Alexander’s Ascent into the Air

The sages say: The only [idolatrous image] that is forbidden is one which has a staff, or a bird, or a sphere in its hand. “A staff”: with which it suppresses the world; “a bird”: My hand has found, like a nest, the wealth of the peoples; [and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved a wing, or opened its mouth, or chirped] (Isaiah 10:14, NRSV); “a sphere”: for the world is made like a sphere. R. Jonah said: Alexander the Macedonian, when he desired to ascend above, would ascend and ascend. He ascended until he saw the world like a sphere and the sea as a bowl. Because of this they would create this [image] with a sphere in its hand. So let them create [the image] with a bowl in its hand! [They do not do this because] he does not have power over the sea. But the Holy One has power over the sea and the dry land and saves [people] in the sea and saves [people] on dry land.

Translated by Matthew Goldstone.