The Round Earth: Discovering Ancient Wisdom

A great deal of knowledge about the Earth, which humanity uncovered only in recent centuries, already appears in Jewish sources written thousands of years ago. This does not refer only to the fact that the Earth is round, but also to many additional details about the structure and behavior of our planet, as we will soon see.

It is important to note that while the idea of a round Earth did exist in parts of the ancient world, it was often rejected or ridiculed. Even among those who accepted the idea, many imagined the Earth as a partial sphere rather than a complete globe. People struggled with basic questions such as what it would mean to be “below,” and various myths developed, including images of the Earth resting on animals such as turtles or elephants.

Jewish sources, however, speak clearly about the Earth as a complete sphere. They also contain descriptions of natural phenomena that go far beyond the general knowledge of the ancient world. Some of this material has been discussed publicly in recent years, while other sources are presented here more broadly for the first time.

The Roundness of the Earth

The idea that the Earth is round is generally associated with ancient Greek thinkers and became widely accepted only toward the end of the Middle Ages. The first attempt to sail around the Earth took place in the fifteenth century.

Yet long before this, Jewish texts already referred to the world as a globe. The Jerusalem Talmud states that the world is shaped like a sphere. The Zohar repeatedly describes the inhabited world as a globe. Midrash Rabbah also speaks of the world as spherical. The Rambam writes explicitly that the Earth is round, and the Ramban refers to the heavens and the Earth as forming a complete sphere.

The Ohr HaChaim, who lived in a later period when the spherical shape of the Earth was already accepted, still emphasizes that this understanding was received through tradition passed down by Torah scholars, not learned from scientific discovery.

Across generations, from the time of the Talmud until today, the overwhelming majority of leading Jewish thinkers referred to the Earth as a sphere.

The Earth’s Rotation

Jewish sources also describe the idea that the Earth rotates. The Zohar speaks of the world as rolling. The Rambam writes of a spherical body that turns. These descriptions appear long before the concept of planetary rotation was understood scientifically.

Day and Night on Opposite Sides of the World
The Zohar also describes a reality in which when it is light for some people, it is dark for others. This reflects an understanding of time zones and the fact that day and night occur simultaneously in different places across the globe.

People Living on Both Sides of the Globe

The Zohar refers to people existing both above and below on the globe. The Rambam writes that there are people living at opposite ends of the Earth, with each person experiencing their own sense of up and down. This aligns with the modern understanding of gravity acting toward the center of the Earth.

The Earth Suspended in Space

Ancient cultures often imagined the world as resting on something. Various myths claimed the Earth was supported by creatures, gods, or pillars. This reflects the difficulty of imagining a world not physically supported by anything.

The book of Job states clearly that God hangs the Earth upon nothing. Midrash Shemot Rabbah echoes this idea, saying that the world is established upon nothing. This describes, in simple language, the idea of a planet suspended in space without physical support.

The Earth’s Tilt

Modern science has discovered that the Earth is tilted on its axis. The book of Job contains a verse that speaks of the Earth hanging and being positioned upon emptiness. Some commentaries understand this language as referring both to suspension and to tilt, concepts that were only clarified scientifically thousands of years later.

Polar Day and Night

In the far northern regions, there are times of the year when the sun does not set, and others when it does not rise. The Zohar describes a place in the world that is constantly illuminated and another place where night is very brief. These descriptions align closely with the conditions near the poles.

Who Revolves Around Whom

For centuries, much of the world believed that the sun revolved around the Earth. Only in the modern era was it demonstrated that the Earth revolves around the sun.

What is striking is that the Rambam already wrote that humanity did not truly know which body revolves around which. This statement appears hundreds of years before scientific consensus shifted. He further explains that astronomical models were often mathematical tools designed to match observation, not necessarily descriptions of physical reality. This distinction reflects a remarkably sophisticated understanding of scientific modeling.

A Final Note

At a time when many basic facts about the Earth were unknown or misunderstood across the world, Jewish sources contained descriptions that closely match modern scientific knowledge. From the shape of the Earth to its rotation, from day and night across the globe to the idea of a planet suspended in space, these texts reflect a depth of insight that continues to inspire reflection today.