Solomon's Wisdom Surpasses the Sages of the East

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Chukat 11:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East" (I Kings 5:10). [What was the wisdom of the people of the East?] That they knew astrology, and were cunning in [the divination of] birds (tayyir) — in the language of Ishmael they call a bird tayyir. Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said: In three things I love the Persians,

Themes

WisdomSolomonAstrology

Biblical References

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