וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם׃
Assim foram concluídos os céus e a terra, e todos os seus elementos.
Derush Chiddushei HaLevanah
Furthermore, one cannot say that because of its small size, the moon proceeds faster in its orbit, i.e., that a large entity is heavier and a small entity is lighter. This is not true for two reasons:
a) The scholars of natural science have determined that in the fifth type of being, from which the heavenly beings are comprised, does not possess natural characteristics as we know them.36Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim, Vol. 1, ch. 72), cites Greek thinkers who explain that in contrast to earthly existence that is made up of a combination of the four elements: fire, wind, water and earth, the heavenly beings are comprised of a fifth type of matter, hyli, that does not share the characteristics of these four elements. Thus, the concept of being heavier or lighter does not apply with regard to the heavenly beings.
b) Even if the heavenly beings would have natural characteristics and would be characterized by lightness or heaviness, those characteristics would not have an effect on the speed or slowness of their progress in their orbits. This is evident from the fact that the sun concludes its orbit in approximately 365 and ¼ days, yet its mass is larger than that of any one of the other heavenly bodies and their constellations,37Cf. Yeshayahu 13:10. as recorded in the list of the heavenly bodies in the text Yesod Olam,38Yesod Olam is a text on astronomy written by R. Yitzchak of Tulitula, one of the students of Rabbeinu Asher. Discourse 3, ch. 17. Shabbetai (Saturn) completes one cycle of its orbit in 30 years, while Tzedek (Jupiter) takes twelve years to complete one cycle of its orbit, and Ma’adim (Mars) takes slightly less than two years to complete one cycle of its orbit. Similarly, the size of Nogah (Venus) is greater than that of the moon, but not substantially greater. (For the moon is 1/39 and a quarter the size of the earth, and Nogah is 1/37th the size of the earth.) Nevertheless, the time it takes for Nogah to circle the earth is far longer than the time necessary for the moon to make its circuit. For Nogah makes one circuit in 300 days, which is approximately ten times longer than one of the moon’s circuits. Moreover, the planet called Kochav (Mercury) is very small, only 1/19,000 of the size of the earth, and yet it requires 336 days to complete the one circuit of its orbit. The above figures are taken from the works of the astronomers. In its commentary to the verse beginning Vay’chulu,39Bereishis 2:1. Midrash Rabbah to Parshas Bereishis40Bereishis Rabbah 10:4. offers different calculations, and in some texts of Midrash Rabbah those figures are questioned based on the words of the astronomers. Regardless of these details, from all the above, however, it is obvious that the size of a heavenly body is not the conclusive determinant in the speed of its orbit.
a) The scholars of natural science have determined that in the fifth type of being, from which the heavenly beings are comprised, does not possess natural characteristics as we know them.36Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim, Vol. 1, ch. 72), cites Greek thinkers who explain that in contrast to earthly existence that is made up of a combination of the four elements: fire, wind, water and earth, the heavenly beings are comprised of a fifth type of matter, hyli, that does not share the characteristics of these four elements. Thus, the concept of being heavier or lighter does not apply with regard to the heavenly beings.
b) Even if the heavenly beings would have natural characteristics and would be characterized by lightness or heaviness, those characteristics would not have an effect on the speed or slowness of their progress in their orbits. This is evident from the fact that the sun concludes its orbit in approximately 365 and ¼ days, yet its mass is larger than that of any one of the other heavenly bodies and their constellations,37Cf. Yeshayahu 13:10. as recorded in the list of the heavenly bodies in the text Yesod Olam,38Yesod Olam is a text on astronomy written by R. Yitzchak of Tulitula, one of the students of Rabbeinu Asher. Discourse 3, ch. 17. Shabbetai (Saturn) completes one cycle of its orbit in 30 years, while Tzedek (Jupiter) takes twelve years to complete one cycle of its orbit, and Ma’adim (Mars) takes slightly less than two years to complete one cycle of its orbit. Similarly, the size of Nogah (Venus) is greater than that of the moon, but not substantially greater. (For the moon is 1/39 and a quarter the size of the earth, and Nogah is 1/37th the size of the earth.) Nevertheless, the time it takes for Nogah to circle the earth is far longer than the time necessary for the moon to make its circuit. For Nogah makes one circuit in 300 days, which is approximately ten times longer than one of the moon’s circuits. Moreover, the planet called Kochav (Mercury) is very small, only 1/19,000 of the size of the earth, and yet it requires 336 days to complete the one circuit of its orbit. The above figures are taken from the works of the astronomers. In its commentary to the verse beginning Vay’chulu,39Bereishis 2:1. Midrash Rabbah to Parshas Bereishis40Bereishis Rabbah 10:4. offers different calculations, and in some texts of Midrash Rabbah those figures are questioned based on the words of the astronomers. Regardless of these details, from all the above, however, it is obvious that the size of a heavenly body is not the conclusive determinant in the speed of its orbit.
Gevurot Hashem
1 It is to God's honor that a thing (thing, word - דבר) is concealed and it is to their honor, that kings research a thing (Proverbs 25, 2). In Midrash Rabbah (9,1) Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Hama Bar Hanina: "From the first word of the Book of Genesis, 'בראשית' until 'ויכלו': "It is for God's honor that a thing is concealed," and from there ('ויכלו') and onwards, it speaks of "the honor of kings is to research a thing..."
Guide for the Perplexed
The following point now claims our attention. The account of the six days of creation contains, in reference to the creation of man, the statement: “Male and female created he them” (i. 27), and concludes with the words: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (ii. 1), and yet the portion which follows describes the creation of Eve from Adam, the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge, the history of the serpent and the events connected therewith, and all this as having taken place after Adam had been placed in the Garden of Eden. All our Sages agree that this took place on the sixth day, and that nothing new was created after the close of the six days. None of the things mentioned above is therefore impossible, because the laws of Nature were then not yet permanently fixed.