In 1969 Rabbi Menachem Kasher, one of the gedolim [= great Torah scholars] of the twentieth century, published a series of Torah thought essays related to the most amazing event of his time, or any time ever in human history: the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, this week I am…
Author: astrorav
HaAdam Al HaYareach (Man on the Moon) Part 3
Rav Kasher answers the question, from a Torah point of view… Is one even allowed to go to the Moon?
HaAdam Al Hayareach (Man on the Moon) Part 2
Rav Kasher explains a verse in Isaiah and gives a geopolitical drasha on why the Apollo 11 Moon Landing is a great sign for the Jewish people…
HaAdam Al HaYareach, Man on the Moon
In 1969 Rabbi Menachem Kasher published a series of Torah essays related to the Apollo 11 Moon Landing: HaAdam Al Hayareach…
Blue Skies, Blue Dyes
A talmudic mnemonic on tzitzit and tekhelet relates to modern science…
Eclipses
In the less well known Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer we find a less ominous, more astronomy focused talmudic take on eclipses…
Zachor and Shamor and the Wave-Particle Duality
There are differences between the texts of the Ten Commandments that seem analogous to a the Wave-Particle Duality, a principle of quantum physics…
Will the Real Equinox(+60) Please Stand Up?
Why do we annually begin saying ותן טל ומטר on Dec. 4th or 5th when the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch say otherwise?
Bilaam’s Star Prophecy
“A star shall come forth from Jacob”. Let the meaning hidden in this verse shine forth better with modern astronomy…
The Lights of Kislev
The light of the Menorah is a symbol, but of what? There are surprising similarities to… a rainbow…?
Abraham and the First Planetarium
In Parshat Lech Lecha, we find Genesis 15:5, a great verse for astronomical commentaries and homiletics, for fairly obvious reasons: וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃ He took him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count…
The Astronomers’ Blessing
The morning blessing Yotzer Or, “Who creates light”: “The Astronomers’ Blessing”. It focuses on things near and dear to astronomers, light and more…
