waste desert land.

Beyond the inhabited parts to the east is Paradise[33] with its
seven divisions, each assigned to the pious of a certain degree.
The ocean is situated to the west, and it is dotted with islands
upon islands, inhabited by many different peoples. Beyond it, in
turn, are the boundless steppes full of serpents and scorpions,
and destitute of every sort of vegetation, whether herbs or
trees. To the north are the supplies of hell-fire, of snow, hail,
smoke, ice, darkness, and windstorms, and in that vicinity
sojourn all sorts of devils, demons, and malign spirits. Their
dwelling-place is a great stretch of land, it would take five
hundred years to traverse it. Beyond lies hell. To the south is
the chamber containing reserves of fire, the cave of smoke, and
the forge of blasts and hurricanes.[34] Thus it comes that the
wind blowing from the south brings heat and sultriness to the
earth. Were it not for the angel Ben Nez, the Winged, who keeps
the south wind back with his pinions, the world would be
consumed.[35] Besides, the fury of its blast is tempered by the
north wind, which always appears as moderator, whatever other
wind may be blowing.[36]

In the east, the west, and the south, heaven and earth touch each
other, but the north God left unfinished, that any man who
announced himself as a god might be set the task of supplying the
deficiency, and stand convicted as a pretender.[37]

The construction of the earth was begun at the centre, with the
foundation stone of the Temple, the Eben Shetiyah,[38] for the
Holy Land is at the central point of the surface of the earth,