Narnian Astronomy: What a Star Is

“In our world,” said Eustace, “a star is a huge ball of flaming gas.”

“Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is but only what it is made of…”

(The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

In the tenth chapter of the book of Joshua we read of the war between Israel and the five Emorite kings who inhabited the southern part of the land of Canaan. God supports Israel and they achieve a great military victory. In order to provide Israel time to chase and destroy the retreating Emorites, Joshua commands, “Sun in Givon be silent (stop), and Moon in the Valley of Ayalon!” By halting the sun and moon in their usual track across the Heavens, Joshua provides light for the Jewish army to hunt down the fleeing Emorites.

Our Sages in the midrash comment on the utilization of the word “silent” to mean stop moving across the sky. The midrash states:

Joshua wanted to silence the sun. He did not say to sit, “Sun in Givon stand still,” rather, “Sun in Givon be silent!” Why did [Joshua] say, “Be silent!”? At all times when the sun moves, it praises God,” and the whole time it praises, it has the power to move. Therefore, Joshua told [the sun] to be silent… The Sun said to Joshua, “You are decreeing upon me that I should be silent?” He said to it, “Yes.” The Sun replied, “And who will sing the praises of God?” Joshua said, “You be silent and I will sing the praises of God.” 

In midrashic lore, the sun, as it follows the laws of physics, sings the praises of God, what we might call the music of the spheres. Were it to abstain from following those laws, the music would stop. Therefore, Joshua can only order this miracle if he himself takes the responsibility to sing the praises of God in the sun’s place. The midrash, then, sees in the luminous bodies, not just as man’s timepieces, but creations that sing as they serve God by following His laws.

Returning then to our original question, “What is a star?” the answer would be servants of God that sing His praises as they follow His laws.

Elsewhere, the Psalmist advances another view of the luminous bodies:

My soul blesses the Lord; the Lord, my God, You are very great. You are clothed in Splendor and Majesty. You robe Yourself in light, you spread the heavens like a tent. (Psalms 104:1-2)

There are two seemingly opposing views in the classical commentaries as to the explanation of this verse. R’ David Kimchi explains that the spheres created by God serve to clothe Him, and from their glory one glimpses the glory of the Creator. R’ Abraham ibn Ezra disagrees. He makes the following analogy: just like clothes serve to cover a person from the view of others, so to the splendor of the Heavens serve to cover God from view. Rather than demonstrating the greatness of the Creator, the spheres actually hide it. Which position is correct?

I think it is clear that it depends on who is looking. There are those who look towards Heaven and do not see God. Instead they see the sun, the moon and the stars following the laws of physics. No doubt there is glory in the grand scale of space and people are entranced with the beauty of the heavens. But to such people, this glory serves to hide God. Others look to the Heavens and see the sun, moon, and stars dancing through the Heavens to the music of the spheres. They also see that these Heavenly bodies follow the laws of physics and are awed by their intricacy. But to such people the splendor created by these laws are a song, and the song is in praise of God.