Teaching on the Zodiacal Signs (Baraita de-mazalot)

Chapter 10

What was the order of their creation? The non-Jewish sages say that at the beginning of the creation of the luminaries, the sun was created at fifteen degrees [lit., parts] of [the constellation of] Leo, and the moon at fifteen degrees of Cancer. According to their opinion, the luminaries were created on the fifteenth of the month of Av. Thus, the renewal of the moon at the beginning of the creation of the luminaries was two days and a quarter,¹ during which period the sun goes two and a quarter degrees. Saturn is at fifteen degrees of Capricorn, and thus at a distance of one hundred fifty degrees from the sun. Accordingly, its stationary period [starigmos; when it stands still in the sky] comes after forty-five days, when the sun reaches the beginning of Libra. Jupiter is at fifteen degrees of Sagittarius, at a distance of one hundred twenty degrees from the sun, toward its stationary period. Mars is at fifteen degrees of Scorpio, at a distance of ninety degrees. Venus is at three degrees of Libra, at a distance of forty-eight degrees. Mercury is at seven degrees of Virgo, at a distance of twenty-two degrees.

The above is the opinion of the sages of Egypt, whereas the Chaldeans and the Babylonians maintain as follows: The sun was created at the first degree of Aries. Saturn was at the first degree of Capricorn, and thus at a distance of ninety degrees [from the sun], and its stationary period is after twenty days. And what is “its stationary period [starigmos]”? When its movement is delayed, and it does not move either forward or backward. Since it is impossible for it to remain still, it orbits through the latitude of the constellation for six days.

Jupiter is at the beginning of Sagittarius, at a distance of 120 degrees from the sun, and when the sun reaches twenty degrees of Leo, it enters its stationary period.

Mars is at one degree of Scorpio, at a distance of 150 degrees. Venus is at the first part of Taurus, at a distance of thirty degrees. Mercury is at the first part of Gemini, which means that it is at a distance of sixty degrees.

However, the sages of Israel agreed concerning the statement of the Chaldeans and said that the beginning of creation, both luminaries, the sun and the moon, were at the start of Aries, in the first degree, at the beginning of the night of the fourth day. The degree [“part”] mentioned here is one-thirtieth of a constellation.

It thus turns out that each one of the planets has a different position, with the exception of the Chaldeans, as they maintain that the sun and Mars both share Aries, and it is therefore called the position of Mars and the position of the sun.

Chapter 11

The twelve constellations are comprised of four trigons [triplicities]: an eastern trigon, a southern trigon, a western trigon, and a northern trigon. They are as follows: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are fire. These three constellations are male, and this is the eastern trigon. Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn are earth; these three constellations are female, and this is the southern trigon. Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are wind and male, and this is the western trigon. Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are water and female, and this is the northern trigon.

The sun and Jupiter both share the eastern trigon; those born in the day are of the sun, while those born at night are of Jupiter. The planet Venus and the moon both share the southern trigon; those born in the day are of Venus, while those born at night are of the moon. Saturn and Mercury both share the western trigon; the day belongs to Saturn, while the night belongs to Mercury. The planet Venus and Mars both share the northern trigon; the day belongs to the planet Venus, while the night belongs to Mars. Thus, the planet Venus is shared by two trigons in the day, both the southern and northern trigon by day.

Chapter 12

What is the order of the dwelling places [ma‘on] of the two lights, the sun and the moon, and the five planets? The non-Jewish sages claim that the firmament is divided into seven levels, one above the other. These are the seven dwelling places of these seven planets, and their order is as follows:

The first level, nearest the earth, is the lowest level of all. Here is the dwelling place of the moon, in which the moon revolves around the firmament at a height above the earth of 730 units, in the units of the heavens, each of which is 156 units of the units of the earth. Thus, the total sum is 113,880 units of the units of the earth.

The second level is the dwelling place of the planet Mercury, above the dwelling place of the moon, and it is 353 units, in the units of the heavens. Since each unit is 161 units of the earth, the sum total is 56,833 units of the earth.

The third level is the dwelling place of the planet Venus, where it revolves around the firmament, above the dwelling place of the planet Mercury, and it is 55 units, in the units of the heavens. Since each unit is 44 units of the earth, the sum total is 2,552 units of the earth.

The fourth level, which is the middle level, is the dwelling place of the sun, in which the sun revolves speedily around the firmament over the course of twelve months, above the dwelling place of the planet Venus. It is 318 units, in the units of the heavens. Since each unit is 130 units of the earth, the sum total is 41,340 units of the earth.

The fifth level is the dwelling place of Mars, in which Mars revolves speedily around the firmament, above the dwelling place of the sun. It is thirty units, in the units of the heavens. Since each unit is 119 units of the earth, the sum total is 3,570 units of the earth.

The sixth level is the dwelling place of Jupiter, which is 612 units, in the units of the heavens, above the dwelling place of the sun. Since each unit is 112 units of the earth, the sum total is 68,544 units of the earth.

The seventh level, which is the highest level of all, is the dwelling place of Saturn, in which Saturn moves and revolves around the firmament over the course of thirty years, above the dwelling place of Jupiter. It is 510 units, in the units of the heavens. Since each unit is 230 units of the earth, the sum total is 117,300 units of the earth.

The end result is that from the dwelling place of the moon until the dwelling place of Saturn there is a distance of 1,881 units, in the units of the heavens, which are 287,587 units in the units of the earth. Each unit of the earth is fifty cubits, and therefore forty units are one mil,² which is two thousand cubits. Thus, the sum total is 7,189 mil and one half, plus one-eighth of a mil and one-twentieth of a mil [i.e., 7189.675, which is 287,587 divided by forty]. This is the walking distance of 179.5 days, plus one-fifth of a mil and one-fortieth of a mil [179.725, which is roughly one-fortieth of 7189.675], in accordance with the statement of the Gemara: “[an average person walks ten parasangs in a day, which is forty mil], and this is the thickness of the firmament” [b. Pesaḥim 94a].

By contrast, the airspace of the world, from the earth to the firmament, is 730 units, in the units of the heavens, each of which is 156 units in the units of the earth. This makes a total of 113,880 units in the units of the earth. These are 2,847 mil, which is the walking distance of seventy-one days, plus seventy mil.

The above is the opinion of the non-Jewish sages, whereas the Jewish sages maintain that the airspace between the earth and the firmament is the walking distance of 500 years, and the thickness of the firmament is likewise the walking distance of 500 years [see b. Ḥagigah 13a]. The opinions of both parties are reported faithfully.