Yesterday morning there was a partial solar eclipse. The next eclipse is coming in seven years, and supposedly, from what I have read, that one will be a major eclipse with a majority of the sun covered. Yesterday's partial eclipse was relatively small, with the sun looking sort of like a Pac-Man.

I took advantage to teach my granddaughter about the eclipse:


In Judaism an eclipse is considered a bad sign for the world. I don't really know why. I never understood these symbols, acts of nature, as being bad (or good) signs. It never made much sense to me as nowadays we know well in advance of the natural act that is going to happen. Maybe a couple thousand years ago it was unexpected and they thought it had meaning, but nowadays we know when will be an eclipse and when will be a blood moon and when Venus will be visible and when this or that will happen, so I am not sure why it needs to be a bad sign.

But the Gemara says it is a bad sign for the world, so whether I understand it or not, that's what it is.

We are halfway through 2020 (5780), and with everything we have already experienced this year - NOW THE HEAVENS ARE SENDING US A SIGN???? Why not send the sign before 2020 began? And if after all this year has already brought us we are getting a sign of bad tidings now, we should probably really be concerned about what lays in store ahead for us!

and yes, whenever I hear about an eclipse I think of the Bonnie Tyler song Total Eclipse of the Heart..