Talmud BC Feb09 (Carmel) - 1

Talmud, Berachot 59b, states: "Our sages have learned: 'One who
sees the sun in (the beginning of) its cycle, or the moon at its strength,
or the stars in their paths, or the constellations in their proper order,
recites (the blessing) "Blessed art thou...Who performs the act of
creation" ' ". When is (the sun at the beginning of its cycle)? (The sage)
Abayei said: "(once) every twenty-eight years, the cycle returns (to its
original position), and the Nissan-point (the vernal equinox) falls in the
hour of Saturn, during the night between the third (day of the week
[tuesday]) and the fourth (wednesday).
Rashi (Rabbi Shelomo [Solomon] Yitzchaki [son of Isaac], of Troyes,

France, 1040-1105), explains: The sages are refering to the point when
the sun returns to the beginning of its cycle. This happens at the time
when the luminaries were created (the start of the fourth day of the
week; see Genesis ch.1). At that time the sun began to function and to
move in its path. The sage Abayei is refering to the vernal equinox
once every twenty-eight years, when the larger sun-cycle (see below)
occurs on tuesday evening and Saturn is ascendant. We go according
to the sun's status on tuesday evening because the luminaries were
created at that time.
(Now Rashi explains the reference to Saturn): There is a cycle of

seven: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon:
these seven bodies serve each for one hour, consecutively (each is
ascendant for an hour, in turn, perpetually). To figure out which will be
serving at the beginning of a given day, count out twenty-four on the
above list. Thus, since Saturn serves at the start of tuesday night, it
follows that the Sun serves at the start of wednesday night, the Moon
on thursday night, Mars on friday night, Mercury on saturday night,
Jupiter on sunday night, and Venus on monday night.
Each of the four season-points (the equinoxes and the solstices)

comes seven and one-half hours later in the day than the one before it.
This adds up to thirty hours over the course of a year, which will total
five days after four years have passed. Accordingly, a solstice or an
equinox will come out at the beginning of any evening only once every
four years: this is called "a small cycle". At each of these small cycles,
the tekufah (solstice or equinox) comes on a different day of the week.
It will return to the beginning of the same day of the week only after
seven small cycles: twenty-eight years.
Since the sun was created at the start of tuesday evening, in the
hour of Saturn's ascendance, we consider it to have completed a full
cycle when the vernal eqinox falls once again at that time. This
happens once in twenty-eight years.
(Note that in Talmud Rosh Hashanah 12a it is explained that the above is in
accordance with Rabbi Yehoshuah, who holds that the world was created in
Nissan. This is why the vernal equinox is the starting point).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi holds that we are subject to the

influence of the constellations (other opinions are presented below). He
says: One who was born on Sunday will be completely good or
completely bad, just as the light and darkness were created on that
day. One born on Monday will be easy to anger, just as the waters were
separated on that day (separation alluding to argument and
contention). One who was born on Tuesday will be rich and also
promiscuous, just as the plants were created on that day (and they
increase a lot). One born on Wednesday will be wise and proficient, just
as the luminaries were created on that day. One born on Thursday will
do many acts of kindness, just as the fish and fowl were created on
that day (and God sustains them in His kindness). One born on Friday
will always seek to do mitzvot, just as people prepare for Shabbat on
that day. One born on Shabbat will die on Shabbat; and will be a holy
person during his (or her) lifetime.
Rabbi Chaninah also holds that we are subject to the

constellations. However, he holds that the constellation of the day (of
birth) is not the main influence; but rather the constellation of the hour
of birth. He says: one who was born during an hour when the sun is
ascendant will be a good-looking person, and will be well-to-do. One
born under Venus will be rich, and also promiscuous. One born under
Mercury will be wise and proficient. One born under the moon will have
to endure suffering, and will not have enough money to get by. One
born under Saturn will see his (or her) plans come to naught. One born
under Jupiter will do many mitzvot. One born under Mars will shed
blood; either in a permissible way (such as a mohel), or in acts of
violence.
Other sages, such as Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yochanan, and others, hold
that we are not subject to the constellations, since God told Avraham
to abandon his concern about the astrological influences.
According to the Babylonian Talmud (tractate Berachot 59b), at

these times the Sun returns to the position that it had when the
Universe was first created. The explanation is that if the year were
exactly 365.25 days, the Sun's equinox times would be at the same
time in the week every 28 years (28 times 0.25 days equals 7 days).
The tradition is that the Sun was created in its Spring equinox position,
at the first hour of the night before the fourth day of Creation.
Whenever the equinox is thought to occur at that same time of the
week, the Sun is said to have returned to its original position.

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Talmud, Berachot 59b, states: "Our sages have learned: 'One who

Rashi (Rabbi Shelomo [Solomon] Yitzchaki [son of Isaac], of Troyes,

(Now Rashi explains the reference to Saturn): There is a cycle of

Each of the four season-points (the equinoxes and the solstices)

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi holds that we are subject to the

Rabbi Chaninah also holds that we are subject to the

According to the Babylonian Talmud (tractate Berachot 59b), at

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