The seventh chapter mentions the exact distances of the planets from the Earth: the moon is considered the nearest; Saturn, the most distant.
Steinschneider correctly characterizes the Baraita as somewhat fantastic in its conception of the construction of the world, containing Talmudic elements, but uninfluenced by Greco-Arabic science.
Its unscientific, half-mystic tendency caused it to be thrust aside in the Orient through the rising Arabic science, while in Europe, especially in France and Germany, it was regarded with special respect.
From constituents of the Baraita joined with various elements of mysticism originated the kabbalistic cosmography, first presented by the Book of Raziel, and which appears in later works influenced by the latter.
This is hardly based on a tradition, but rather is due to a combination of the name "Samuel" with Shmuel ha-Katan, who is mentioned as possessing knowledge of the Ibbur.
The portions of the Baraita now existing prove clearly that the two are fundamentally different; neither diction, subject, character, nor aim of the two works bearing any resemblance.
Zunz supposes that the astronomic chapters in PdRE originally had a slightly varying form from that of the Baraita, and that portions from each found their way into the other.