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Under a Censored Sky: Astronomy and Rabbinic Authority in the Talmud Bavli and Related Literature

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Under a Censored Sky: Astronomy and Rabbinic Authority in the Talmud Bavli and Related Literature Under a Censored Sky: Astronomy and Rabbinic Authority in the Talmud Bavli and Related Literature Andrea D. Lobel A Thesis in the Department of Religion Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Religion) at Concordia University Montreal, Quebec, Canada August 2015 © Andrea Dawn Lobel, 2015 CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES This is to certify that the thesis prepared By: Andrea Dawn Lobel Entitled: Under a Censored Sky: Astronomy and Rabbinic Authority in the Talmud Bavli and Related Literature and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Religion) complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by the final examining committee: Chair Dr. W. Bukowski External Examiner Dr. J. Rosenblum External to Program Dr. C. Kalman Examiner Dr. L. DiTommaso Examiner Dr. N. Cohn Thesis Supervisor Dr. I. Robinson Approved by Dr. L. Orr, Graduate Program Director June 22, 2015 Dr. A. Roy, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science iii ABSTRACT Under a Censored Sky: Astronomy and Rabbinic Authority in the Talmud Bavli and Related Literature Andrea D. Lobel, Ph.D. Concordia University, 2015 Until the last few decades of the twentieth century, research on Judaism and astronomy and related celestial sciences tended to emphasize the medieval and Second Temple periods. To date, with the exception of analyses of the Jewish calendar and its development, few studies in the history of science have focused upon the rabbinic period, although a growing number of scholars, including Annette Yoshiko Reed, Noah Efron, and Menachem Fisch, have begun to address this gap. The emerging sub-field of the history of rabbinic science ca. 70-750 C.E., spans the fields of both Jewish studies and the history of science. This dissertation represents an original contribution to knowledge, demonstrating both the richness of celestial discourse in the Babylonian Talmud and the nuanced play of differing typologies of rabbinic authority articulated by Avi Sagi, Michael S. Berger, and other scholars, particularly epistemic and deontic authority. These are shown to interact strongly with rabbinic discourses addressing the overlapping celestial concerns of astronomy, astrology, astral magic, astrolatry, and cosmogony. By examining these astronomical topics together in a study of this kind for the first time, I demonstrate a recurrent pattern of tight rabbinic controls over the celestial iv sciences preserved in the Babylonian Talmud. This is of importance to the trajectory of Jewish scientific thought due to the enduring centrality of the Bavli. I also underscore an idealized portrayal of rabbinic legal deontic authority over these sciences, and a focus upon shows of honour and prestige associated with the rabbinic station itself in the Bavli. Further, I highlight the ways in which these preserved talmudic portrayals also serve to illuminate the self-presentation of the rabbis as inheritors of the interpretive and legislative powers bequeathed to them by God, the cosmic lawgiver, at the time of creation and at the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. v Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved grandmother, Stella Zilbert (née Fineberg) zikhronah livrakhah (1917-2008), who did not live to see the completion of my doctoral studies. Her support and love for me, and her encouragement of my thirst for knowledge, made this dissertation possible. פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת חסד על לשונה (Proverbs 31:26) vi Acknowledgements Shifting gears and leaving my previous career for graduate school was perhaps one of the most exhilarating and daunting transitions I’d ever made prior to becoming a parent. Almost overnight, I shifted from being a professional writer to learning how to be a student, and found myself immersed in a very different culture. But it was also an inevitable and irresistible leap. Two graduate degrees, a marriage, a baby, and three moves later, the work is complete. But of course, I could not have navigated the process alone, and I’m grateful to too many people to list. Should I inadvertently leave someone out, I hope they will forgive me. This project was made possible by the support of fellowships awarded by Le Fonds Québécois de Recherche sur la Société et la Culture (FQRSC) as well as by Concordia University. I’m also grateful for the Concordia University travel grant that enabled me to present my research as an invited speaker at the Ninth Annual Sophia Centre Conference at The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute in England. I have been blessed with a caring and invested thesis advisor, Dr. Ira Robinson, who has guided me through my Ph.D. and my dissertation with great patience and deep understanding. I greatly enjoyed our close readings from Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, and will always be grateful for his willingness to meet with me at my home when our families lived in the same neighbourhood. All graduate students striving for work-family balance should be fortunate enough to have such an advisor. My thanks to Dr. B. Barry Levy of McGill University, whose teachings in the history of Hebrew Bible interpretation and the ancient Near East inspired me greatly. He also arranged for me to design and teach my first university course on the astronomical texts of the ancient Near East. During one of our many conversations, Dr. Levy happened to mention something that kept me motivated throughout my Master’s and Doctoral degrees. That is, everyone admitted to a graduate program has intellectual ability, but that the other key determinant of success is sitzfleisch. Truer words were never spoken. I’ve been fortunate for the members of my committee, including my thesis advisor, Dr. Ira Robinson, Dr. Lorenzo DiTommaso, for whom I also served as Research Assistant on two occasions, and Dr. Naftali Cohn. I also had the pleasure of working with them to help coordinate a 2011 conference at Concordia University on the theme of History, Memory, and Jewish Identity, and this was one of the highlights of my doctorate. I am grateful to Dr. Norma Joseph for sharing her expertise during my comprehensive examination in the anthropology of magic, rounding out my tripartite focus on “religion,” “science” and “magic”, as well as to Dr. Leslie Orr, Dr. Mladen Popović, Dr. Touraj Daryaee, Dr. Nicholas Campion, and Dr. Ron H. Feldman. vii Several important people in my life passed away during the writing of this dissertation, including my grandmothers, Stella Zilbert z”l and Evelyn Lobel z”l, my uncle Allan Zilbert z”l, as well as my dear friends Alice Radechovsky and Robert de Marrais. They are dearly missed. Finally, I will always remember and be grateful to the late Rev. Dr. Ellen Aitken, whose course on Early Christian writings inspired and enriched me greatly, and whose guidance was so meaningful. I cannot possibly thank Dr. Carla Sulzbach enough for her friendship and support, and for her proofreading expertise. Being her honourary sister does have its privileges. I also treasure the talks, online exchanges, and real, in-person get-togethers I’ve had with dear friends and colleagues Dr. Marie-Paule Martel-Reny, Annie Ross, Kirsten Hansen, Lianne LeClair, Cindy Cottin, Dr. Oren Steinitz, Dr. Hadar Aviram, Dr. Shayna Sheinfeld, Esti Mayer, Ildiko Glaser-Hille, Cimminnee Holt, Sara Parks, Dr. Meredith Warren, Dr. Daniel Bernard, Sharon Gulko, Leonard Cohen, Arnie Perlstein, Valerie Bock, Dr. Cheryl Fuller, Kate Gilpin, Thea Greenhalgh, Charles Cameron, Janice Macdonald, Chris Worden, Joanna Howard, Mary Montgomery, Karen Hanson, Ann Hyland, Blanka Eckstein, Richard J. Lee, and Leslie O'Laoghaire. Additional thanks are due to the dedicated staff of the Interlibrary Loans department at Concordia University, who turn around requests for articles and books at impressive speed, and who have always been so responsive and helpful. I am equally grateful to Batsheva M. Porat of The Lieberman Institute's Sol and Evelyn Henkind Talmud Text Databank for her expert assistance. My gratitude also goes out to Tina Montandon and Munit Merid, whose support and kindness are part of the lifeblood of the Department of Religion, and who always take the time to ask about my daughter when I call or visit. My parents, have, each in their own way, offered emotional support and guidance as I made my way through graduate school. My mother, Ellie Warsh, raised me with precious few gender stereotypes, for which I will always be grateful. She worked hard, and her work ethic helped to shape my own. During my writing-up process, she often encouraged me when I needed it, and pushed just a little during my final few months of writing with the inevitable question “So? Are you finished yet?” so beloved of Ph.D. candidates the world over. Since I began my studies, my father, Jim Lobel, has been a true guide and coach. His mentoring has helped me further strengthen the self-reliance, grit, and goal-orientation that are all so important to me. Our theological discussions have also been most fascinating, and respectfully agreeing to disagree at times has made them all the more so. Like the many academic spouses with whom he’s exchanged knowing glances over the years, my dear husband Mark has shared me with my doctoral studies for a long time. Thanks, My Love. Last, but not least, a special word for my daughter, Maya, who has seen me at work on my doctorate since she was born, and whose earliest memories are of being in her stroller in academic libraries, of the sound of the photocopier, of sitting on my lap as I did research, and of the omnipresent but necessary words “Shh. Mummy’s working!” Is it any wonder why you too love to read so much – why you ask questions viii about God and the origins of the universe, and why you want to learn Latin? Although we cannot get those years back, may you only be inspired by my efforts and perseverance.
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