500 Years from Earth to Heaven
Parsha Pages | August 21, 2024
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500 Years from Earth to Heaven

Parsha Pages | June 25, 2025

מן הארץ עד לרקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה

Chaigagh 13a: The heavenly voice proclaimed, "It is a distance of 500 years from earth to heaven.”

The Talmud seems to contain some obsolete scientific information. It says that the distance from the earth to the sky is 500 years’ journey (Chagigah 13a). The Talmud gives one day’s journey as 10 parsangs or about 25 miles. 500 years’ journey is thus about 4.5 million miles. But today we know that the sun is 93 million miles away and the nearest star is more than a light year (6 trillion miles) away. How do we explain this?

Let us look at the rest of the passage:

When that wicked man [Nebuchadnezzar] said, “I will go up on the highest of clouds, I will be similar to the Most-High” (Isaiah 14:14), G-d’s voice replied to him, Wicked man, son of a wicked man, descendent of Nimrod the wicked who made the entire world rebel against Me during his reign! How long does a man live? Seventy years. The distance from the earth to the sky is 500 years’ journey. The thickness of the sky is 500 years’ journey, and the same is the separation between each of the seven levels of sky. On top of that, the feet of the angels called chayos are as big as everything else combined. Their ankles are as big as everything else combined. Their shins are as big as everything else combined. Their knees are as big as everything else combined. Their thighs are as big as everything else combined. Their bodies are as big as everything else combined. Their necks are as big as everything else combined. Their heads are as big as everything else combined. Their horns are as big as everything else combined. On top of that, the foot of the Throne of Glory is as big as everything else combined. The Throne itself is as big as everything else combined. Atop all this, dwells the King, the Living and Everlasting G-d, high and uplifted. And you said, ‘I will go up on the highest of clouds, I will be similar to the Most-High?’ You will only be brought down to Hell, to the nethermost pit.

If G-d’s point was that Nebuchadnezzar would never be able to travel so far, why did he have to preface it by calling him a wicked man, son of a wicked man and so on? The answer is that the Talmud is not discussing physical distance here. The Talmud is discussing coming spiritually close to G-d. G-d is not a million miles away or even a trillion. He is everywhere, even right here, if we work on knowing Him and coming close to Him. “And you shall know this day and take it to your heart that the L-rd is G-d in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other” (Devarim 4:39).

The angels too, which are part of the “measurements” given by the Talmud, are not physical. The Rambam writes (Yesodei Hatorah 2:6), “When the Sages talk about one angel being below another, they do not mean above physically, as one man sits higher than another, but rather as people say about two sages that one is bigger than the other, or above the other, in wisdom.”

Just as one does not measure an earthquake in inches, but rather on the Richter scale, so too one cannot measure the size of the angels or G-d in distance. All the distances mentioned by the Talmud refer to spiritual journey one must undertake to reach a knowledge of the angels and G-d.

Of course, we cannot really know G-d. G-d is infinite and unfathomable to humans and even to angels. The prophet Ezekiel (1:14) described the angels as follows: “And the angels ran to and fro, like the appearance of a flash.” The Sefer Chareidim explains that humans are finite and physical in nature, and their imaginations work spatially. Whenever we learn of the existence of something, we automatically imagine its size. But G-d is infinite and cannot be quantified. The angels are able to comprehend a little of G-d, more than humans. But as soon as they reach that comprehension, they leap backward, fearing that their intellect, like that of humans, will want to impose a limit on G-d.

It takes 500 years to reach some knowledge of G-d. We know that Avrohom first realized that G-d existed when he was in his third year of life. Add Avrohom’s 173 remaining years to Yitzchak’s 180 and Yaacov’s 147, and you get 500. The Midrash Rabba (Bamidbar 18:21) compares this 500-year period to the 500 years separating heaven from earth, thus indicating that it is not the physical distance that is 500 years; it is the spiritual journey. The Patriarch brought the knowledge of G-d into the world and thus connected heaven and earth.

Furthermore, it took the world 500 years to reach the revelation at Mount Sinai, starting with the birth of Avrohom. Avrohom was 100 years old at Isaac’s birth, and from Isaac’s birth to the Revelation at Sinai was 400 years, a total of 500. This means that the process of spreading knowledge of G-d throughout the world, which Avrohom began and culminated with the revelation at Mount Sinai, took 500 years.

We find the number 500 years again in the Midrash Rabba (Bereishis 15:6) where it says that the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden had a span of 500 years’ journey. This means that the path to eternal life – knowledge of G-d – is five hundred years long.

When a Jew begins his prayers, he addresses G-d as “the G-d of Avrohom, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Yaacov”. He is saying, “I approach You not on my own, but based on the tradition I have received from my forefathers – based on the closeness achieved by them.”

But Nebuchadnezzar wanted to reach G-d on his own. He did not want to convert to Judaism and share in the knowledge of G-d that had already been accumulated by the Jewish people over hundreds of years. He said, “I will go up on the highest of clouds.” I will go up like the Jewish people, which is compared to the clouds, as it says, “Who are these who fly like the clouds” (Isaiah 60:8). He said, “I will be similar to the most-high.” I will achieve knowledge of G-d and thus be like the Jewish people, who are called “the most-high of all nations” (Devarim 26:19).

G-d therefore told him: You are starting from scratch! You are a wicked man, the son of a wicked man. You have nothing to build on. So how much can one man accomplish in one lifetime? It takes 500 years even to begin to come close to Me.

500 years of the Avos

דברים יא, כא: לְ מַעַן יִרְ בוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָּאֲדָּמָּה אֲשֶר נִשְבַע ה' לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָּתֵת לָּהֶם כִימֵי הַשָּמַיִם עַל־הָּאָּרֶץ

The Medrash (Bemidbar Rabbah18,21) understands that relates to the reward as sworn to our forefathers equating the days (distance) of the heavens to the earth which are like the years of the three forefathers:

  • AVROHOM 1948-2123 175 years
  • YIZCHAK 2048-2228 180 years
  • YAACOV 2108-2255 147 years

The total years of the three Avos are 502 years. Yet the Gemara (Chagigah 13a) states the distance is 500 years. How is this reconciled?

  1. According to one Medrash Avrohom became fully aware of HaShem at the age of 3. Thus, for 172 years of his life he was fully aware of HaShem (עקב). Mareh Panim (Talmud Yerushalmi Berachos daf 5) ways that during his third year of life Avrohom started his awareness of HaShem and thus only two years of his life were not counted.
  2. The sefer Matanas Cohanim answers that the years of the Avos does equal 502 years; and the distance from the earth to the heavens is 500 years plus two for the earth and heavens themselves.
  3. Another discrepancy of two years exists regarding Avrohom. The Medrash says that Avrohom died five years early (at the age of 175 and not at the age of 180) in order to avoid seeing Esav (his grandson) begin to publicly sin. The Medrash tells us that Esav began to sin the day of the death of Avrohom and thus, Yaacov was making lentil soup as a sign of mourning. Thus, Esav was 15 years old at the death of Avrohom. (Avrohom was 100 at the birth of Yitzchak; Yitzchak was 60 years old at the birth of Esav and Yaacov). However, another Medrash cited by Rashi, says that at their bar mitzvah (13 years old) Yaacov went to Yeshivah and Esav went to Avodah Zarah.
  4. One other possible solution lies in the two years after the return of Yaacov to Eretz Caanan with his four wives and children. In those two years Yaacov did not visit his father Yitzchak.
  5. Also, possible that did not count the two years of hunger prior to Yaacov entering into Egypt (which interrupted the anticipated seven years of hunger).
  6. Riva says not to count the two years that Yitzchak was hidden in Gan Eden. After the Akeidah, the Torah says that Avrohom returned to the two youths (Yishmael and Eliezer), but does not mention Yitzchak. The Medrash explains that Yitzchak was healed for two years in Gan Eden, or went to Yeshivah of Shem and Ever for two years.

ישעיה סה,כב: כִי־כִימֵי הָּעֵץ יְמֵי עַמִי

“For the lifetime of My people will be like the lifetime of the Tree”

Ben Ish Chai says that woman light 2 candles on Erev Shabbos since two times נר = 500, which is the service of bringing Heaven to Earth.

Rabbenu BaChayei explains that the prophecy of Yeshiyahu refers to the Tree of Life which was in Gan Eden, which was described as a width of a walk of 500 years by Chaza”l. Thus, this relates to the concept of service of the Avos of bringing Heaven to Earth. Thus, Rabbenu BaChayei concludes that the words that the Rav (Moshe) alludes, so does the student (Yeshiyahu) also alludes to the same concept.

מן הארץ עד לרקיע מהלך חמש מאות שנה

Chaigagh 13a: The heavenly voice proclaimed, "It is a distance of 500 years from earth to heaven.”

The Talmud seems to contain some obsolete scientific information. It says that the distance from the earth to the sky is 500 years’ journey (Chagigah 13a). The Talmud gives one day’s journey as 10 parsangs or about 25 miles. 500 years’ journey is thus about 4.5 million miles. But today we know that the sun is 93 million miles away and the nearest star is more than a light year (6 trillion miles) away. How do we explain this?

Let us look at the rest of the passage:

When that wicked man [Nebuchadnezzar] said, “I will go up on the highest of clouds, I will be similar to the Most-High” (Isaiah 14:14), G-d’s voice replied to him, Wicked man, son of a wicked man, descendent of Nimrod the wicked who made the entire world rebel against Me during his reign! How long does a man live? Seventy years. The distance from the earth to the sky is 500 years’ journey. The thickness of the sky is 500 years’ journey, and the same is the separation between each of the seven levels of sky. On top of that, the feet of the angels called chayos are as big as everything else combined. Their ankles are as big as everything else combined. Their shins are as big as everything else combined. Their knees are as big as everything else combined. Their thighs are as big as everything else combined. Their bodies are as big as everything else combined. Their necks are as big as everything else combined. Their heads are as big as everything else combined. Their horns are as big as everything else combined. On top of that, the foot of the Throne of Glory is as big as everything else combined. The Throne itself is as big as everything else combined. Atop all this, dwells the King, the Living and Everlasting G-d, high and uplifted. And you said, ‘I will go up on the highest of clouds, I will be similar to the Most-High?’ You will only be brought down to Hell, to the nethermost pit.

If G-d’s point was that Nebuchadnezzar would never be able to travel so far, why did he have to preface it by calling him a wicked man, son of a wicked man and so on? The answer is that the Talmud is not discussing physical distance here. The Talmud is discussing coming spiritually close to G-d. G-d is not a million miles away or even a trillion. He is everywhere, even right here, if we work on knowing Him and coming close to Him. “And you shall know this day and take it to your heart that the L-rd is G-d in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other” (Devarim 4:39).

The angels too, which are part of the “measurements” given by the Talmud, are not physical. The Rambam writes (Yesodei Hatorah 2:6), “When the Sages talk about one angel being below another, they do not mean above physically, as one man sits higher than another, but rather as people say about two sages that one is bigger than the other, or above the other, in wisdom.”

Just as one does not measure an earthquake in inches, but rather on the Richter scale, so too one cannot measure the size of the angels or G-d in distance. All the distances mentioned by the Talmud refer to spiritual journey one must undertake to reach a knowledge of the angels and G-d.

Of course, we cannot really know G-d. G-d is infinite and unfathomable to humans and even to angels. The prophet Ezekiel (1:14) described the angels as follows: “And the angels ran to and fro, like the appearance of a flash.” The Sefer Chareidim explains that humans are finite and physical in nature, and their imaginations work spatially. Whenever we learn of the existence of something, we automatically imagine its size. But G-d is infinite and cannot be quantified. The angels are able to comprehend a little of G-d, more than humans. But as soon as they reach that comprehension, they leap backward, fearing that their intellect, like that of humans, will want to impose a limit on G-d.

It takes 500 years to reach some knowledge of G-d. We know that Avrohom first realized that G-d existed when he was in his third year of life. Add Avrohom’s 173 remaining years to Yitzchak’s 180 and Yaacov’s 147, and you get 500. The Midrash Rabba (Bamidbar 18:21) compares this 500-year period to the 500 years separating heaven from earth, thus indicating that it is not the physical distance that is 500 years; it is the spiritual journey. The Patriarch brought the knowledge of G-d into the world and thus connected heaven and earth.

Furthermore, it took the world 500 years to reach the revelation at Mount Sinai, starting with the birth of Avrohom. Avrohom was 100 years old at Isaac’s birth, and from Isaac’s birth to the Revelation at Sinai was 400 years, a total of 500. This means that the process of spreading knowledge of G-d throughout the world, which Avrohom began and culminated with the revelation at Mount Sinai, took 500 years.

We find the number 500 years again in the Midrash Rabba (Bereishis 15:6) where it says that the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden had a span of 500 years’ journey. This means that the path to eternal life – knowledge of G-d – is five hundred years long.

When a Jew begins his prayers, he addresses G-d as “the G-d of Avrohom, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Yaacov”. He is saying, “I approach You not on my own, but based on the tradition I have received from my forefathers – based on the closeness achieved by them.”

But Nebuchadnezzar wanted to reach G-d on his own. He did not want to convert to Judaism and share in the knowledge of G-d that had already been accumulated by the Jewish people over hundreds of years. He said, “I will go up on the highest of clouds.” I will go up like the Jewish people, which is compared to the clouds, as it says, “Who are these who fly like the clouds” (Isaiah 60:8). He said, “I will be similar to the most-high.” I will achieve knowledge of G-d and thus be like the Jewish people, who are called “the most-high of all nations” (Devarim 26:19).

G-d therefore told him: You are starting from scratch! You are a wicked man, the son of a wicked man. You have nothing to build on. So how much can one man accomplish in one lifetime? It takes 500 years even to begin to come close to Me.

500 years of the Avos

דברים יא, כא: לְ מַעַן יִרְ בוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָּאֲדָּמָּה אֲשֶר נִשְבַע ה' לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָּתֵת לָּהֶם כִימֵי הַשָּמַיִם עַל־הָּאָּרֶץ

The Medrash (Bemidbar Rabbah18,21) understands that relates to the reward as sworn to our forefathers equating the days (distance) of the heavens to the earth which are like the years of the three forefathers:

  • AVROHOM 1948-2123 175 years
  • YIZCHAK 2048-2228 180 years
  • YAACOV 2108-2255 147 years

The total years of the three Avos are 502 years. Yet the Gemara (Chagigah 13a) states the distance is 500 years. How is this reconciled?

  1. According to one Medrash Avrohom became fully aware of HaShem at the age of 3. Thus, for 172 years of his life he was fully aware of HaShem (עקב). Mareh Panim (Talmud Yerushalmi Berachos daf 5) ways that during his third year of life Avrohom started his awareness of HaShem and thus only two years of his life were not counted.
  2. The sefer Matanas Cohanim answers that the years of the Avos does equal 502 years; and the distance from the earth to the heavens is 500 years plus two for the earth and heavens themselves.
  3. Another discrepancy of two years exists regarding Avrohom. The Medrash says that Avrohom died five years early (at the age of 175 and not at the age of 180) in order to avoid seeing Esav (his grandson) begin to publicly sin. The Medrash tells us that Esav began to sin the day of the death of Avrohom and thus, Yaacov was making lentil soup as a sign of mourning. Thus, Esav was 15 years old at the death of Avrohom. (Avrohom was 100 at the birth of Yitzchak; Yitzchak was 60 years old at the birth of Esav and Yaacov). However, another Medrash cited by Rashi, says that at their bar mitzvah (13 years old) Yaacov went to Yeshivah and Esav went to Avodah Zarah.
  4. One other possible solution lies in the two years after the return of Yaacov to Eretz Caanan with his four wives and children. In those two years Yaacov did not visit his father Yitzchak.
  5. Also, possible that did not count the two years of hunger prior to Yaacov entering into Egypt (which interrupted the anticipated seven years of hunger).
  6. Riva says not to count the two years that Yitzchak was hidden in Gan Eden. After the Akeidah, the Torah says that Avrohom returned to the two youths (Yishmael and Eliezer), but does not mention Yitzchak. The Medrash explains that Yitzchak was healed for two years in Gan Eden, or went to Yeshivah of Shem and Ever for two years.

ישעיה סה,כב: כִי־כִימֵי הָּעֵץ יְמֵי עַמִי

“For the lifetime of My people will be like the lifetime of the Tree”

Ben Ish Chai says that woman light 2 candles on Erev Shabbos since two times נר = 500, which is the service of bringing Heaven to Earth.

Rabbenu BaChayei explains that the prophecy of Yeshiyahu refers to the Tree of Life which was in Gan Eden, which was described as a width of a walk of 500 years by Chaza”l. Thus, this relates to the concept of service of the Avos of bringing Heaven to Earth. Thus, Rabbenu BaChayei concludes that the words that the Rav (Moshe) alludes, so does the student (Yeshiyahu) also alludes to the same concept.

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Parsha Pages | August 21, 2024