[Avodah] The Stars and the Heavenly Orbits Enjoy Pleasure

[Prof. Levine]

The following if from the RAMBAM's Introduction to Chelek page 165 
that is contained in Maimonides Pirkei Avot translated by Rabbi 
Eliyahu Touger that was published by Moznaim Publishing Company in 1994,

Nevertheless, it would be improper for the masters of the Torah and 
the metaphysical philosophers to say that [spiritual entities,] the 
angels, the stars and the heavenly orbits29 do not enjoy pleasure. 
Instead, they do enjoy great pleasure, stemming from their 
comprehension of the Creator, blessed be He. This generates constant 
and uninterrupted pleasure for them. They have no sense of physical 
pleasure and cannot conceive of it, for they do not have [physical] 
senses to enable them to perceive what we perceive.

29. The Rambam is following the conception, reaffirmed in Hi/chat 
Yesodei HaTorah 3:9, that the heavenly bodies are not merely inert 
objects, but rather conscious beings, each containing a soul that 
appreciates Godliness in a manner that surpasses the comprehension of humans.


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I have to admit that I was unaware until I read this that the RAMBAM 
held that the heavenly bodies are conscious beings.

Can anyone enlighten me regarding what is the basis for his holding 
this belief?   YL
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