Berachot 59 - Static Universe

Another fascinating Astronomy/Astrology paragraph is on this page. But I cannot pass up a statement that goes to the heart of the nature of the universe!

The story is told that when G-d wanted to create the flood in Noah's time, G-d plucked out two stars from the constellation Kimah (Pleiades). Presumably this let the waters from the upper heavens (above the spheres that hold the starts) pour down to Earth. When G-d was ready for the flood to end, G-d took two stars from 'Ayish (the Bear) and plugged the holes from the first two stars. The question is asked, why didn't G-d just put the missing stars back where they came from? The answer: "A pit cannot be filled with its own clods." Ok, then why didn't G-d just make two new stars to fill the holes? Here's the answer that astonished me: "There is nothing new under the sun." (Eccl. 1:9)

This is a statement of the classic "static universe" theory of cosmology - the universe is exactly as it was and will be (aside from small, local variations). This was, in fact, the theory Einstein preferred - he invented the "Cosmological Constant" to mathematically keep it that way. It was only with Edwin Hubble's 1929 observations linking redshift and distance that it became clear the Universe is expanding, giving credence to the "Big Bang" Theory. Coupled with 20th century details of stellar evolution we see the universe as a far more dynamic place than previous generations did.

Of course, we don't look to Midrash for details on scientific principles. But it is fun to see a casual statement reflecting classic ideas far different from our own.