Solar Eclipses
The Gemara in Succah (29a) records an interesting connecting between solar eclipses and cutting down fruit trees. The Gemara says: ובשביל ארבעה דברים מאורות לוקין :על כותבי פלסתר ,ועל מעידי עדות שקר ,ועל מגדלי בהמה דקה בארץ ישראל ,ועל קוצצי אילנות טובות – “And on account of four matters the heavenly lights are eclipsed: On account of forgers of a fraudulent document that is intended to discredit others; on account of testifiers of false testimony; on account of people who raise up small domesticated animals in Eretz Yisrael in a settled area; and on account of choppers of good, fruit-producing trees.”
The Aruch Laner explains that the times of solar eclipses are times of judgement, ones designated from the Six Days of Creation. Certain sins, such as cutting down fruit-bearing trees, arouse Hashem’s anger at those times. The Aruch Laner explains that cutting down fruit trees is an expression of ingratitude and disregard for G-d's goodness. During a solar or lunar eclipse, the heavenly bodies, too, become a reminder of the moon's ingratitude for the light Hashem gave it at creation.
