How do you understand “You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth”? TB Rosh Hashana 24

Since not all witnesses are educated, today's daf TB Rosh Hashana 24 tells how Rabban Gamliel devised a method to help them identify whether the moon they saw was a new moon. “MISHNA: Rabban Gamliel had a diagram of the different forms of the moon drawn on a tablet that hung on the wall of his attic, which he would show to the laymen who came to testify about the new moon but were unable to describe adequately what they had seen. And he would say to them: Did you see a form like this or like this?” (Sefaria.org translation) Rabban Gamliel used mold replications of the moon.

The Gemara wondered how could he do such a thing for this is in direct violation of the second commandment of the 10 Commandments which prohibits making any image and to use them for the purpose of idolatry. “You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I the LORD your God am an impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generations of those who reject Me,” (Exodus 20: 4-5)

The Gemara goes on to give explicit examples of what we are forbidden to replicate.

“As it is taught in a baraita: A person may not construct a house in the exact form of the Sanctuary, nor a portico in the exact form of the Entrance Hall of the Sanctuary, nor a courtyard corresponding to the Temple courtyard, nor a table corresponding to the table in the Temple, nor a candelabrum corresponding to the candelabrum in the Temple. However, one may fashion a candelabrum of five or of six or of eight lamps. But one may not fashion a candelabrum with seven lamps even if he constructs it from other kinds of metal rather than gold, as in exigent circumstances the candelabrum in the Temple may be fashioned from other metals…(I've seen ancient synagogues in archaeological sites where a menorah is carved into the stone wall. As the Gemara proscribes these menorahs don't have seven branches-gg)

“Isn’t it taught in a baraita that the verse: “You shall not make with Me gods of silver” (Exodus 20:19), comes to teach: You shall not make images of My attendants that serve before Me on high. Apparently, this includes the sun and the moon. Abaye said: This does not include the sun and the moon, as the Torah prohibited only the fashioning of an image of all four faces of the creatures of the Heavenly Chariot together (see Ezekiel, chapter 1). However, all other images, which are not the likeness of the ministering angels, are permitted…

“Rav Huna, son of Rav Idi, said: From a lecture of Abaye I heard that there is a different reason why one may not form an image of a human face, as the verse states: “You shall not make with Me [iti]” (Exodus 20:19). This can be read as: You shall not make Me [oti]. Since man is created in the image of God, it is prohibited to form an image of a human being…

“Isn’t it taught in another baraita that the verse: “You shall not make with Me gods of silver” (Exodus 20:19), teaches that you shall not make images of My attendants that serve before Me on high, for example, ofanim and seraphim and the sacred ḥayyot and the ministering angels…

“Isn’t it taught in a baraita: “You shall not make for yourself any graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:3). The phrase “that is in heaven” comes to include the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations. The term “above” serves to include the ministering angels. Apparently, it is prohibited to form an image even of the celestial bodies found in the lower Heaven.” (Sefaria.org translation)

How literal the Jewish community observed the second commandment of not making any images depended upon their era. Coins minted by Jews dating from the Hasmonean and Herodian periods are all aninconi. No human face ever appears on them. Flora and objects like anchors decorate these coins. However, there are ancient synagogues from 300-500 C.E. that do have images. The Bet Alpha synogogue has a mosaic floor which depicts the binding of Isaac, the zodiac, and Helios the sun god riding in his chariot (?!) (for photo: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x151c59a3a84c1001%3A0x4a986ec0ac69c94e!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOiGX4g4UzHUgqtPkSxDgplPjxmAvb9mzCeS2H0%3Dw284-h160-k-no!5sbet%20alpha%20synagogue%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipOiGX4g4UzHUgqtPkSxDgplPjxmAvb9mzCeS2H0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj54cXKg_rzAhXhhOAKHUcQChYQoip6BAhAEAM and for an article: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/beit-alpha) The Dura-Europos synagogue that has a mural depicting different biblical stories. (https://www.google.com/search?q=dura+europos+synagogue&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS915US915&sxsrf=AOaemvJasNp2WJRf2GCTJ-VqAz7OoPTdKw%3A1635868105349&ei=yV2BYbnZFOGJggfHoKiwAQ&oq=Du+synagogue&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIGCAAQBxAeMgYIABAHEB4yBggAEAcQHjIGCAAQBxAeMgYIABAHEB4yBggAEAcQHjIGCAAQBxAeMgYIABAHEB4yBggAEAcQHjIGCAAQBxAeOgcIIxCwAxAnOgcIABBHELADOg0ILhDHARCvARANEJMCOggIABAIEA0QHjoICAAQBxAKEB46CgguEMcBEK8BEA06BggAEA0QHjoICAAQDRAKEB46CAgAEAgQBxAeOgcIABCxAxBDOg0IABCABBCHAhCxAxAUOgUIABCRAjoFCAAQgAQ6CwguEIAEEMcBEK8BOgoIABCxAxCDARBDSgQIQRgAULQgWOxBYKt1aAFwAngAgAHbAYgBpAiSAQU4LjIuMZgBAKABAcgBCcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz)

The Shulkhan Arukh takes a more stringent approach. See Yoreh De'ah 141:4, 6-8) Obviously, modern Jewish artists take a more liberal approach.