Study Pesachim folio 94B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
בן בנו של נמרוד הרשע, שהמריד את כל העולם כולו עלי במלכותו. כמה שנותיו של אדם? שבעים שנה, ואם בגבורות — שמונים שנה, שנאמר: ״ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה ואם בגבורות שמונים שנה״,
the disciple in corruption of Nimrod the wicked, who caused the entire world to rebel against Me during his reign by advising the Generation of the Dispersion to build a tower in order to fight the Hosts of Heaven, how many are the years of a person altogether? 70 years, and if he is with strength, 80 years, as it is stated: “The days of our years are 70 years and with strength 80 years” (Psalms 90:10).
מן הארץ עד לרקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה, ועוביו של רקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה, ובין (כל) רקיע לרקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה, וכן בין כל רקיע ורקיע, ״אך אל שאול תורד אל ירכתי בור״. תיובתא.
In contrast, from the earth to the first firmament of 7 (see Ḥagiga 12b) is a walking distance of 500 years, and the thickness of the firmament is a walking distance of 500 years, which is equal to approximately 1.8 1,000,000 parasangs, and between each firmament is another walking distance of 500 years, and so too between each and every firmament. Therefore, how can you, Nebuchadnezzar, hope to reach the heavens in your lifetime, such that you say: “I will be like the Most High”? Rather, as the verse continues: “Yet you should be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit” (Isaiah 14:15). In any event, this is a conclusive refutation of Rava’s opinion that the thickness of the firmament is only 1,000 parasangs.
תנו רבנן, חכמי ישראל אומרים: גלגל קבוע, ומזלות חוזרין. וחכמי אומות העולם אומרים: גלגל חוזר, ומזלות קבועין. אמר רבי: תשובה לדבריהם — מעולם לא מצינו עגלה בדרום ועקרב בצפון.
In a discussion related to the structure of the natural world, A baraita states: The Jewish rabbis say the celestial sphere of the zodiac is stationary, and the constellations revolve in their place within the sphere; and the rabbis of the non-Jewish nations say the entire celestial sphere revolves, and the constellations are stationary within the sphere. R' Yehuda HaNasi said: A refutation of their words that the entire sphere moves can be derived from the fact that we have never found the constellation of Ursa Major in the South or Scorpio in the North. This indicates that it is the stars themselves that revolve in place and not the celestial sphere as a whole, because otherwise it would be impossible for Ursa Major to remain in the North and Scorpio to remain in the South.