October 5 1335 – 17 Tishrei 5096
Rabbi Levi son of Gershon (Gersonides, acronymically known as Ralbag) recorded an eclipse of the moon. Among his other astronomical achievements, this French biblical commentator and thinker described a geometrical model for the motion of the Moon, based on his observations of the moon, sun and planets using a camera obscura. He was also the earliest known mathematician to have used the technique of mathematical induction in a systematic fashion, and the lunar crater Rabbi Levi is named after him. He’s also credited with creating the mathematical instrument known as Jacob’s staff, for measuring the angular distance between celestial objects.
Gersonides also composed a major philosophical work, Wars of the Lord (Sefer Milhamot Hashem), dealing with the nature of reason and knowledge, attempting to reconcile the concepts of heavenly providence and humanity’s free will, and describing his understanding of creation and miracles, in contrast with that presented by Maimonides in his Guide to the Perplexed.
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