Jewish Sources on the Nature of Stars and Planets

15 Adar Aleph 5776

Shushan Purim Katan

With all the talk about 'Nibiru' recently, I thought it might be worthwhile to share what some other Jewish sources besides the Zohar have to say about the stars and planets. If you haven't already read it, you might be very surprised.

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Derech Hashem, Part II, Chapter 7, Section 1-4:

...we discussed how every physical phenomenon has its root among the transcendental Forces. First the thing is rooted in the spiritual realm in all the necessary ways. Afterwards, it is committed more and more to the material, until it finds itself in the form that is destined for it in the physical realm.

It was for the sake of this process that the stars and planets were created. Through their movements and cycles, influences in the spiritual realm are transmitted and reflected to their physical counterparts, allowing things to exist in the material world in the physical form that was ordained for them. Regarding the stars, the Highest Wisdom decided their number, positioning, as well as the levels of their various divisions, in order to put the aforementioned system of transmission into operation in the necessary and appropriate way.

That is, all things in the physical world are given the power to exist through influences transmitted to them via their respective stars, for through the agency of the stars, each thing's essence is brought to earth, reflected from its spiritual roots on high down to the physical.

There is another function that God assigned to the stars. Every event and situation in the material world is prepared and initiated on high, and then is transmitted via the stars, step by step, finally appearing in the desired physical forms below. For example, life itself, wealth, wisdom, children and so forth all originate on high in the realm of the spiritual Roots, reflected down through Branches of these Roots through the agency of particular stars, so that the different phenomena take form on earth in their desired states. This is the result of particular divisions and combinations of the stars, following their specific cycles.

Every event that takes place in the terrestrial world is allocated to a particular star, depending on its specific category. All terrestrial things are bound under their authority. Through their systems, all things happen as a result of the influence emanating from the stellar array through its connection with each individual thing.

Every human being is also subjugated to this system, and whatever happens to him is a result of this astrological influence.

It is also possible, however, that this stellar influence be overridden by a higher power. [This is normally true in the case of the Jews, and accordingly] our Sages teach us, "There is no constellation (mazal) for Israel." The power of God's decrees and influence is stronger than that of the stars, and what results is therefore dependent on this higher influence rather than on the astrological.

This system whereby stars transmit spiritual influences is itself circumscribed [by laws and limitations] in ways which the Highest Wisdom deems appropriate. Observation supplies a very small amount of information about the system as a whole, and it is the small observable component that constitutes astrology.

In that the true, actual organization of this system is not ascertainable through observation, astrologers attempting to predict the future are very rarely able to do so accurately, and what they do see is not seen clearly. Their ability to predict is further reduced by the fact that sometimes Providence intervenes in earthly matters, and this overrides the stellar system entirely, as mentioned previously. This is the meaning of [what the prophet said (Yeshayahu 47:13), "[Now let the astrologers, stargazers and fortunetellers stand up and tell you] something [about what will come upon you]." Our Sages tell us that this means [that they can predict] something, but certainly not everything.

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan on the ancient text Sefer Yetzirah 4:6, "Seven Planets":

The seven vertical paths associated with the seven Doubles [letters] are manifest in the physical world as the astrological forces associated with the seven planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon.

In Time, they are associated with the seven days of the week, while in Man, they are the seven openings in the head. 

...The Talmud also speaks of the various influences of the planets and days of the week. These are closely related to their role in creation, and do not appear to follow the system of Sefer Yetzirah. ...The seven planets are also associated with specific angels. These angels channel the influence of the seven vertical paths through the planets....

...The stars also form an important link in God's providence over the physical world. Between God and man, there are many levels of interaction, the lowest being those of the angels and the stars. The Midrash thus teaches, "There is no blade of grass that does not have a constellation (Mazal) over it, telling it to grow."

As the commentaries explain, God's providence works through the angels, but these angels, in turn, work through the stars and planets. As some authorities put it, the angels are, in a sense, like souls to the stars....

No wonder we call them "heavenly bodies"!