There is so many interesting scriptures about the “Signs in the Heavens”, not always put that way but if we look at the entire Torah we see it often enough to be a truth.
In the Beginning, God created…. we have all the planets, stars, sun and moon. We are told that the Moon and Sun were for Signs and for Seasons and for light.
Genesis 1 vs 1
In the beginning of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1 vs 5
And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night, and it was evening and it was morning, one day.
Genesis 1 vs 8
And God called the expanse Heaven, and it was evening, and it was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1 vs 14 to 18
And God said, “Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to separate between the day and between the night, and they shall be for signs and for appointed seasons and for days and years. And they shall be for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to shed light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great luminaries: the great luminary to rule the day and the lesser luminary to rule the night, and the stars. And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to shed light upon the earth. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate between the light and between the darkness, and God saw that it was good.
The Commentaries:
(The bold area is the actual verse and the commentary on that verse)
In the commentaries of Rashi, for Chapter 1 vs 4 it is stated:
And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated: Here too, we need the words of the Aggadah: He saw it that it was not proper for the wicked to use it; so He separated it for the righteous in the future. According to its simple meaning, explain it as follows: He saw it that it was good, and it was unseemly that it [light] and darkness should serve in confusion; so He established for this one its boundary by day, and for that one its boundary by night.
Chapter 1 vs. 14:
Let there be luminaries, etc.: They were created on the first day, and on the fourth day, He commanded them to be suspended in the sky, and likewise, all the creations of heaven and earth were created on the first day, and each one was fixed in its proper place on the day that was decreed upon it. That is why it is written:“with the heavens (אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם) to include their products,”and with the earth (וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ),” to include its products. — [Gen. Rabbah 1:14]
Let there be luminaries: Heb., יְהִי מְאֹרֹת It [the word, מְאֹרֹת is written without a“vav,” [thus, the word can be מְאֵרֹת meaning curses] because it [the fourth day] is a cursed day when children become ill with croup. This is what we learned (Ta’anith 27b): “on the fourth day [of the week], they [the men of the ma’amad] would fast so that children should not become ill with croup.”
to separate between the day and between the night: (This happened) after the first light was hidden away, but during the seven (another reading: during the three) days of Creation, the primordial light and darkness served together, both by day and by night. — [Medrah Yelammedenu , as quoted in Yalkut Shim’oni] According to the Ramban and early editions of Rashi , it appears that the reading, “during the seven days of Creation,” is the authentic reading. Ramban , however quotes the Genesis Rabbah , which states that the original primordial light served only during the first three days, until the sun and the moon were suspended in the sky. After that, the primordial light was hidden away, as in Rashi to verse 4. Note also that several early manuscripts and printed editions of Rashi read: “but in the seven days of Creation, the primordial light and darkness served, this one by day and this one by night.” This is also the reading of Mizrachi , and it appears more accurate than our reading, because, in fact, the light and the darkness did not serve together, as Rashi explains in verse 4.]
and they shall be for signs: When the luminaries are eclipsed, it is an unfavorable omen for the world, as it is said (Jer. 10:2): “and from the signs of the heaven be not dismayed, etc.” When you perform the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, you need not fear retribution. — [from Succah 29a]
and for appointed seasons: This refers to the future, when the Israelite’s are destined to be commanded concerning the festivals and they [the festivals] are reckoned from the first phase of the moon. — [from Gen. Rabbah 6:1].
and for days: The sun serves for half a day, and the moon for half of it, so that you have a full day.
and years: At the end of 365 days (other editions: and a 1/4 of a day) they complete their revolution through the twelve constellations of the zodiac, which serve them, and that constitutes a year. (Other editions read: and that is 365 and 1/4 days), and they return and start a second time to revolve on the sphere like their first revolution.
Chapter 1 vs 15:
And they shall be for luminaries: In addition, they will serve in this function, viz. to shed light upon the world.
Chapter 1 vs 16:
the two great luminaries: They were created equal, but the moon was made smaller because it brought charges and said, “It is impossible for two kings to use the same crown.” – [from Chullin 60b] Rashi (ad loc.) explains that this derash is based on the discrepancy of the two expressions, “the two great luminaries,” which intimates that the moon was a great luminary, and“the lesser luminary,” which intimates that the moon was smaller than the sun. To reconcile this difference, the Rabbis asserted that the moon was originally created equal to the sun, but, because of its complaint that the sun wielded the same power that it wielded, it was forced to relinquish that power.
and the stars: Because He diminished the moon, He increased its hosts, to appease it. – [from Gen. Rabbah 46:4 and Chullin 60b] i.e., The stars serve as the entourage of the moon. When it comes out, they accompany it, and when it sets, they too set. [Gen. Rabbah ad loc.]
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Chapter 2 vs 1
Now the heavens and the earth were completed and all their host.
Chapter 2 vs 3 & 4
And God blessed the seventh day and He hallowed it, for thereon He abstained from all His work that God created to do These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, on the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.
Commentary on Chapter 2 vs 2 (need to see this so you understand the vs 4 commentary)
And…blessed…and hallowed: He blessed it with manna, for on all the days of the week, it descended for them [in the amount of] an omer per person, whereas on the sixth day,[each one received] a double portion. And He hallowed it with manna, that it did not descend at all on the Sabbath. This verse is written with reference to the future. — [from Gen. Rabbah 11:2]
that God created to do: The work that was fit to be done on the Sabbath, He doubled up and did it on the sixth [day], as is explained in Genesis Rabbah (11:9).
These: mentioned above.
when they were created, on the day that the Lord…made: This teaches you that they were all created on the first day (Gen. Rabbah 12:4). Another explanation of the word בְּהִבָּרְאָם He created them with the letter “hey,” as it is written (Isa. 26:4): “for in Yah (יָהּ), the Lord, is the Rock of eternity.” With these two letters [“yud” and “hey”] of the Name, He fashioned two worlds, and it teaches you here that this world was created with a “hey” (Men. 29b). (Other editions: It intimates that just as the “hey” is open at the bottom, so is the world open for the repentant. The World to Come was created with a “yud,” to tell you that the righteous at that [future] time, will be few as a “yud,” which is the smallest of the letters.) This intimates that the wicked will descend below to see the netherworld, like the [letter] “hey,” which is closed on all sides and open at the bottom, for them [the wicked] to descend through there. — [from Gen. Rabbah 12:10]
NOTES:
- Genesis 1- http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8165/jewish/Chapter-1.htm
miryamdevorah 