space

Everyday

1. The area beyond the Earth's air where the planets and stars are: "outer space". tree →
2. An empty area: "a parking space", "space to play". tree →
3. Room, amount of area available: "There's no space." tree →
4. The gap between words or things. tree →
5. A period of time: "in the space of an hour". tree →
6. As a verb, to put things with gaps between them. tree →

In the lessons

In science, space has no air, so there is no sound and astronauts need spacesuits; the Earth, Moon, Sun and planets are in space. In maths, shapes take up space (area, volume). In writing, leave spaces between words. Phrases: outer space, space station, spaceship, personal space, take up space, make space.

Examples

• Astronauts travel into space. tree →
• There is no air in space. tree →
• Leave a space between words. tree →
• Is there space for one more? tree →
• Respect people's personal space. tree →
• Space the plants ten centimetres apart. tree →
• The International Space Station goes around the Earth. tree →
• Find a space and sit down. tree →
• He longed to soar through space. tree →

Note

Space (outer space) has no air — not cold air, no air at all. Volume tells how much space a 3D shape takes; area tells how much flat space. "Personal space" is the space around your body.

In Jewish tradition

Often means a stretch of time ("the space of a month") or a gap between things, not outer space. Job says God hangs the earth over "empty space", and Ezekiel uses it for a part of the Temple wall.

Interpretation. In Sefer Yetzirah, space is one of the dimensions of creation, along with the six directions. Its commentators see all of reality as shaped by God's letters.

Examples

• And Laban said to him: 'Surely thou art my bone and my flesh.' And he abode with him the space of a month. (Torah GEN.29.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself; and said unto his servants: 'Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.' (Torah GEN.32.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• 15) According to the author, the space and six dimensions emanated from the ether. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →
• He stretcheth out the north over the empty space, and hangeth the earth over nothing. (Writings JOB.26.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them. (Prophets 1SA.26.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• to the space above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and on all the wall round about within and without, by measure. (Prophets EZK.41.17, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Space (outer space) has no air — not cold air, no air at all. Volume tells how much space a 3D shape takes; area tells how much flat space. "Personal space" is the space around your body.