This myth of Satan being cast out of heaven is also found in Christian sources, prominently in the Book of Revelation: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Rev. 12:9). Although Satan does not appear in the biblical account of the Fall, the identification of Satan with the serpent brought Satan to the forefront of this myth. See “How Cain was Conceived,” p. 447, where Satan, riding the serpent, has intercourse with Eve, from which Cain is conceived. Thus the serpent fulfills its phallic role in the exegetic fantasies of the rabbis.
A Muslim version of the myth of Satan (identified as Iblis) refusing to bow down before Adam is found in the Koran 7:11.
God’s identification of Adam as a god strongly echoes the basic Gnostic assumptions about a Creator God and a demiurge. Here, although the role of the demiurgic Adam is unclear, we can recall the extensive traditions about the primordial Adam. See “Adam the Golem,” p. 127, “Adam the Hermaphrodite,” p. 138, and “Adam the Giant,” p. 128.
Sources:
Vita Adae et Evae 12:1-16:4; Apocalypse of Moses 39:2; Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 14, 27; 2 Enoch 29:4-5; Targum to Job 28:7; Apocalypse of Sedrach 5:3; Targum to Job 27:7. See Ginzberg, Legends, vol. 5, note 35, pp. 84-86.
Christian Sources:
Rev. 12:9.
Muslim Sources:
Koran 7:11.
Studies:
The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels.
143. SATAN’S BARGAIN WITH GOD
There was a man in the land of Uz named Job. That man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very large household. That man was wealthier than anyone in the East.
It was the custom of his sons to hold feasts, each on his set day in his own home. They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a round of feast days was over, Job would send word to them to sanctify themselves, and, rising early in the morning, he would make burnt offerings, one for each of them; for Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their thoughts.” This is what Job always used to do.
One day the divine beings presented themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary came along with them. The Lord said to the Adversary, “Where have you been?” The Adversary answered the Lord, “I have been roaming all over the earth.” The Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you noticed My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil!” The Adversary answered the Lord, “Does Job not have good reason to fear God? Why, it is You who have fenced him round, him and his household and all that he has. You have blessed his efforts so that his possessions spread out in the land. But lay Your hand upon all that he has and he will surely blaspheme You to Your face.” The Lord replied to the Adversary, “See, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” The Adversary departed from the presence of the Lord.
One day, as his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the she-asses were grazing alongside them when Sabeans attacked them and carried them off, and put the boys to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” This one was still speaking when another came and said, “God’s fire fell from heaven, took hold of the sheep and the boys, and burned them up; I alone have escaped to tell you.” This one was still speaking when another came and said, “A Chaldean formation of three columns made a raid on the camels and carried them off and put the boys to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” This one was still speaking when another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother when suddenly a mighty wind came from the wilderness. It struck the four corners of the house so that it collapsed upon the young people and they died; I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job arose, tore his robe, cut off his hair, and threw himself on the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
For all that, Job did not sin nor did he cast reproach on God.
One day the divine beings presented themselves before the Lord. The Adversary came along with them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to the Adversary, “Where have you been?” The Adversary answered the Lord, “I have been roaming all over the earth.” The Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you noticed My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil. He still keeps his integrity; so you have incited Me against him to destroy him for no good reason.” The Adversary answered the Lord, “Skin for skin—all that a man has he will give up for his life. But lay a hand on his bones and his flesh, and he will surely blaspheme You to Your face.” So the Lord said to the Adversary, “See, he is in your power; only spare his life.” The Adversary departed from the presence of the Lord and inflicted a severe inflammation on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. He took a potsherd to scratch himself as he sat in ashes. His wife said to him, “You still keep your integrity! Blaspheme God and die!” But he said to her, “You talk as any shameless woman might talk! Should we accept only good from God and not accept evil?” For all that, Job said nothing sinful.
In this prologue to the Book of Job, God and Satan are together in heaven, and God is bragging to Satan about his loyal servant, Job. In many ways Job resembles Abraham, whose faith in God was likewise perfect, and Noah and Daniel are also identified in Ezekiel 14:12-20 as paradigms of righteousness, along with Job. At Satan’s initiative, God and Satan strike a bargain—to test Job, to see just how faithful he really is. Job loses everything—his family, his health, his flocks, his wealth, but he remains faithful, and God wins the bet. Nevertheless, the voice of God that comes out of the whirlwind
at the end of Job is hardly consoling, and presents a harsh view of the realities of the world and how all decisions of fate ultimately belong to God.
As a myth, the Book of Job puts man’s life in this world in perspective, and underscores its fragility and the need to maintain faith in God despite one’s trials and tribulations. The friendly banter between God and Satan should not be overlooked—Satan is clearly at home in heaven and he and God converse like old friends. Nevertheless, Satan is clearly identified as the Adversary, whose job it is to portray God’s children in the worst possible light. That God agrees to undergo this devastating test of Job indicates that God ultimately views His human creations as objects who can be toyed with. Thus the underlying view of the relationship between God and man in the Book of Job is quite grim.
Sources:
Job 1:1-2:10.
144. THE QUARREL OF THE SUN AND THE MOON
In the beginning there was no difference between the two great lights of the sun or moon. They were both created to light the earth, and for signs and for seasons, and they were equal in all respects: in their height, shape, and in the amount of light they each cast. But no sooner were they created, than they began to quarrel. Each said to the other: “I am bigger than you are.”
At last the moon complained to God that the heavens and earth could not have two luminaries of equal size, saying, “Master of the Universe, is it possible for two kings to wear one crown?” God replied: “Go then and make yourself smaller.” “In that case,” said the moon, “what will then be the light of the sun?” God replied, “The sun’s light will grow sevenfold!” “Master of the universe,” cried the moon, “do I deserve such a fate?” “Fear not,” said God, “for Israel shall reckon the days and the years by you, and one day you will be restored to your original state.” Still the moon obstinately refused to become smaller. Then
God rebuked the moon and she fell from her high estate, and sparks fell from her over the whole sky, creating stars that diminished her light.
Thus the rebellion of the moon brought about its decrease, while the rule of the sun was increased, as it is said, the greater light to dominate the day, the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars (Gen. 1:16). However, in the time to come, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days (Isa. 30:26).
The notion that the sun and moon were once equal is derived from the biblical verse God made the two great lights (Gen. 1:16). This sun and moon myth is a commentary on the passage, The greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night (Gen. 1:16). It not only explains how the moon lost its light and was made smaller, but also provides the origin of the stars from the former light of the moon. Rashi and Rabbi Judah Loew (1525-1609) of Prague interpret the creation of the stars as an attempt to appease the moon. This notion is confirmed by Genesis Rabbah 6:4: “Since the moon diminished itself to rule only at night, God decreed that when it appears, the stars shall accompany it. Others say that the moon was diminished because it intruded into the sphere of the sun, sometimes being visible during the day.” The final quote from Isaiah 30:26 can also be seen as a rare example of a biblical midrash, identifying the light of the seven days of Creation with the primordial light, by stating that the light of the first day was seven times as powerful as the light of the sun. See “The Light of the First Day,” p. 83.
In the allegorical reading of this myth, the sun represents the Gentiles and the moon, the Jews. In Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 51, the identification of Israel with the moon, the lesser light, is explained by pointing out that just as the moon restores itself monthly, so will Israel in the future be renewed.
Note that the Jews, the descendants of Jacob, the younger brother, use a lunar calendar, while the descendants of Esau use a solar one. In Genesis Rabbah 6:3, it says that “It is natural for the older of two brothers to set his calendar by the greater luminary, and the younger by the lesser light.”
This myth raises the question of whether it is possible for God to make a mistake, in creating the sun and moon as equals, then commanding the moon to diminish itself. One explanation is that the moon brought about its own fate by seeking to become greater than the sun, and it was diminished at once, and has been that way ever since. That is why the prayers offered on Kiddush Levanah, the Blessing of the Moon, say, “I pray to You, God, to make the moon whole again as it was before it was diminished.” Here the moon symbolizes the people of Israel, and the prayer is also a plea for Israel to be restored to its former glory.
3 Baruch 9:6-7 offers an alternate explanation for the shrinking of the moon: “During the transgression of Adam, the moon gave light to Samael (one of the names of Satan), when he took the serpent as a garment, and did not hide, but on the contrary, grew greater. And God was angered with the moon, and diminished her and shortened her days.” Here the moon is implicated in Samael’s plot to bring about the transgression of Adam and Eve, and as a result, God shrinks it as a punishment.
There are other Jewish myths in which the sun and moon are personified. Midrash Tehillim 19:11 describes how the sun and moon are blinded every day by the radiance from above, so they delay going forth. What does God do then? He shines forth for them, and they come forth in His light. And when they are about to go back, they cannot tell where to go, and they tarry. But God scatters torches, arrows, and spears of light before them, and guides them toward where they should go. Here the sun and moon are shown to be dependent on God’s guidance in order to rise and set. The theological point, of course, is that everything in the universe, including the sun and moon, depends on God’s guidance.
Sources:
B. Hullin 60b; Genesis Rabbah 6:3-4; Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer, 4, 6, 51; Yalkut Re’uveni, quoting Midrash Toledot Yitzhak in Beit ha-Midrash 5:156; Midrash Konen in Beit ha-Midrash 2:26; Midrash ha-Ne’elam, Zohar Hadash 14a; Sefer ha-Zikhronot 3:1-5; Likutei Halakhot, Hilkhot Dayanim 3, 7-12.
145. THE SUN STOOD STILL
On that occasion, when the Lord routed the Amorites before the Israelites, Joshua addressed the Lord; he said in the presence of the Israelites: “Stand still, O sun, at Gibeon, O moon, in the Valley of Aijalon!” And the sun stood still and the moon halted, while a nation wreaked judgment on its foes—as is written in the Book of Yashar. Thus the sun halted in midheaven, and did not press on to set for a whole day, for the Lord fought for Israel. Neither before nor since has there ever been such a day, when the Lord acted on words spoken by a man.
After the parting of the Red Sea, the most famous miraculous event in the Bible is the sun standing still in the sky in Joshua 10:12-14. Both of these examples demonstrate that God can overrule the powers of nature at His command, and, of course, both examples served to benefit Israel.
Sources:
Joshua 10:12-14
146. A GARMENT FOR THE MOON
Once upon a time, the moon came to the sun with a complaint: the sun was able to shine during the warmth of day, especially during the summer, while the moon could shine only during the cool of night. The sun saw that the moon was unhappy with her lot, particularly in the wintertime, so he told the moon he would have a garment sewn for her, to keep her warm. Then the sun called upon all the great tailors to make a garment for the moon. The simple tailors also wanted to help, but they weren’t invited, so they didn’t go.
After discussing the matter for some time, the great tailors came to the conclusion that it was simply impossible to sew a garment that would fit, because the moon is sometimes little and sometimes big. What measurements were they to use? Now when the little tailors heard this, they said, “If the big tailors won’t do it, we will.” But the big tailors scoffed when they heard this and said, “If we can’t do it, how could you?”
This is a fragmentary tale told by Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav. Nachman not only told the famous 13 stories in Sippurei Ma’asiyot, but he told several dozen brief tales, including some unfinished tales. “A Garment for the Moon” is one of these. It follows the midrashic tradition about the sun and the moon, especially the tale of “The Quarrel of the Sun and Moon.” (See p. 112.) The tale ends with the offer of the poor tailors to help the great tailors in sewing a garment for the moon, which the great tailors refuse.
Such fragmentary and incomplete tales were often told by Rabbi Nachman and were dutifully recorded by his scribe, Rabbi Nathan of Nemirov. The fact that the big tailors have the last word here is a clear indication that the tale was unfinished, as Rabbi Nachman’s sympathies in such cases were always with the “little” people. In fact, a passage from Genesis Rabbah (6:3) strongly suggests the identification of the poor tailors with the Jews: “Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Jose ben Lai: ‘It is but natural that the great should count by the great, and the small by the small. Esau counts time by the sun, which is large, and Jacob by the moon, which is small.’” The discussion is continued by a sage whose name also happens to be Rabbi Nachman: “Said Rabbi Nachman: ‘That is a happy augury. Esau counts by the sun, which is large: just as the sun rules by day but not by night, so does Esau enjoy this world, but has naught in the World to Come. Jacob counts by the moon, which is small: just as the moon rules by day and by night, so has Jacob a portion in this world and the World to Come.’”
The present dependent condition of the moon on the sun echoes a talmudic myth (B. Hullin 60b) about competition between the sun and the moon, which is a commentary on the passage, And God made the two great lights (Gen. 1:16): “The moon said to the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Master of the Universe, is it possible for two kings to wear one crown?’ God replied: ‘Go then and make yourself smaller.’” Thus the rebellion of the moon brought about its decrease. This talmudic legend is echoed in a dialogue, closely resembling that in Rabbi Nachman’s tale, found in Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 6: “Rivalry ensued betw
een the sun and the moon, and one said to the other, ‘I am bigger than you are.’ The other rejoined, ‘I am bigger than you are.’ What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do, so that there should be peace between them? He made the one larger and the other smaller, as it is said, The greater light to rule by the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars” (Genesis 1:16). It seems certain that Rabbi Nachman had these rabbinic myths in mind when he told his enticing, fragmentary tale. It is also possible to read this tale as an allegory in which Israel is the moon, God is the sun, and the garment is the Torah, which protects Israel against the winters of Exile.
See “A Garment for the Moon” in Miriam’s Tambourine, pp. 287-294, which attempts to complete this fragmentary tale.
Sources:
Sihot Moharan; Sippurim Niflaim.
147. THE CREATION OF ANGELS
Some say that God created the angels on the first day—angels of the presence and angels of sanctification, angels of the spirits of fire and angels of the spirits of the winds, angels of the spirits of the clouds and angels of the darkness, angels of snow and hail and frost, and the angels of thunder and lightning, as it is said, When the morning stars sang together and all the divine beings shouted for joy (Job 38:7). Some say that God formed the features of the faces of every angel with His little finger, and after that blew spirit and breath into them, and placed them upon their feet, and opened their eyes. Others say that God created the angels on the second day, or on the fifth. And there are even those who say that the angels were created before the creation of the world.
How did God create the angels? Some say that from every single word that God utters, an angel is created, as it is said, By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made, by the breath of His mouth all their host (Ps. 33:6). These angels are nourished by the splendor of the Shekhinah.
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