Babylonian Talmud

Quoting the verse “Inquire now concerning the days past” (Deut. 4:32), the sages said: These words might be taken to imply that one is allowed to inquire concerning the entire pre-creation period, which is “past.” Hence scripture goes on to allow inquiry only “since the day that God created man on earth (ib.). But these words might be taken to imply that one is also not allowed to inquire concerning the six days of creation that preceded the making of man; therefore scripture extends the time when inquiry is allowed to “the six days past, which were immediately before thee” (ib.). Since scripture’s extending the range of inquiry might be taken to imply that one is also allowed to inquire concerning that is above the heavens and what is below the deep, what is before the beginning of time and what is after its end, therefore with the phrase “from one end of heaven unto the other” (ib.), scripture limits inquiry to the finite span of time and space that the phrase suggests. Accordingly, you are allowed to inquire concerning the things that are from one end of heaven to the other, but not concerning what is above the heavens, what is below the deep, what is before the six days of creation, and what is after the world’s existence.