Berakhot 59
“Lightning flashes, the clouds rumble, and the rain comes.”
Today’s focus is on the natural world and how all phenomenon can be explained through the perspective of God. God manipulates stars from the universe to carry out his divine plans. He snatches two stars from Pleiades to bring forth a flood in the world. In turn, he takes two stars from Ursa Major to fill the void and halt the flood. The constellation Pleiades and Ursa Major, which is the largest star in Taurus, are involved in some sort of anthropomorphic entanglement. Ursa Major attempts to get it stars back from Pleiades. They struggle over their place in the universe, with Ursa Major forever following the stars of Pleiades.
The Talmud asks why the two stars taken from Pleiades were not simply restored in order to bring back order in the universe, rather than turning to Ursa Major to get this deed done. The answer incorporates a lesson on how one who causes damage cannot be the one who repairs it: “a prosecutor cannot become an advocate” and finally, a message that we all know too well: “there is nothing new under the sun.” Rav Nahman assures us, however, that the Lord will return the borrowed stars to Ursa Major, and all will be right in the world again. This continues the theme from yesterday on the natural order as seen through God’s eyes.
Various explanations are offered to explain the origin of earthquakes. One theory comes from a necromancer (a sorcerer?) who believes that an earthquake results from God’s tears for the suffering of men on earth. Rav Ketina disputes this theory because there is so much pain on earth that God would shed tear after tear and as a result, the earth would be forever shaking. Rav Ketina attributes an earthquake to the clapping of God’s hands in anger and Rabbi Natan says an earthquake is caused by God’s sighs for the dire straits that Israel finds itself in. Another theory is presented: “An earthquake is caused when God kicks the firmament, causing a rumbling.”
The Talmudic science lesson continues with an examination of what causes thunder. Shmuel, who we discovered in Berakhot58 was prescient in his knowledge of the constellation Pleiades, attributes the cause of thunder to clouds that collide in the firmament. The Rabbis attributed thunder to clouds pouring water over each other or hollow clouds that make way for incoming wind, which sounds like “wind blowing in the mouth of a jug.” It is conjectured that thunder exists to “impose fear and straighten the crookedness of the heart.” We are told that gale force winds do not begin blowing during the night hours. This of course belies the nights I have laid awake listening to frightening winds barrel through the dark city sky. We are told that gale force winds do not last longer than two hours, and even when we think they do, they have periods of abatement.
Rainbows are universal symbols of a miracle and while we should revere them in all their glory, we should never prostrate ourselves before them lest we be accused of worshipping rainbows. And yet, we are reminded of their dark side and the covenant that God gave to Noah after he essentially destroyed the earth. So, with the awe we attribute to each sighting of a rainbow is the reminder of darkness and ruin. It represents a balance between joy and grief as the Talmud is replete with lessons on how we must carry both with us.
The Talmud says we should say a blessing when we build a new house or purchase a new vessel. The Koren Talmud’s notes mention clothing as well. This brings back memories of buying new clothes as a child. It was before our current throw-away culture of buying cheap clothes that we wear just a few times. Buying new clothes was a big deal and taking off the tags and putting them on for the first time carried so much anticipation of a new adventure. I would get new clothes for the first day of the school year, the high holidays, or for special occasions like a Bar Mitzvah. My older relatives would always say a blessing whenever they noticed my new clothes. I still remember my grandmother saying how pretty I looked in my new dress and adding “may you wear it in good health.”
We are provided in today’s reading with insight into the world of the Rabbis who were making sense of the universe and natural phenomenon without the benefit of science. Shmuel is ahead of his time in his knowledge of the natural world. I did some research on Shmuel, who was very learned and respected and considered an authority on astronomy and medical science. He had an interesting relationship with Rav, who we discovered in an earlier text was so famous and well respected for his knowledge that he only needed to be known as “Rav.” They appear together often in the Talmud where they present their perspective from diametrical points of view. They had differing opinions on almost everything, and yet, they defined their relationship by their open dialog and ability to respect each other. We are told that when Shmuel died, Rav grieved for the loss of the one person who could stand up to him and challenge his point of view. It is a lesson in not just respecting those that have disparate opinions from our own, but in honoring them. I found a lecture online by Elie Wiesel on Rav and Shmuel from the 1980s when he would speak often at the 92nd Street Y in New York:
https://www.92y.org/archives/elie-wiesel-in-the-talmud-rav-and-shmuel