CELESTIAL BODIES

Dear Family,

Hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Shmuly and Devorah Leah on their Anniversary which was on Rosh Chodesh. Wishing you many more productive years together and a happy and safe trip in New Jersey.

I also got wind that Avi's business is now 10 years old. Mazal Tov Avi and it should be another 10 years of success, and more.

The talk of this week has been 'the great American eclipse' - a total solar eclipse passing right across America, and I saw some interesting points in relation to this.

1. A total solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, temporarily blocking the sunlight fully. This was for 2 mins and 40.2 secs this week.
2. The last time such an eclipse's shadow fully cast itself across America from coast to coast, was nearly 100 years ago.
3. It was the most widely visible total solar eclipse in history. - 12.2 million people were in its direct path (70 miles wide) and another47 million people (15% of US) were within a 2 hour drive.
4. The gravitational pull on the earth's surface, of the sun together with the moon, increased, causing the earths surface to rise by 1.5 ins. (where the shadow fell).
5. Next solar eclipse to traverse the US as this one did, will be in 2024 (or was it 2045?), unusually soon. This one will traverse from NE to SW, whereas the current one traversed from NW to SE.

I saw a point about this, that the area of country where these 2 paths intersect is Cedar Lake in Jackson County just S of Carbondale, and this area is called 'Little Egypt'!? lots of theories flying around about this ie 400years in Egypt, moon 40 times smaller than sun etc

The bottom line is that all the CELESTIAL BODIES are massive, and have complicated orbital paths.

It is amazing how much man has come to understand about their natures, but there is a lot we do not understand.

And I saw a short vort from the Rebbe on this subject.

At these times, we should be reminded of how great is the Power of Hashem, who for thousands of years has been consistently moving these huge bodies, without any reduction of energy.

It was Avraham Avinu who first watched these Celestial Bodies eg sun rising in East and setting in West every day etc, and came to the conclusion that there must be an awesome power guiding these which is way beyond, and cannot be contained by the world.

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos, and a Ksiva Vechasima Tova for a Good New Year.