According to Rabbi Yochanan in Shabbat 75a, it is important, based on a pasuk in VaEtchanan (4:5), וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם--כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם, לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים:
R. Simeon b. Pazzi said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi on the authority of Bar Kappara: He who knows how to calculate the cycles and planetary courses, but does not, of him Scripture saith, but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.7 R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in R. Johanan's name: How do we know that it is one's duty to calculate the cycles and planetary courses? Because it is written, for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples:8 what wisdom and understanding is in the sight of the peoples?9 Say, that it is the science of cycles and planets.Rashi explains how this is understanding in the sight of the peoples:
לעיני העמים - שחכמה הניכרת היא שמראה להם סימן לדבריו בהילוך החמה והמזלו' שמעידין כדבריו שאומר שנה זו גשומה והיא כן שנה זו שחונה והיא כן שכל העיתים לפי מהלך החמה במזלותיה ומולדותיה במזל תלוי הכל לפי השעה המתחלת לשמש בכניסת החמה למזל:If so, why don't rabbis regularly study astronomy anymore? See the Shevus Yaakov for one explanation.
But maybe it is that this is now recognized not to be the way to predict weather patterns, and astrology has been dismissed as a science, such that it is not חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם, לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים. Peshat in the pasuk anyway is to follow the mitzvos, because that is the chochmah and binah. The derasha is homiletic. And the way to follow the homiletic lesson is not specifically the tekufot. It is rather like the Gra who studied mathematics, or the Chazon Ish who studied medicine.
In other words, there is a value in Torah Umadda, to be a person knowledgeable in the sciences, and thus an advanced individual in the eyes of the umos haOlam.
5 comments:
More astronomy would be good. I plowed almost all talmud bavli on topic is earth flat or sphere. I found 3-4 discussions and chazal say: seems gentile argument reasonable (sphere), but we stay on our opinion (flat). So if you ask modern rabbi, he will say: sphere, if orthodox: flat.
check out the linked shevus yaakov.
More astronomy would be good. I plowed almost all talmud bavli on topic is earth flat or sphere. I found 3-4 discussions and chazal say: seems gentile argument reasonable (sphere), but we stay on our opinion (flat). So if you ask modern rabbi, he will say: sphere, if orthodox: flat.
The Gentile opinion in Pesachim also seems flat. Thus the sun going "under" the earth warms the water at night.
No, when gentiles say, that sun goes under earth @night, they mean in mind sphere. Then sages think, and (one sage) says, it's logical, because water @night from under earth is warmer. This definitely have flat earth in meaning.
Sages at all have very strange understanding, that at evening, when sun hides behind horizon, it immediately rises again, but is hidden by night sky.
No, when gentiles say, that sun goes under earth @night, they mean in mind sphere. Then sages think, and (one sage) says, it's logical, because water @night from under earth is warmer. This definitely have flat earth in meaning.
The statement about the warm water is used to prove that the *Gentile* theory is correct. Thus they understood the Gentile theory to be that of a flat earth.
Sages at all have very strange understanding, that at evening, when sun hides behind horizon, it immediately rises again, but is hidden by night sky.
It make sense if you think of the blue sky as an opaque shell.
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