The Origin of Light

B"H

Last Shabbat, the new annual Torah cycle has started with SEFER BERESHIT. This Shabbat we already read Parashat NOACH. 

For the past few days, I have been busying myself by going through commentaries, the Torah as well as the Talmud and Midrash. I simply love Bereshit and Noach and all what creation and life is about, we find in Parashat Bereshit. Of course, we will never find satisfying answers on what the GAN and EDEN, the Trees and Neshamot of Adam and Eve (Chava) were all about but it is a fascinating subject. 

There are plenty of opinions and commentaries and, unfortunately, many Jews study all the Parashot but maybe not into such depths as Bereshit should be studied.

Could Planet Mars be our new home ?

B"H

The famous physician Stephen Hawking once said that mankind has detroyed planet Earth and must now search for another planet to settle. As our climate, nature and resources go down the drain, mankind should move into space as soon as possible. A new potential home for us could be planet Mars.

According to the Torah, G - d gave us planet Earth because this planet would be good for us. As a matter of fact, our planet provides us with everything we need: Oxygen, climate, nature, gravity, resources and a protective shield. Without this protective shield we would be vulnerable to meteorites and magnetic fields. Just look at the Moon where meteorites hit the surface on a regular basis (causing tons of craters).

Although Mars may a bit similar to Earth, our live would be extremely different from the one on Earth. Not only because of the drop in temperature. 

If G - d had intended that mankind should live on different planets, He surely would have taken care of everything we need in order to survive. However, He didn't and the Torah is only referring to planet Earth. 

I am not at all against Astronomy. Just the opposite and I love dealing with the subject. Reading everything about science and astronomy is one of my favourite hobbies and whenever I find the time, I surf around on different sites and watch all kinds of space videos. In Judaism, science and Torah are going hand in hand and I wish that more Yeshivot started teaching science. The Rambam and the Ramban knew science and already Avraham dealt wth the stars. Let alone the Talmud Tractate Rosh Hashana where you find all kinds of astronomical explanations. Now NASA has started its CURIOSITY project exploring Mars in detail. Although I love reading everything about it and looking at photos, I would never pack up my stuff and move to Mars.:-)

The G - D PARTICLE has been found

B"H

CERN announced that the G - d Particle has been found. Scientists think that they now know the secret of how the universe was created. I am just wondering if they also know what exactly caused a cosmic blast in the middle of nothingness. Before the universe was created, there was nothing. As the Arizal tells us: There was only G - d alone and nothing else. No matter but only G - d. Meaning, not even an empty hole or space besides G - d. 

Chabad likes to meditate on concepts and regarding this nothingness, I guess this is the only thing we can do. Meditate, as otherwise, we are not able to graps what a complete nothingness means. 

This is the reason for me asking whether the scientists also have an answer about the cause of the blast out of this nothingness. Was it just a simple reaction of protons and neutrons ? But how could they exist in a huge "space" of nothingness when there was only G - d ?

Source: NASA

Scientific Proof of G - d

B"H

Dr. Gerald Schroeder proving G - d and Creation according to the laws of physics 

The G - d Particle

ALIENS in Judaism

B"H

The movie ALIENS 2 with Sigourney Weaver is one of my favourite movies. How about aliens who are more similar to mankind than those monsters surrounding the actress Sigourney Weaver in her ALIEN movies ? The little green men, for instance. Did G - d maybe create more worlds with humans ? If so, then how about us ? Maybe it isn't only us receiving a Torah ? Are their more Jews out in space ?

The Talmud teaches us about 18,000 further worlds / planets as well as about the planet MEROZ. SEFER HABRIT by Rabbi Pinchas Eliyahu Horowitz (18 century) teaches that MEROZ is an inhabited planet in outer space.

After many years of studying Judaism, I have purchased quite a few books. You may call it a small library. Among my books you can find "SEFER HABRIT" and besides planet Meroz, it teaches a lot about planets like the Moon, the Sun, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Mercury. There is a lot to write on the subject but have you ever thought about G - d creating other nations on different planets ? What about those people on Meroz, if they really exist ? Rabbi Horowitz states that those people do not have any free will, as we do.

In my Yeshiva days, one of the students asked the question about aliens created by G - d. Our teacher said that if there are any aliens, they did not get the Torah but only the Jews. I believe that and I am not too keen on meeting any alien. 

Link:

Parallel Universes in Judaism

Only 4 % of the Universe are known to us

B”H

Can you imagine that no one has an explanation for 96 % of the universe ? Only 4 % of the universe consist of galaxies, planets and stars. The other 96 % consist of “Dark Energy” and “Dark Matter”. We are neither able to feel nor to comprehend those two “existences”, "causes", “substances” or whatever you would like to call them.

Link:

Gerald Schroeder and the "Age of the Universe"

Beyond our human Understanding

Photo: NASA

B”H

Many many times I have been explaining that in Judaism we define G – d as an eternal being without form and matter. As a matter of fact, we humans don’t know who G – d really is. No one is able to describe or understand His being because He created us humans with a limited understanding. Not that we are stupid but G – d decided not to give is the ability of understanding the entire universe and everything going on. Therefore it seems totally ridiculous and unnecessary that certain people try to understand everything. Try to figure out the last mysteries of creation and the most hidden mystic sides of G – d. When our understanding is limited anyway, why bother and running after something we wouldn’t grasp ?

G – d created anything in our universe and nothing is happening without Him knowing it.

Nevertheless, there are Jews who keep on asking the question “How did everything look before creation ?” The ARIZAL, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, taught (see SEFER ETZ CHAIM) that there was no existence besides G – d. Most of us understand this statement as follows: “There was G – d (whatever He is or however He looks) and then there must have been this darkness in a space. Space must have existed and, somehow, G – d was waving around inside this space until He created our universe”.

This understanding is wrong and we humans have a problem grasping the word / concept of NOTHINGNESS. Somehow we are unable of imagining a complete nothingness. Before creation, there was no black hole, no universe, no darkness in a space together with G – d. There was only G – d and darkness was created by Him much later. Only G – d was filling out whatever there was.

Of course, we are curious about all of this. What actually happened before creation ? Who is G – d ? Is He located within our universe or somewhere else beyond ? If G – d is beyond our universe, is there another universe beyond our universe ? Does our universe have walls or an end ? By the way, NASA could send as many spaceships and astronauts as it wants but science tells us that no human would ever make it until the end of the universe. The reason is that such a trip to the “end of the universe” would take much much longer than an astronaut’s average lifetime.

The famous Talmudic commentator Me’iri asked the question how humans can keep on asking those questions about creation when we are unable to understand the answers due to our limited human understanding. Isn’t the entire investigation a waste of time ?

The Maharal of Prague stated (in a commentary on Talmud Chagigah 11) that it is totally ridiculous investigating why G – d created us humans with two legs and not with three or four legs. Would we ever find an answer ? In order to find one we needed to interview G – d and this is impossible. The Maharal suggested that there is one thing we can do: We should appreciate our human existence on two legs !

Is Atlantis on Google Earth ?

B"H

The great secret ATLANTIS and the eternal search of people finding this former perfect island. Gold, wealth, happy inhabitants - Until today, thousands of people keep on dreaming of Atlantis. Of finding the ancient paradise and getting a glimpse of a perfect life but do we rally need Atlantis in order to be happy ? Or shouldn't we rather concentrate on finding our own Atlantis inside of us instead of looking for external happiness ?

There is a theory that the ancient population of Atlantis were the descendants of the Biblical Cain. An almost hightech society and more advanced than anyone else in the world. However, the island somehow got to a certain point where G - d decided its destruction. If this is really true and the former people of Atlantis were the children of Cain, then we should stop dreaming about us living in Atlantis. 

Scientists are researching the Dead Sea

B"H

The national religious site ARUTZ 7 brings an interesting article: Israeli scientists are drilling a 1200 meter deep hole into the Dead Sea in order to find out about the history of the lake. When we look at the Torah, we should already know about the history, as it tells us in the Parashot Lech Lecha and Vayera. 

In the days when Avraham fought the Kings who had kidnapped his nephew Lot, the Dead Sea didn't even exist. On the contrary, in the days of the war against the Kings and the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrha, the Dead Sea used to be a fruitful valley. Only after the destruction of Sodom, the valley turned into a salty sea as we know it today. 

I am excited to see whether the Torah will be proven true once again.

The Sun and its Eruptions

Photo: NASA

The World was created in Tishrei

B"H


The Talmud Tractate Rosh HaShana 10b teaches that Rabbi Eliezer said that the world was created in the "Jewish" month of Tishrei. However, this statement would only refer to the creation of mankind (Adam HaRishon and Chava) but not to the creation of the world itself. The real birthday of the world, so to speak, is five days earlier: On 25 Elul (this Shabbat).


Talmud Rosh HaShana mentions disputes about the true month of creation. One Rabbi claims that it was Nissan, others say it was Tishrei. One explanation of solving this dispute is the opinion of the Ohr HaChaim (any many further commentators) that G - d thought about a creation in the month of Nissan and in Tishrei or Elul, He took action.


The Gemara (rabbinic discussions) in Rosh HaShana 11a asks: "From where do we know that the world was created in Tishrei ?"
Answer: For it is stated:

And G - d said - Let the land be covered with vegetation - herbage yielding seed, trees of fruit.

This verse implies that at the moment of creation the fields were already covered with vegetation, and the trees already laden with mature fruit.
This is implied in the phrase "be covered with vegetation", which suggests a land thickly overspread with mature vegetation, and in the words "trees of fruit", which connote trees laden with mature fruit (Rashi and Maharsha).
And which month a tree is laden with mature fruit ? In Tishrei.

The Gemara in Rosh HaShana 11a brings a proof:
The newly created world required rain and, indeed, rains fell and plants came forth as it is stated:

And a mist arose from the earth

and watered the whole surface of the soil.

We see that creation took place at the rainy season, which comes in Tishrei.

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There are many further opinions / commentaries on that Talmud teaching. As a matter of fact, the real meaning of the entire creation process is not known to us. We can interpret the Torah content on the subject but our mind just cannot grasp of what G - d did, why and how. How create our whole universe from NOTHING ? Only creating with THOUGHT !
I think it was Aristotle (described in the "Moreh Nevuchim - Guide for the Perplexed" of the Rambam) who claimed that something had existed before creation and that this something was used in order to create our universe. 

What was G - d doing before He created the world including us humans ?

I don't understand the famous statement that He created us, the world, the Jews, in order to show His kindness. It rather sounds like a weak excuse for having to say "I don't know ".  

Once the Rabbis studied Philosophy and Science

From today's "Yediot Acharonot"

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

Parts of Israel's haredi (ultra - Orthodox) society has been questioning its own education system for years. There are Haredim who would like to go tand study at a university; become a doctor or a scientist but Israeli universities don't accept anyone with a Talmud Torah or Beit Yaakov degree. Haredi schools don't teach too much; the girls, however, learn still a bit more than the boys but not enough to enter the academic world.

Last night, the haredi radio channel "Kol BaRamah" referred to the haredi education problem and Knesset member Eliezer Moses (Chassidut Vishnitz) as well as the Meretz politician Horowitz were interviewed. Even Rabbi Moses admitted that most Haredim today have no basic knowledge in general education let alone in science. The left - winger Horowitz said that all Israelis need a basic knowledge in order to find a job.

I am the opposite of Meretz but, in this case, Horowitz is right. Just look at Rabbi Kook, the Vilna Gaon, the Abarbanel, the Rambam, the Ramban or the last Lubavitcher Rebbe. They all studied science and philosophy. Today, many Rabbis claim that philosophy would take religious people away from religion. However, G - d provided each of us with a special talent and we should use it. Why should a haredi woman not 

become a doctor ? Why an Israeli Haredi not a physician ?

People are usually not led away from religion but to me it looks as if certain Rabbis are only interested in keeping their power.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot in Jerusalem

B"H

"Tikkun Leil Shavuot" is a famous tradition on the night of Shavuot. Jerusalem is full of different study offers on Tuesday night. People usually eat their festive meal and then stream out to study somewhere. Within the past few years, the tradition has also become very popular among secular Israelis. Personally, I very much prefer lectures in Hebrew and if possible, something halachic. Besides going to Mea Shearim on Erev Shavuot.

As I have already mentioned, the best Hebrew programmes in Jerusalems are taking place at the Great Synagogue as well as at the Yeshurun Synagogue in King George Street.

The present Chief Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Jonah Metzger, will speak at Yeshurun, and the former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Israel Lau, is going to speak at the Great Synagogue. Not only, as there will be plenty of other speakers but both Rabbis chose halachic issues.

The Menachem begin Center is offering a rather strange lecture as a Tikkun Leil Shavuot. The doctor of sociology, Sima Zalcberg, is going to talk about how, as a university researcher, she smuggled herself into the Toldot Aharon in order to write her doktorat (PhD). This happened some years ago and Ms. Zalcberg describes in her PhD., how she basically lied herself into the group in order to get some invitations for Shabbat. Her subject was "how the Toldot Aharon women shave their hair".

I spoke to Sima Zalcberg on the phone after I read her doktorat and here is the astonishing result:

http://shearim.blogspot.com/2008/02/does-science-justify-anything.html

As I said many times, I am against such Chutzpah using other people for one's own purposes. Furthermore, the lecture itself may give Christian missionaries or other people with negative goals ideas about how to make their way through. Sima Zalcberg has not much to say anyway. Before she actually went to the Toldot Aharon in a rather clumsy way, she read reports of how scientist make their way into African tribes. This says a lot about the quality of her doktorat where she refers to the women in Toldot Aharon as "subjects" and as "uneducated".

For those of you who are seriously interested in chassidic women shaving their hair after getting married:

Most chassidic women do shave their hair (Vishnitz, Belz, Satmar and many others). One doesn't need to sneak into the Toldot Aharon in order to collect information !

The Moon Flight as Analogy

B"H

From "Reaching the Moon" - The Lubavitcher Rebbe on Outer Space

By Rabbi Yitzchak Yehudah Rozen

The huge investment and effort to land on the moon is a metaphor for the flight of the Jewish soul hewn "from beneath the throne of glory" to the physical world, the lowest of the worlds.

The 385,000 kilometer flight from Earth to the moon is a normal rocket flight. In contrast, the descent of a soul from a state of being "bound in the bond of life of G - d" is a series of contradictions followed by an instantaneous drop into the physical material world where the Divine truth is concealed, to the point that it is possible for humans to transgress G - d's will. The descent of the soul is greater and more powerful in quality that the rocket flight from Earth to the moon or other planets.

Only G - d has the strength to send down a soul. Many spiritual forces are invested in descent of a soul to Earth, with no effort on our part. Everything must be carried out smoothly so a certain soul will enter a certain body precisely at the right time and place in order to enable the soul's fulfillment of its assigned task, to make this world a "tabernacle" and "temple of G - d".

A soul is sent to Earth in order to fulfill a well - defined goal. Even in days and hours given to it are precisely no less and no more than what is demanded of it to fulfill its assignment on Earth. The soul "descents for the purpose of ascending" in order to draw close to G - d - "the spirit returns to G - d who gave it".

All we have to do is to "push" the right buttons of the heart and mind by putting on Tefillin and wearing Zizit (ritual fringes) - for men - and excelling in Mitzvot (laws). The Holy One who sits on high will direct us through His control panel in the way He deems best.

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Source:

"B'Or HaTorah" scientific magazine from 1999

Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef's Decrees on Organ Donations, Kaddish and Suicide

B"H


The spiritual leader of the Shas party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, has declared in latest set of religious rulings that Jews who donate their bodies to science or commit suicide do not deserve to be mourned in the traditional Jewish way.


Yosef published recently a new volume in his well-known series of books under the title of Chazon Ovadia, which contains laws concerning Shabbat, medicine, burial rituals, holidays and other topics.


In the new volume, Rabbi Ovadia rules on topics focusing around mourning and burial practices relating to various irregular cases that go against the traditional Jewish law, such as donating one's organs, cremation, and suicide.
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"He who donates his body to science, to have his organs dissected, even though his intention is to advance scientific research, he is committing a serious offense, and might be relinquishing the chance of resurrection of his soul and body, and therefore we must not mourn his death," Rabbi Ovadia wrote.

Robots celebrating a Passover Seder

B"H

The modern hightech way of celebrating a Seder:

The Surface of the Sun

Photo + Article: Bob Martin

B"H

One of the most popular philosophical questions is whether there is a G - d. Can there be a G - d with all the mess and disasters on earth ? Do we humans tend to look for a higher being in order to find some kind of orientation ? Are we just looking for an image in order to put a piece of meaning into our lives ?

The most popular answer among the Baal Teshuva movement is:

"Only us waking up in the morning is a proof that there is a G - d. Look at the stars, the moon, the sun, the entire universe. Who keeps everything alive ? 

Only G - d is able to do so".

The argument may sound a bit too easy. Enough to please Baalei Teshuva but could it really be true ?

Why not ?

In my free time (if there is any) I have been dealing as much as I can with astronomy. I am not one of those standing everywhere with a telescope but I do surf around the net and have a look at NASA or further scientific sites. By dealing with this kind of subject, I became more aware of what our universe means. How vulnerable it is and what an amazing level or perfection it must have taken to create it. By studying about the planets, the atmosphere and chemical elements in space one can easily come to the conclusion that this can only function because there is a perfect Creator (G - d).

Our planet was perfectly designed for us humans. Where else could we live ? Maybe on Mars but this is not as easy at it seems.

Planet Earth was created with a special atmosphere for us. A shield protecting us from meteorites and debris from space. We have water, air and food. Where else do you find this in the whole universe ?

Can everything just be an accident ? 

A Big Bang without any cause or goal ?

G - d's World

Photo: Taken from Weasel Zippers

B"H

The summit in Copenhagen is over and the world is back where it used to be before:

Heading towards destruction.

Our planet is falling apart but politicians do not hardly care and others even fall asleep. Catastrophe movies always show us that scientist keep on warning about disasters but the world refuses to listen. Not until the real disaster is right in front of us.

Today we do not need any further warnings, as proofs are already too obvious. The ice is melting and the water level is rising. In some years from today, parts of our coasts may be flooded. Lets look at New York or Tel Aviv. Just recently "National Geographic TV" showed the results of the melting poles. Huge parts of New York will soon be part of the sea. I suppose the same applies to Tel Aviv or to any country in the world. At the moment, the press is even going wild about snow in London and the freezing cold weather in Europe and the US.

However, there is another aspect of global warming. Is it only our fault or may something else help causing it ?

According to the Talmud (Sanhedrin), humankind will not exist forever. One day, after the arrival of Meshiach, our planet including the entire universe is going to disappear again. "Back to the time before Creation" where ONLY G - d exists alone and nothing else besides Him.

Our universe is vulnerable; stars come into existence and are also due to die. Once their energy is used up, the end of a star has arrived. And what about the sun ?

Scientists claim that the sun is heating up and thus causes another reason for our global warning. I am only asking myself where the entire topic shows up in the Prophets ? Is there any mentioning about destroying the environment or planets causing us problems in the Tanach ? Let alone in the Torah Codes.

Despite all warning, Copenhagen and floods, the world is going to continue as usual. Too much is at stake. Jobs, money, politics, personal interests. Many people can only be convinced when the disaster is right in front of their doorstep. And even if: I just watched the movie "2012" where whole continents were shifting and the majority of humanity died. Only a few rich people and some Chinese workers survived in arks.

If this is so, why should any high - ranking politician or wealthy businessman be worried. Lets build an ark and show who is the real "G - d".

By the way, in the movie "2012" the American President showed guts and refused to travel to the arks in China. Instead he was wiped out with his people. If Obama or anyone else would do the same ? Or do too many people already see themselves as G - d ?

G - d gave us Heaven and Earth

The Moon

B"H

NASA scientists discovered water on the moon. There would large quantities of water and I started asking myself how the water will remain in case mankind is going to move to the Moon. Have you ever heard about rain showers on the Moon ?

Moon or Mars, scientists keep on looking for a new home for us because one day, planet Earth may be so messed up and destroyed that we either cause our own destruction or start moving somewhere else in space. So far, the only planet suitable for us would be Mars. However, can it seriously be a solution just moving to another planet ? We turned the Earth into a wreck and now we are going to continue somewhere else ? Who could be in charge of dividing the new land / planet ? The Arabs, Capitalists, Communists, Obama, the Pope, the UN or a Chief Rabbi ?

Lets just have a look at Mars:

Who wants to live there and how ? Living in a cave and facing the greatest dust storms ? A thin atmosphere and no magnetic field protecting us from asteorids ?

Or the Moon with a temperature of - 153 degrees Celsius ? This makes Alaska look like a tropical island. The Moon is covered by craters caused by asteorids constantly hitting the surface. No magnetic shield = no protection against anything flying in. Furthermore, the Moon is 384,403 km (or 238,857 miles) far away from the Earth. Nevertheless, it is the only planet where humans ever landed.

No matter how destroyed our present planet is, I am going to stay !

G - d gave us this planet because it is perfect for humans. The right atmosphere, seasons, water and a magnetic field / shield protecting us from many incoming space objects.

Of course, science and advanced technology makes anything possible but instead of looking for a new home, we should rather try saving our "old" one. Who says that G - d wants us to live somewhere else ?