreciated and recognized by all]? You must say: This is the calculation of the astronomical seasons and the movements of the constellations [as the calculation of experts is witnessed by all].
3.Cited as a Baraita by Maimonides in a responsum (Pe’er Hador 53).
4.D. Waltham, “Anthropic Selection for the Moon’s Mass,” Astrobiology 4 (2004): 460–468
5.W. Munk and C. Wunsch, “Abyssal Recipes II,” Deep-Sea Research 45 (1998): 1976–2009, confirmed by G. D. Egbert and R. D. Ray, “Significant dissipation of tidal energy in the deep ocean inferred from satellite altimeter data,” Nature 405 (2000): 775–778.
6.The author would like to thank Dr. Gordon Drukier for his assistance and fact-checking on this article.
In addition, the following books proved invaluable in preparing this article:
Weird Astronomy by David Seargant.
The Privileged Planet by Guillermo Gonzales and Jay W. Richards.
Improbable Planet by Hugh Ross.
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