[Avodah] moon and sun

[Eli Turkel]

> What does it mean that moon and sun talked - they are inanimate

How do you know?  The Rambam says they are intelligent; what grounds
exist to question that?  >>

I am having trouble believing that Zev is serious. Does he know that men have
landed on the moon and they did not talk to the moon. The sun consists
of gases undergoing
various nuclear reactions.

We can ask a question on the Rambam what is the origin of his theory.
The whole difference between modern and ancient science is that
ancient science rested on
authority while modern science relies on experimental evidence. I
understand that Zev
prefers ancient science where we prove scientific facts by quoting a Rambam.

Micha and Simi both intreret the midrash metaphorically which I
personally agree with.
My problem is that many meforshim take it literally. From the recent
Meorot Hadaf
Maharatz Chajes explains that because the moon was diminished it
caused people to worship the sun
because now the sun is special. Thus we bring a "sair" on rosh chodesh
to stress our worship of G-d.
The Chatam Sofer explains that because of the sins of the Jews the
galut is lengthened causing the
moon to have to wait longer to regain its size and so the Jews need a kapparah.
Also Lev Aryeh has a discussion why we need to worry about the moon
since it was diminsihed because
of its own argument and hence it is the moon's fault. He answers the
sun originally was much bigger
but was diminished by G-d because the world didnt need it (chagigah
12a). As a consequence the moon
was diminished. The moon's request was that the sun be restored to its
original size and then the moon could keep its original size.


-- 
Eli Turkel