Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3

Sugya Map

• Issue: The Rambam's meticulous description of the cosmos, detailing the nine celestial spheres (galgalim) and their contents, the nature of their substance, the hierarchy of intellect among creations, and the four terrestrial elements. This chapter lays the philosophical-scientific groundwork for understanding God's creation, particularly relevant to Ma'aseh Bereishit.
• Nafka Mina(s):
  • Philosophical Theology: Establishes a hierarchical structure of creation, from the conscious, intellect-imbued spheres and stars to the "dead" terrestrial elements, reflecting God's intricate design and the levels of divine praise. This shapes the Rambam's broader rationalist hashkafa.
  • Halachic Science (Chokhmah Yevanit): Legitimizes the study of astronomy and mathematics, even from non-Jewish sources, for halachic purposes like Kiddush HaChodesh. It underscores the Rambam's approach that truth, once empirically proven, stands on its own merit, regardless of its origin.
  • Rejection of Superstition: Provides the cosmological basis for the Rambam's staunch rejection of astrology as "empty words and lies," distinguishing it sharply from legitimate astronomy. This has direct implications for Hilchot Avodah Zarah.
  • Reconciliation of Aggadah and Science: Presents a model for integrating Rabbinic cosmological statements with contemporary scientific understanding, often by interpreting Aggadah as allegorical or referring to spiritual realities rather than physical ones.
• Primary Sources:
  • Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:1-10.
  • Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1-8 (the provided commentary).
  • Bavli, Chagiga 12b.
  • Tehillim 19:2, 148:3-8.
  • Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh 17:24.
  • Rambam, Commentary on Mishnah, Avodah Zarah 4:7.
  • Rambam, Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8.
  • Ramban, Responsum 282.

Text Snapshot

The Rambam’s exposition in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3 opens with a foundational assertion regarding the celestial nomenclature and structure:

"הגלגלים הם הנקראים שמים ורקיע וזבול וערבות… יש תשעה גלגלים… השמיני שבו כל הכוכבים הנראים ברקיע. התשיעי הוא הגלגל המקיף את הכל והוא שמקיף את כל הגלגלים בכל יום מן המזרח למערב." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:1)

• Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The Rambam equates the "spheres" (galgalim) with the various names for heavens (shamayim, rakia, zevul, aravot). This immediately signals a need to reconcile these terms, often understood as distinct heavens in Chazal, with a single, physical model of nested spheres. The phrasing "הם הנקראים" (they are called) suggests these are synonymous terms for the same underlying physical reality, at least initially.

Further into the text, the Rambam delineates the nature and hierarchy of these cosmic entities:

"כל אלו הכוכבים והגלגלים כולן יש להם נפש, וידיעה, ושכל, והם חיים ועומדים הכרתו של מי שאמר והיה העולם... דעת הכוכבים והגלגלים פחותה מדעת המלאכים וגדולה מדעת בני אדם." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:9)

• Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The assertion "יש להם נפש, וידיעה, ושכל" (they have a soul, knowledge, and intellect) is profound. It attributes consciousness and intelligence to inanimate celestial bodies, elevating them above human understanding in certain respects, yet placing them below angels. This is not a mere poetic flourish but a theological statement about the active, conscious participation of creation in recognizing its Creator. The use of "חיים ועומדים הכרתו" (alive and standing in recognition) emphasizes an active, continuous state of awareness and praise.

Finally, the Rambam distinguishes the celestial from the terrestrial:

"למטה מגלגל הירח ברא הקב"ה חומר שונה מחומר הגלגלים... ארבעה גופים אלו אין להם נפש ואין להם דעת וידיעה אלא כגופות מתים הם." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:10)

• Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The phrase "חומר שונה מחומר הגלגלים" (matter different from the matter of the spheres) highlights a fundamental ontological distinction. The spheres are pure, refined, non-heavy, non-colored, and conscious, while terrestrial matter is composed of four distinct elements (fire, wind, water, earth) which are "כגופות מתים" (like dead bodies) – devoid of soul or knowledge. This establishes a clear dichotomy between the super-lunar and sub-lunar worlds, a common Aristotelian distinction adapted by the Rambam.

Readings

The Provided Commentary: Reconciling Rabbinic Aggadah with Aristotelian Cosmology

The extensive commentary on Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:1:1-8 serves as a crucial hermeneutical bridge, meticulously reconciling the Rambam's Aristotelian-Ptolemaic cosmology with the rich, often anthropomorphic, descriptions of the heavens found in Rabbinic Aggadah.

The Seven Rakia vs. Nine Spheres

The commentary’s most significant chiddush lies in its harmonization of the Gemara in Chagiga 12b, which lists seven Rakia (Vilon, Rakia, Shchakim, Zevul, Ma'on, Machon, Aravot), with the Rambam’s description of nine physical spheres. The commentary posits that there is no fundamental machloket between Rav Yehuda, who mentions two Rakia, and Reish Lakish, who lists seven. Rav Yehuda, it explains, refers only to the physically observable heavens, while Reish Lakish includes "דברים רוחניים שהם למעלה מן השמים במדרגה" (spiritual things that are above the heavens in rank) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).

The commentary then systematically unpacks Reish Lakish’s list:

• Vilon (וילון): "אין משמש כלום" (serves no purpose) – interpreted as a mere curtain.
• Rakia (רקיע): "שבו חמה ולבנה כוכבים ומזלות וכל צבא השמים קבועים בו" (in which the sun, moon, stars, and constellations, and all the host of heaven are fixed) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1). This is the only physical Rakia that fully corresponds to the Rambam's galgalim.
• Shchakim (שחקים): "שבו רחיים שוחקות מן לצדיקים לעתיד לבוא" (in which mills grind manna for the righteous in the future) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).
• Zevul (זבול): "שבו מזבח בנוי ומיכאל השר הגדול מקריב עליו קרבן" (in which an altar is built and Michael, the great minister, offers sacrifices upon it) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).
• Ma'on (מעון): "שבו כתות כתות של מלאכי השרת שאומרות שירה" (in which are the divisions of ministering angels who sing praise) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).
• Makhon (מכון): "שבו אוצרות שלג ואוצרות ברד וכו'" (in which are the treasuries of snow and hail, etc.) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).
• Aravot (ערבות): "שבו צדק ומשפט גנזי חיים וגנזי שלום וגנזי ברכה ונשמתן של צדיקים ורוחות ונשמות שעתידין להבראות וטל שעתיד הקב"ה להחיות בו המתים" (in which are righteousness and justice, treasuries of life, peace, and blessing, the souls of the righteous, spirits and souls yet to be created, and the dew with which the Holy One, Blessed be He, will resurrect the dead) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).

Crucially, the commentary concludes: "הנה נתבאר לך שכל אלו הדברים שבחמשה רקיעים אלו אינם דברים גשמיים כלל... ודבר שניהם הוא שנתבאר באמת שאין בעולם דבר גשמי נקרא שמים אלא הרקיע שנברא באויר והשמים שבהם הכוכבים והמזלות הם הנקראים גלגלים" (Behold, it is clarified to you that all these things in these five Rakia are not physical things at all... and the essence of both [Rav Yehuda and Reish Lakish's statements] is that it is truly clarified that there is no physical thing in the world called 'Shamayim' except for the Rakia created in the air, and the heavens in which the stars and constellations are located, which are called galgalim) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1). This is a masterful terutz, asserting that the Rambam's physical spheres are only the "Rakia" of Chazal, while the higher Rakia refer to spiritual, non-corporeal realms, often using physical terms as mashal for divine shefa (flow of abundance).

Etymology and Function

The commentary also provides rich etymological and functional explanations for the names of the planets and spheres (e.g., Yareach from renewal, Nogah from shining, Chama from warmth, Ma'adim from redness, Tzedek from justice), often connecting them to their perceived astrological influences, even as the Rambam himself would later dismiss astrology (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:3-8). This reflects a blend of traditional knowledge and scientific observation common in the Rambam's intellectual milieu.

Ramban's Nuanced Stance on Mazalot

While the Ramban does not offer a direct commentary on this specific chapter of Mishneh Torah, his broader philosophical stance on mazalot (astrology) presents a significant chiddush that contrasts sharply with the Rambam's definitive dismissal. The Rambam, as noted in the Sefaria footnote, unequivocally rejects astrology as "empty words and lies" (Avodah Zarah 4:7; Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8).

The Influence of Mazalot and Jewish Transcendence

The Ramban, in contrast, acknowledges a genuine, albeit limited, influence of the stars and constellations. In his Responsum 282 (cited in the Sefaria footnote), and implicitly in other writings, he posits that mazalot do indeed exert an influence on the physical world and human affairs. However, his chiddush is that Am Yisrael possesses the unique capacity to transcend this influence through their adherence to mitzvos and prayer. This view is summarized by the Nimukei Yosef (Sanhedrin 65b s.v. אלא מה יעשה) and Ra'avad (Hilchot Teshuvah 5:5), who explicitly state that "אין מזל לישראל" (there is no mazal for Israel), not because mazal doesn't exist, but because Jews can rise above it.

This stands in stark opposition to the Rambam's rationalist rejection. For the Ramban, the mazalot are not merely physical configurations of stars (as the Rambam describes the "twelve sections" of the ninth sphere), but rather active, influential entities. His chiddush is thus a theological one: maintaining a belief in the cosmic order's influence while simultaneously asserting the power of divine intervention and human spiritual agency to overcome any deterministic fate. This provides a mystical counterpoint to the Rambam's purely empirical description of the celestial bodies.

Friction

The Clash of Cosmologies: Rabbinic Aggadah vs. Rambam's Science

The most potent kushya arising from the Rambam's description in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3 is the apparent dissonance between his meticulously detailed, empirically-derived, and Aristotelian-Ptolemaic cosmology of nine physical spheres, and the seemingly contradictory, often anthropomorphic, descriptions of the heavens found in classical Rabbinic literature, particularly the seven Rakia enumerated in Chagiga 12b.

The Gemara (Chagiga 12b) describes seven distinct heavens, each with unique, often spiritual or allegorical, functions and inhabitants:

1. Vilon (וילון): Serves no purpose, like a curtain.
2. Rakia (רקיע): Where the sun, moon, stars, and constellations are fixed.
3. Shchakim (שחקים): Where manna is ground for the righteous.
4. Zevul (זבול): Where the heavenly Jerusalem, Temple, and altar are built, and Michael offers sacrifices.
5. Ma'on (מעון): Where ministering angels sing praise.
6. Makhon (מכון): Contains treasuries of snow, hail, and other natural phenomena.
7. Aravot (ערבות): Contains righteousness, justice, treasuries of life, peace, blessing, souls of the righteous, and dew for resurrection.

These Rabbinic descriptions present several challenges to the Rambam's model:

• Number Discrepancy: Nine physical spheres versus seven Rakia.
• Nature of Contents: The Gemara speaks of manna, altars, angels, and abstract concepts like justice and souls within the heavens, which are clearly not physical components of astronomical spheres. How can a rationalist like the Rambam reconcile these?
• Physicality vs. Spirituality: The Rambam describes the spheres as pure, refined, and non-physical in the terrestrial sense, yet still corporeal entities. The Gemara's descriptions blur this line, presenting spiritual entities as 'located' within 'heavens.'

The Commentary's Harmonizing Terutz

The provided commentary offers a sophisticated and compelling terutz that resolves this friction by distinguishing between the physical and spiritual dimensions of "heavens." Its core argument is that the Rambam's galgalim correspond only to one of the seven Rakia mentioned by Reish Lakish – specifically, the second one, also called "Rakia," where the luminaries are fixed. The other Rakia are not physical places but rather spiritual realms or symbolic representations (mashal) of divine attributes and shefa.

The commentary states: "הנה נתבאר לך שכל אלו הדברים שבחמשה רקיעים אלו אינם דברים גשמיים כלל... ומה שאמר שלג וברד וטל כולם משל לשפע היורד מלמעלה" (Behold, it is clarified to you that all these things in these five Rakia are not physical things at all... And what it says about snow, hail, and dew, all of them are a metaphor for the abundance that descends from above) (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).

This terutz operates on several levels:

1. Redefining "Shamayim": It narrows the definition of "physical heavens" to only the Rakia where stars are visible, equating these with the Rambam's galgalim. The other terms (Zevul, Aravot, etc.) are then understood as names for degrees of spiritual elevation or divine attributes, not physical locations. "ושמים לשון גובה כמו ערים בצורות בשמים" (and 'shamayim' means height, like 'cities fortified to the heavens') (Perush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 3:1:1).
2. Allegorical Interpretation: The "contents" of the higher Rakia – manna, altars, treasuries of snow – are interpreted as mashal (metaphor). They symbolize spiritual nourishment, divine service, or the origin of natural phenomena, rather than literal physical objects within a celestial sphere. This aligns with the Rambam's general hermeneutic for Aggadah.
3. No Contradiction: By asserting that Rav Yehuda (who speaks of two Rakia) refers to the visible heavens and Reish Lakish (who lists seven) includes spiritual realms, the commentary argues there is no machloket (dispute) between the Sages themselves, nor between the Sages and the Rambam. The Rambam's project is to describe the physical cosmos, and in that, he aligns with the physical Rakia of Chazal.

This terutz allows the Rambam to fully embrace empirical astronomy while respecting the canonical wisdom of Chazal, by assigning different ontological statuses to their respective descriptions. It reinforces the Rambam's rationalist approach, where spiritual truths can be expressed in physical metaphors without requiring those metaphors to be literally true in the physical world.

Intertext

Tehillim 19:2 — The Heavens Declare God's Glory

"הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד אֵ-ל, וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו מַגִּיד הָרָקִיעַ." (Tehillim 19:2) The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims His handiwork.

This iconic verse serves as a profound intertextual parallel to the Rambam's assertion that "All these stars and spheres possess a soul, knowledge, and intellect. They are alive and stand in recognition of the One who spoke and [thus brought] the world into being. According to their size and level, each one praises and glorifies their Creator as the angels do." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:9).

The Rambam's interpretation is literal: the heavens and stars, being conscious entities, actively "declare" God's glory through their existence, movement, and intrinsic knowledge. This contrasts with the Targum and Midrash Sachar Tov (as noted in Sefaria footnote 12), which interpret "מספרים" (declare) as "causing others to relate," implying that the heavens enable or inspire humans to perceive God's glory. While the Rambam's view grants agency to the celestial bodies themselves, the Midrashic interpretation still highlights their role as conduits for divine revelation, aligning with the idea that their ordered existence points to a Creator. Both interpretations underscore the heavens' theological significance as a testament to God's chochmah and gevurah.

Tehillim 148:7-8 — Differentiating Praise

"הַלְלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הָאָרֶץ, תַּנִּינִים וְכָל תְּהֹמוֹת: אֵשׁ וּבָרָד, שֶׁלֶג וְקִיטוֹר, רוּחַ סְעָרָה עֹשָׂה דְבָרוֹ." (Tehillim 148:7-8) Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps; fire and hail, snow and vapor, storm wind, fulfilling His word.

This verse is directly cited by the Rambam in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:10 to clarify the distinction between the conscious praise of celestial bodies and the unconscious "praise" of the terrestrial elements. Immediately after describing the four elements as "כגופות מתים" (like dead bodies) with no soul, knowledge, or consciousness, the Rambam addresses this pasuk: "David's statement (Psalms 148:7-8): 'Praise God from the Earth, sea-monsters and all the depths; fire and hail, snow and vapor' [does not contradict the above statement]." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:10).

The Rambam interprets this verse not as literal praise from the elements themselves, but as an exhortation for "Men, praise [God] for His mightiness which is apparent in the fire, hail, and other creations that can be seen below the sky, because their power is always visible to [both] the great and the small." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:10). This intertextual engagement is crucial for understanding the Rambam's hierarchical taxonomy of creation's consciousness. While the stars and spheres possess nefesh, yediah, v'sechel (soul, knowledge, and intellect) and praise God like angels (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:9), the terrestrial elements merely act according to their ingrained natural inclinations, inspiring human praise. This explicit pshat differentiates between active, conscious glorification and passive, awe-inspiring existence.

Psak/Practice

The Rambam's exposition in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3, while foundational to Ma'aseh Bereishit and emunah, has significant implications for halacha and meta-psak heuristics, particularly concerning the role of science and the rejection of superstition.

The Legitimacy of Chokhmah Yevanit for Halacha

The Rambam's reliance on Greek astronomy to describe the cosmos is explicitly acknowledged and justified within his halachic framework. In a pivotal statement in Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh:

"וכל אלו הדברים של חשבון התקופות והמזלות הם דברים ברורים שאין בהם מחלוקת כלל... ואף על פי שהם תוכמת יונית ומחכמי יון, הואיל ודברים אלו בראיות ברורות ואין ספק בהם אין חוששין למי אמרן, אלא אנו סומכין על האמת." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh 17:24) And all these matters of calculating the seasons and the constellations are clear matters in which there is no disagreement at all... And even though they are Greek wisdom and from Greek sages, since these matters are based on clear proofs and there is no doubt in them, we are not concerned with who said them, but we rely on the truth.

This meta-psak heuristic is revolutionary: empirical truth, once established with "clear proofs" (bra'ayot brurim), transcends its author's identity or religious affiliation. It is the veracity of the claim, not the source, that matters for halachic application. This passage thus provides the halachic backbone for the scientific descriptions found in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3, demonstrating how the Rambam integrates rigorous scientific inquiry into the very fabric of halachic practice. The study of astronomy is not merely permitted; it is essential for the accurate determination of the Jewish calendar.

Uncompromising Rejection of Astrology

Conversely, the Rambam leverages his scientific cosmology to deliver an uncompromising halachic psak against astrology. While Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:11 describes the mazalot as mere divisions of the ninth sphere, based on visible star patterns, without attributing any inherent influence, the Rambam's definitive psak against astrology is found elsewhere:

"והדברים האלה כולם דברי שקר וכזב והבל ותוהו... ולא למדנו מכלל דברי הנביאים שום דבר מכל אלו העניינים של אוב וידעוני וקסמים וגורלות, אלא שהם דברי שקר." (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avodah Zarah 11:16) And all these things are words of falsehood, deceit, vanity, and chaos... And we have not learned from the entirety of the words of the prophets anything about these matters of ov and yid'oni, and divination and lots, but that they are words of falsehood.

And specifically on astrology:

"אותו הטירוף שמתחבלין בו האצטגנינים להטעות בני אדם" (Rambam, Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8) That madness with which the astrologers strive to deceive people.

This is a firm psak against any belief in or practice of astrology, viewing it as a form of idolatry or empty superstition, entirely distinct from legitimate astronomy. This stance contrasts sharply with some other Rishonim, like the Ramban (Responsum 282), who acknowledged the influence of mazalot while asserting a Jew's ability to transcend them through spiritual means. For the Rambam, however, the very premise of astrology is fallacious; the celestial bodies, while conscious, do not determine human fate in a way that can be predicted or manipulated. This forms a critical boundary in halacha between permissible rational inquiry and forbidden superstition.

Takeaway

The Rambam constructs a hierarchical, rationalist cosmology, meticulously integrating empirical astronomy from "Greek wisdom" with Rabbinic tradition by distinguishing between physical and spiritual realms, while firmly rejecting astrology as baseless superstition. His meta-psak heuristic values verifiable truth above authorial origin, shaping a foundational approach to science within Jewish thought and law.