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Rambam Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah Chapter 3

The Rambam's System of Astronomy

59 min

Class Summary:

This class, in Rambam the Laws of Yesodei HaTorah, chapter three, was presented on Monday, Parshas Devarim, 28 Tammuz, 5780, July 20, 2020, streaming live from Rabbi Jacobson's House in Monsey, NY

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  • Anonymous -8 months ago

    Retrograde affect

    Regarding the famous question: “Does the sun revolve around
    the earth or vice-versa?”:

    The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s famous takeon that is that according to Einstein’s theory
    of relativity, scientifically, you cannot tell one from the other. Both views, from
    a scientific viewpoint, are equally vaild.

    But, was this observation lost on the astronomers, centuries before, who concluded
    that the earth revolves around the sun? In the 15th century, renowned astronomer, 
    Nicolaus Copernicus, who by the way, was a religious man, was bothered by the the
    accepted notion at the time, that the other planetary bodies, including the sun, revolve around
    the earth. This was because, if the other bodies went around the earth, they should be observed
    doing so without interruption. What he noticed was that they were going backwards for a while
    (retrograde affect) before continuing on forward again. For this to happen, either the planetary
    bodies are doing that, otherwise it has to be that the earth and other planets go around the sun.

    So, can someone, knowledgeable, please comment on this retrograde affect, which is used as
    "proof" of the heliocentric (sun-centered) model? Thanks.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Anonymous -3 years ago

    Source needed

    The Rabbi says that the idea of the spheres that Rambam are talking about are to be considered like warped space as discussed in the theory of general relativity (Einstein, about 1915) to give a physical explanation of gravity.  He say that gravity means that space is not really empty because there must be something here to be warped.  I am curious what the origin of this idea is, or if this a Chiddush of Rabbi Jacobson?  If it is a Chiddush, that is fine.  But perhaps he knows the history of this idea, and can give a more detailed attribution.  I just hope that he can make it clear what the origin of this idea is.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Y

    yaakov -4 years ago

    I’ve always wanted to learn Rambam yomis (I even bought a while ago a new set with a perish).

    So I appreciate very much the shiur you are giving even though its zoomed.

    In Perek Shlishi you mention the famous dispute in Chazal if the sun revolves around the earth or the earth revolves around the sun.

    Heliocentric vs. Geocentric. And that the Ramabam and others follow the Heliocentric model.

    My question is, and I’m not sure if you mentioned it, what about the mamar chazal that “hodu chachamim” that it’s Geocentric?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

    • Anonymous -4 years ago

      תודה חמה ולבבית.
      איני יודע אם כבודו הקשיב להשיעור הקדמה לפרק ג, יעויין שם באורך:
      https://www.theyeshiva.net/jewish/7619 
      נקודת הענין, המחלוקת בפסחים צד הוא אם השמש הולך מתחת הארץ או מעל לרקיע. אבל לשתי השיטות השמש סובבת, ולא הארץ סובבת סביב השמש כשיטת קופרניקס.
      והודו להם חכמים שהשמש אינו מתעלם ברקיע בעת השקיעה, אלא היא סובבת למטה.
      ויעויין גליון הש"ס לרעק"א, בשם שטמ"ק ור"ת. ובשיעור הנ"ל דיברתי ע"ז מהרמח"ל והגר"א. ועוד. דאף שהודו האמת כדבריהם שלכן אומרים בש"ק בוקע חלוני רקיע ומוציא חמה ממקומה.
       

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  • R

    Rachel -4 years ago

    Rabbi you refer to the discussion iim your shiu on the introduction  to chapter 3. I am not finding it posted on your WhatsApp site.  Whete can I find it?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • ML

    Mordechai Litzman -4 years ago

    Earth's awareness

    There is a concept that Eretz Yisroel will spew out its inhabitants if their measure of iniquity is filled - isn't that an awareness of the earth?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • A

    Anonymous -4 years ago

    Question for Rabbi YY

    If the planets are aware of HKBH then one would assume that this applies also to earth , so does this mean that earth , land , rocks , water etc are cognizant of ruchnious in which case we need to treat these elements with a certain respect ? Ie maybe not throwing snow balls etc

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • M

    Moshe -4 years ago

    The earth is a sphere?

    When did much of the world cease believing that  the  earth was flat?  During the  Rambam's lifetime besides criticizing him for other things,  they must have thought he was crazy or a heretic. 

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • PK

    Pinchus Krieger -4 years ago

    Interesting that the Rambam does not mention Pluto

    Pinchus (Yerushalayim)

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • S

    Sara -4 years ago

    Chapters 1 and 2

    What does it mean what you said about Chapters 1 and 2? That they are the “work of the chariot”?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Y

    YYB -4 years ago

    שיעור על מסכ' ראש השנה

    I searched yesterday on TheYeshiva.net for the Gemara Rosh Hashana shiur for page 11b-12a discussing astronomy, I couldn't find it.

    Can you please post a link to those Shiurim? It will be a big help ( I think) on perek 3 & 4 in Rambam.

    Also, FYI the shiur for purchase on Rabbi Yehuda Halevi... The system is giving errors when trying to purchase that shiur.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • Y

    YYB -4 years ago

    Question on Pinchas and Eliyahu

     בהקדמה הרמב"ם מונה אליהו הנביא תלמיד דוד ובית דינו. אם אליהו זה פנחס, למה לא מונה אותו לתלמיד של משה רבינו או יהושיע בנ נון?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • S

    Sara -4 years ago

    The recording of the Introduction to Perek 3 got cut off at the end. Do you remember what else you said?

    Also, the lengthy comment about the Man on the Moon ended with a question, what was the Rebbe’s opinion? I’m not sure which opinion the commenter was asking about, maybe about everything he wrote. Can you answer the question? Do you know what the question was?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • S

    Sara -4 years ago

    Perek 1-4 ??

    So in the Introduction to Perek 3 you said that there are those who thought/think that all of the first 4 chapters are “not Rambam” or something to that effect. I can sort of understand why they might have said it about Perek 3 and 4 and the scientific perspectives and questions they had about the science of the time, how science evolves, what was believed in the past and what is believed now, (although after your explanation of all of that cleared it up for me), but I don’t understand how they could say the same about Perek 1 and 2 which speak solely about GD, our belief in Him, our love for Him, that there is only One of Him and everything else you talked about. As I understand what you are teaching, these beliefs about GD are the basis for everything else to come, the laws,  how we are to live our lives, what we are supposed to do, how we are to behave, etc. Can you explain how the first two chapters could even be put in the same category of the 3rd and 4th?

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

Rambam Mishneh Torah #15

Rabbi YY Jacobson

  • July 20, 2020
  • |
  • 28 Tamuz 5780
  • |
  • 1308 views

Dedicated in loving memory & L'iluy Nishmas R' Yissachar Dov ben R' Moshe Silber A"H, whose yartzeit is today, 28 Tammuz

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