Jewish tradition has some fascinating ideas. According to Legends of the Jews, in the afterlife, the sixth division is reserved for those who died while performing a pious act, a mitzvah. And the seventh? It's for those who died from illnesses sent as atonement for the sins of the entire people of Israel. Imagine, their suffering becomes a sacrifice on behalf of everyone.
Now, let's journey back to the very beginning, to the creation of the cosmos. We all know the story of Genesis. But have you ever pondered the behind-the-scenes drama of the sun and moon?
The fourth day of creation, according to tradition, is when the sun, moon, and stars were placed in the heavens. But here's a twist: these celestial bodies weren't actually made on the fourth day. No, they were created on the first day! The fourth day was simply their installation date, their grand debut in the cosmic theater.
And initially, the sun and moon were equals! Can you picture that? Two radiant powers sharing the sky, each with equal status. But, as we often find in stories of siblings or co-workers, jealousy crept in.
The moon, it seems, wasn't happy with this arrangement. The moon challenged GOD directly, asking, "O Lord, why didst Thou create the world with the letter Bet?" Bet, ב, is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and it begins the word Bereshit, "In the beginning."
God replied, "That it might be made known unto My creatures that there are two worlds." The moon, still probing, asked which world was larger, "this world or the world to come?" God revealed that "the world to come is the larger." According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, the moon wasn’t satisfied. It pointed out the inherent imbalance in creation: a greater and lesser world, a heaven exceeding the earth, water stronger than fire. And then, the zinger: Shouldn't the sun and moon also reflect this hierarchy, with one being greater than the other?
The moon, essentially, wanted a promotion. And God, reading between the lines, wasn't pleased. "I know well," God responded, "thou wouldst have me make Thee greater than the sun. As a punishment I decree that thou mayest keep but one-sixtieth of thy light."
Ouch. Talk about a demotion.
The moon, understandably, protested! "Shall I be punished so severely for having spoken a single word?" God, showing a sliver of mercy, relented somewhat. "In the future world I will restore thy light, so that thy light may again be as the light of the sun." A promise of future glory!
But the moon, bless its ambitious heart, wasn't done. "O Lord," she said, "and the light of the sun, how great will it be in that day?"
This was the last straw. The wrath of God was enkindled. "What, thou still plottest against the sun? As thou livest, in the world to come his light shall be sevenfold the light he now sheds." Sevenfold! The decree was final. The sun’s dominance was sealed.
And what about the sun itself? The sun, according to this legend, runs his course "like a bridegroom," full of joy and purpose. "He sits upon a throne with a garland on his head." Ninety-six angels accompany him on his daily journey, in relays of eight every hour, two to the left of him, and two to the right, two before Him, and two behind. Imagine that celestial entourage! According to Legends of the Jews, as strong as he is, he could complete his course from south to north in a single instant, but three hundred and sixty-five angels restrain him by means of as many grappling-irons. Every day one looses his hold, and the sun must thus spend three hundred and sixty-five days on his course.
What's more, the sun's journey is fueled by song! "The progress of the sun in his circuit is an uninterrupted song of praise to God. And this song alone makes his motion possible." This is why, when Joshua needed the sun to stand still, he commanded it to be silent. According to Ginzberg's retelling, "His song of praise hushed, the sun stood still."
So, what does this ancient story tell us? Is it about celestial politics? The dangers of ambition? Or perhaps it's a reminder that even the brightest lights in the universe are governed by a divine order, an order that values humility and praise. Maybe it is about the power of song and praise and how integral it is to the sun’s role. Whatever you take away from it, it's a story that continues to shine, illuminating the mysteries of creation and the complexities of the cosmos within us all.