A Proper View of the Universe

While interacting with a number of individuals over the Torah-based cosmological view of the Universe, it became clear to me that the normal sources, such as Mesechet Pesachim and others, were not being properly understood. One person pointed out the explanation in the Artscroll, and it became apparent as well that they were not helping matters very much.

The primary problem is that we have an acceptable view of the Universe as provided by secular science. And then we read a term, such as rakia, and we translate it into some vague concept, such as equating it with the outer reaches of our solar system, when the Torah text is very clear that the birds can reach it, while the sun and moon travel within it.

Because of our influence by secular science, we have the tendency to overlay our reasonable understanding of Cosmology onto Torah-based expressions. By doing that, we can bypass any possible discrepancies, such as the Torah stating that the sun travels around the earth, that it is smaller than the earth (logically deduced), and that the world is less than 6000 years old. And it is because of this, and agenda-laced interpretations by companies, such as Artscroll, the student often ends up being confused by descriptions that do not seem to make sense.

Once you understand what was the real point of view between the two parties, and once you understand what the real discussion is, then everything clicks into place.

As an example of this, I have uploaded a video to show the discussion that Rebbe is having with his contemporaries as one example of this. In the lower right corner of the screen is a symbol for displaying the video in full-screen.

Hopefully you will find it useful.