37. The subject of Jewish astrology is well treated by Dr. Hamburger, both in the first

and second volumes of his Real-Encykl. The ablest summary , though brief, is that in Dr.

Gideon Brecher's book, 'Das Transcendentale im Talmud.' Gfrörer is, as usually, one-

sided, and not always trustworthy in his translations. A curious brochure by Rabbi Thein

(Der Talmud, od. das Prinzip d. planet. Elinfl.) is one of the boldest attempts at special

pleading, to the ignoration of palpable facts on the other side. Hausrath's dicta on this

subject are, as on many others, assertions unsupported by historical evidence.

38. Deb. R. 8.

39. Comp. Shabb. 75 a.

40. I cannot, however, see that Buxtorf charges so many Rabbis with giving themselves

to astrology as Dr. Geikie imputes to him - nor how Humboldt can be quoted as

corroborating the Chinese record of the appearance of a new star in 750 (see the passage

in the Cosmos, Engl. transl. vol. i. pp. 92, 93).

41. See for ex. Jos. War vi. 5. 3.

42. Shabb. 156 a.

43. Shabb, u. s.

44. Moed

K. 16 a.

45. Shabb. 145 b; 146 a comp. Yeb. 103 b.

46. Moed K. 28 a.

47. Comp. Baba K. 2 b; Shabb. 121 b.

48. Ned. 39 b.

49. Jewish astronomy distinguishes the seven planets (called 'wandering stars'); the

twelve signs of the Zodiac, Mazzaloth (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra,

Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces) - arranged by astrologers into four

trigons: that of fire (1, 5, 9); of earth (2, 6, 10); of air (3, 7, 11); and of water (4, 8, 12);

and the stars. The Kabbalistic book Raziel (dating from the eleventh century) arranges

them into three quadrons. The comets, which are called arrows or star-rods, proved a

great difficulty to students. The planets (in their order) were: Shabbathai (the Sabbatic,

Saturn); Tsedeq (righteousness, Jupiter); Maadim (the red, blood-coloured, Mars);

Chammah (the Sun); Nogah (splendour, Ve nus); Cokhabh (the star, Mercury); Lebhanah

(the Moon). Kabbalistic works depict our system as a circle, the lower arc consisting of

Oceanos, and the upper filled by the sphere of the earth; next comes that of the

surrounding atmosphere; then successively the seven semicircles of the planets, each

fitting on the other - to use the Kabbalistic illustration - like the successive layers in an

onion (see Sepher Raziel, ed. Lemb. 1873, pp. 9 b, 10 a). Day and night were divided

each into twelve hours (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.). Each hour was

under the influence of successive planets: thus, Sunday, 7 a.m., the Sun; 8 a.m., Venus; 9

a.m., Mercury; 10 a.m., Moon; 11 a.m., Saturn; 12 a.m., Jupiter, and so on. Similarly, we

have for Monday, 7 a.m., the Moon, &c.; for Tuesday, 7 a.m., Mars; for Wednesday, 7

a.m., Mercury; for Thursday, 7 a.m., Jupiter; for Friday, 7 a.m., Venus; and for Saturday,

7 a.m., Saturn. Most important were the Tequphoth, in which the Sun entered respectively

Aries (Tek. Nisan, spring-equinox, 'harvest'), Cancer (Tek. Tammuz, summer solstice,

'warmth'), Libra (Tek. Tishri, autumn -equinox, seed-time), Capricornus (Tek. Tebheth,

winter-solstice, 'cold'). Comp. Targ. Pseudo-Jon. on Gen. viii. 22. From one Tequphah to

the other were 91 days 7½hours. By a beautiful figure the sundust is called 'filings of the

day' (as the word ξυσµα - that which falls off from the sunwheel as it turns (Yoma 20 b).

50. Erub. 56 a : Ber. R. 10.