[Avodah] which way to Jerusalem

[Eli Turkel]

On 8/09/2010 9:58 PM, Simon Montagu wrote:
> article here at aishdas: http://www.aishdas.org/articles/mizrach.htm
 >Apparently it's a mahloket aharonim whether we use rhumb lines or great
> circles.

I am confused by the entire discussion. It is clear that at least many of chazal
and rishonim did not even know the earth was a sphere (well almost) and I doubt
if any of them knew about great circles or rhumb lines.

The navi says that the evil come from the north even though Babylonia
was to the east
because armies would almost come through Syria and not through the
Jordanian desert.
Do we even know what direction they prayed in Bavel, ie   did they
realize that EY
was almost due east (again depending on where in Bavel)? since no one
traveled that way?

BTW as to being precise people davening at the kotel usually daven
straight ahead
even though the kodesh hakadsohim would have slightly to the left.


-- 
Eli Turkel