The Form of the Earth and the Structure of the Heavenly Orbs

Introduction

Abraham bar Ḥiyya, the Sephardi, said:

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, the great and awesome God, lord of power and glory, who rules His universe, who is adorned by the glory of His name, who gave to the heaven of heavens lights and stars, which run and return on their spheres [epicycles], and encompass [on the deferent] the circle of the earth, and orbit and leave [at perigee] and approach [at apogee], and who, by means of them, spread the radiance of His glory and His light over the inhabitants of the world—who shows all those who are wise of heart the power of his glory and radiance and makes known the mystery of his actions and the secret of his brilliance.

And regarding this, David, king of Israel, said: O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (Psalms 8:2).

And he said: When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers (Psalms 8:4).

And the word behold here comes from the phrase “sight of the heart” which means “understanding.”

And he said that one who contemplates the work of the heavens and the paths of the moon and stars, which the Omnipresent established to show His wonders, will know [how to] praise His name, which is excellent in all the earth. Who gives His light and spreads His light that is above the heavens. And the word gives comes from the phrase: There they shall rehearse [yetanu; lit. give] the righteous acts of the Lord (Judges 5:11), and it will be clear to you from scripture that one who gazes on the work of the heavens and the earth and their form and contemplates the paths of the stars and the wisdom of their structure will see the power of his Creator and His glory. And that one will understand the wisdom of his Maker and His radiance. About this, the sages said: “Anyone who knows how to calculate equinoxes and constellations and does not calculate, about him it is written: They regard not the work of the Lord, neither have they considered the operation of His hands (Isaiah 5:12)” [b. Shabbat 75a].

And one who does calculate is as one who looks on the work of the Lord and sees the deeds of His hands; he will be preserved from all sorrow, for one who first learns Torah according to his ability and engages in it and holds tight to its commandments, with these actions, when he pursues astronomy and learns it and engages in it, he is not engaged in frivolity, but he is engaged in and apprehends a science that sets in order the secrets of belief for [enhancing] belief, and straightens the path of faithful awe for [inspiring] faith.

Source: London British Library MS Or. 12277, fols. 1v–2r.