בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ אֶת־יְהוָה֙ כָּל־עַנְוֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ פָּעָ֑לוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶ֙דֶק֙ בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ עֲנָוָ֔ה אוּלַי֙ תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ בְּי֖וֹם אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
여호와의 규례를 지키는 세상의 모든 겸손한 자들아 너희는 여호와를 찾으며 공의와 겸손을 구하라 너희가 혹시 여호와의 분노의 날에 숨김을 얻으리라
Teshuvot HaGeonim (Harkavy)
You asked about what is written in the notebook of Yehoshua ben Levi: "'One born on Sunday will be...etc.', and Ḥanina said: 'Go say to him, to ben Levi: it is not the Mazal of the day that is effective, rather it is the Mazal of the hour that causes everything; Ḥanina said that Mazal makes wise and Mazal makes rich, and there is Mazal over Israel and because of that they are wise and rich. Furthermore, Raba said longevity, livelihood, and progeny do not depend on merit or good works; they depend on Mazal."
It is not a problem for us, albeit it is for ben Levi and Ḥanina since most rabbinical authorities hold that there is no Mazal over Israel. And according to Rabbi Judah, Rav said that we hold this way because it is supported by [the Midrashic dictum]: '...And He took him outside' and its interpretation is 'go out from under the Mazal's rule' [that is, Abraham and his progeny, Israel, are not to be ruled by Mazal; this is not an anti-astrological command, to 'leave off belief in astrology']. The rule is that there is no Mazal over Israel - for the nations of the world there is a Mazal over them.
And indeed, they [the nations of the world] are commanded regarding theft, adultery, and bloodshed. And whether it is the Mazal of the day or the Mazal of the hour that effects his being a thief or an adulterer or a bloodshedder, nonetheless, he is responsible and yet the Mazal caused it; this is a problem for us.
And we can learn from the well-known account [Tractate Taanit 25a] of Elazar ben Pedat*, when he experienced great sadness at his poverty and laid down to sleep and had a dream. God said to him that it is possible that, if the world were to be created, he [Elazar] would be born in an hour that is good for making money and so [we learn that] it all depends on what is possible.
We now see that astrologers are of two types: One type attributes every occurrence to Mazal and says that even a man's movements and his emotions depend on Mazal and from there [the stars and planets, etc.] distress comes to here [to earth] because what is there is here. And every earthly occupation is like a kind of coin, that the hours move in a circle to be stamped and the world of the Mazalot [stars and planets] is like a kind of stamp that contains them and stamps them in its likeness, neither more or less. And none of them [this type of astrologer], acknowledge God and their views are separate from ours.
And there is another group of them that say that man employs his wisdom to do things that are not caused by Mazal and is able to undo what Mazal had caused. And there are also two sorts of this type. One holds that everything depends on man's soul and say that a man's spirit and soul is most splendid and elevated in him and is essentially above the stellar world and the Mazalot and he is able with its power to change whatever Mazal effects. And the other sort holds that everything depends on God, the Master of the Universe, and they say that He created man with the ability to undo what his Mazal caused for him. And whether or not there is between these two a final word, [we see that] Mazal brings hot weather for a tree to grow in its time, [nonetheless] a man is able to carry it from its place and cool it and this is not about life [of the tree] itself, for the tree is from God, and here we have an explanation for both its growth and suppression of its growth. And this too solves the problem of theft and adultery for both groups of astrologers because Mazal does not cause anything other than passion and ordinary appetite; it is as when a man's desire becomes the yearning of his heart and he gains control of himself and quiets himself regarding that which he wishes to possess by theft or by adultery and is able to control his passion and to overcome it, as is the case with ordinary evil inclinations, which at times overwhelms a man and he must struggle against it and he is able to conquer it.
Now we may say that for those who hold that Mazal is effective, there is a dilemma and there is a resolution. However, there is a problem for the nations of the world [אנוש ,בני נח, גוים] vis-à-vis the matter of theft and adultery, acts which are forbidden to the nations of the world; most rabbinical authorities hold that Mazal has sway over them [so how can they be held responsible to these forbidden acts?]. We have already resolved this difficult problem, for when they are overwhelmed by ordinary lust, it is brought on by Mazal and so become overwhelmed by their desire; however, they are [nonetheless] able to overcome it, for God gives them the strength to overcome and conquer it. And what Ḥanina himself said when he stated that ‘Mazal makes wise and Mazal makes rich and there is Mazal over Israel’. We listen to him, as it says 'everything is in the hands of heaven with the exception of fear of Heaven; to inform you that it is in man's hands [to either surrender to or to overcome the force of Mazal, and that is possible through fear of God; compare Psalms 9, 21: ‘Put them in fear, O Lord: the nations will then know themselves to be but men’, i.e., subservient to the will of Heaven].
And whether one holds that there is no Mazal over Israel or that there is Mazal over Israel, we do not accept the view that Mazal causes it. When Mazal caused one's passion to overwhelm him and he had to make strenuous efforts to overcome it, in doing so he is rewarded by God and so he who overcomes his passion is preferable to one whose passion did not overwhelm him [and, therefore, was not rewarded by God for it].
And, in general, according to their words, he can control the passion that is caused by his Mazal and this is supported by the case of Rav Naḥman ben Isaac, that after many astrologers told his mother that he would turn out to be a thief and deceiver, that she should cover his head and so she did and forbade him to uncover it. One day while he was sitting quietly under a palm tree, a gust of wind detached a cluster of young dates and he broke some off with his teeth [i.e., his desire overcame him and he took what did not belong to him]. And this may be because his passion was always hidden in his heart or not, since he forced himself with great effort, for otherwise, he would have been a thief, since this was decreed by his Mazal; yet, be it as it may, he did overcome his inclination and he did control his spirit [and did not eat the dates].
And thus we come to the resolution of this problem. And so, for the one who is astonished by the account of Elazar ben Pedat in which we learn it is a possibility only and not for certain that he would be born at the [planetary] hour for earning a livelihood, since this implies that Mazal cannot cause it [for if so, God would have made Elazar ben Pedat to be born at that hour], and this is astonishing for [we believe that] ‘Mazal makes wise, Mazal makes rich…’; this [that Mazal causes wisdom and wealth] is not your problem, rather, you are astonished that it is only a possibility, [and that is your problem], that it depends on a possibility [; i. e., that it is not certain]. What astonishment is there in this!? What is the problem? It is from scripture: ‘…seek justice, seek humbleness, perhaps you will be overlooked on the day of the Lord’s anger’ [Zephaniah, 2:3’]. Furthermore, it is possible that this is not about something doubtful like saying ‘perhaps’ or ‘maybe’ it is so. Rather, it is at present impossible; it would be possible if the world were to be recreated. It is analogous to two men, one stationed on a height and the other, below him. The one below says to the one above: I want to climb up to you – the one above says now since there is no rope to throw it down so you could climb up, it is not possible for you to climb up. Or, if there would be a rope, certainly it would then be possible to climb up from below to above. And these words are in answer to your question.
*Elazar ben Pedat fell asleep and dreamt that God came to him and they had a conversation about his poverty. Elazar suggested that God remove his poverty and God replied that it would be easier to recreate the world than to remove his poverty and then it would then be possible for him, Elazar ben Pedat, to be born in an hour auspicious for earning a livelihood. Elazar replied in astonishment: ‘You would recreate the world and removal of my poverty would only be a possibility?’ And Elazar asked God whether the years he had already lived were more than the years that he yet had to live and God answered the years he had already lived were more, and Elazar said that he did not want God to recreate the world for the possibility of living a few more years. And for that God gave Elazar ben Pedat thirteen rivers of pure balsam oil, as large as the Euphrates and Tigris, in the World to Come.
It is not a problem for us, albeit it is for ben Levi and Ḥanina since most rabbinical authorities hold that there is no Mazal over Israel. And according to Rabbi Judah, Rav said that we hold this way because it is supported by [the Midrashic dictum]: '...And He took him outside' and its interpretation is 'go out from under the Mazal's rule' [that is, Abraham and his progeny, Israel, are not to be ruled by Mazal; this is not an anti-astrological command, to 'leave off belief in astrology']. The rule is that there is no Mazal over Israel - for the nations of the world there is a Mazal over them.
And indeed, they [the nations of the world] are commanded regarding theft, adultery, and bloodshed. And whether it is the Mazal of the day or the Mazal of the hour that effects his being a thief or an adulterer or a bloodshedder, nonetheless, he is responsible and yet the Mazal caused it; this is a problem for us.
And we can learn from the well-known account [Tractate Taanit 25a] of Elazar ben Pedat*, when he experienced great sadness at his poverty and laid down to sleep and had a dream. God said to him that it is possible that, if the world were to be created, he [Elazar] would be born in an hour that is good for making money and so [we learn that] it all depends on what is possible.
We now see that astrologers are of two types: One type attributes every occurrence to Mazal and says that even a man's movements and his emotions depend on Mazal and from there [the stars and planets, etc.] distress comes to here [to earth] because what is there is here. And every earthly occupation is like a kind of coin, that the hours move in a circle to be stamped and the world of the Mazalot [stars and planets] is like a kind of stamp that contains them and stamps them in its likeness, neither more or less. And none of them [this type of astrologer], acknowledge God and their views are separate from ours.
And there is another group of them that say that man employs his wisdom to do things that are not caused by Mazal and is able to undo what Mazal had caused. And there are also two sorts of this type. One holds that everything depends on man's soul and say that a man's spirit and soul is most splendid and elevated in him and is essentially above the stellar world and the Mazalot and he is able with its power to change whatever Mazal effects. And the other sort holds that everything depends on God, the Master of the Universe, and they say that He created man with the ability to undo what his Mazal caused for him. And whether or not there is between these two a final word, [we see that] Mazal brings hot weather for a tree to grow in its time, [nonetheless] a man is able to carry it from its place and cool it and this is not about life [of the tree] itself, for the tree is from God, and here we have an explanation for both its growth and suppression of its growth. And this too solves the problem of theft and adultery for both groups of astrologers because Mazal does not cause anything other than passion and ordinary appetite; it is as when a man's desire becomes the yearning of his heart and he gains control of himself and quiets himself regarding that which he wishes to possess by theft or by adultery and is able to control his passion and to overcome it, as is the case with ordinary evil inclinations, which at times overwhelms a man and he must struggle against it and he is able to conquer it.
Now we may say that for those who hold that Mazal is effective, there is a dilemma and there is a resolution. However, there is a problem for the nations of the world [אנוש ,בני נח, גוים] vis-à-vis the matter of theft and adultery, acts which are forbidden to the nations of the world; most rabbinical authorities hold that Mazal has sway over them [so how can they be held responsible to these forbidden acts?]. We have already resolved this difficult problem, for when they are overwhelmed by ordinary lust, it is brought on by Mazal and so become overwhelmed by their desire; however, they are [nonetheless] able to overcome it, for God gives them the strength to overcome and conquer it. And what Ḥanina himself said when he stated that ‘Mazal makes wise and Mazal makes rich and there is Mazal over Israel’. We listen to him, as it says 'everything is in the hands of heaven with the exception of fear of Heaven; to inform you that it is in man's hands [to either surrender to or to overcome the force of Mazal, and that is possible through fear of God; compare Psalms 9, 21: ‘Put them in fear, O Lord: the nations will then know themselves to be but men’, i.e., subservient to the will of Heaven].
And whether one holds that there is no Mazal over Israel or that there is Mazal over Israel, we do not accept the view that Mazal causes it. When Mazal caused one's passion to overwhelm him and he had to make strenuous efforts to overcome it, in doing so he is rewarded by God and so he who overcomes his passion is preferable to one whose passion did not overwhelm him [and, therefore, was not rewarded by God for it].
And, in general, according to their words, he can control the passion that is caused by his Mazal and this is supported by the case of Rav Naḥman ben Isaac, that after many astrologers told his mother that he would turn out to be a thief and deceiver, that she should cover his head and so she did and forbade him to uncover it. One day while he was sitting quietly under a palm tree, a gust of wind detached a cluster of young dates and he broke some off with his teeth [i.e., his desire overcame him and he took what did not belong to him]. And this may be because his passion was always hidden in his heart or not, since he forced himself with great effort, for otherwise, he would have been a thief, since this was decreed by his Mazal; yet, be it as it may, he did overcome his inclination and he did control his spirit [and did not eat the dates].
And thus we come to the resolution of this problem. And so, for the one who is astonished by the account of Elazar ben Pedat in which we learn it is a possibility only and not for certain that he would be born at the [planetary] hour for earning a livelihood, since this implies that Mazal cannot cause it [for if so, God would have made Elazar ben Pedat to be born at that hour], and this is astonishing for [we believe that] ‘Mazal makes wise, Mazal makes rich…’; this [that Mazal causes wisdom and wealth] is not your problem, rather, you are astonished that it is only a possibility, [and that is your problem], that it depends on a possibility [; i. e., that it is not certain]. What astonishment is there in this!? What is the problem? It is from scripture: ‘…seek justice, seek humbleness, perhaps you will be overlooked on the day of the Lord’s anger’ [Zephaniah, 2:3’]. Furthermore, it is possible that this is not about something doubtful like saying ‘perhaps’ or ‘maybe’ it is so. Rather, it is at present impossible; it would be possible if the world were to be recreated. It is analogous to two men, one stationed on a height and the other, below him. The one below says to the one above: I want to climb up to you – the one above says now since there is no rope to throw it down so you could climb up, it is not possible for you to climb up. Or, if there would be a rope, certainly it would then be possible to climb up from below to above. And these words are in answer to your question.
*Elazar ben Pedat fell asleep and dreamt that God came to him and they had a conversation about his poverty. Elazar suggested that God remove his poverty and God replied that it would be easier to recreate the world than to remove his poverty and then it would then be possible for him, Elazar ben Pedat, to be born in an hour auspicious for earning a livelihood. Elazar replied in astonishment: ‘You would recreate the world and removal of my poverty would only be a possibility?’ And Elazar asked God whether the years he had already lived were more than the years that he yet had to live and God answered the years he had already lived were more, and Elazar said that he did not want God to recreate the world for the possibility of living a few more years. And for that God gave Elazar ben Pedat thirteen rivers of pure balsam oil, as large as the Euphrates and Tigris, in the World to Come.