"I know all about astronomy," insisted the rabbi. "Tvinkle, tvinkle little stah."
11 Comments Posted
Humans have a done a very good job explaining and even predicting natural occurences. The sorts of phenomena that so-called science tries to understand are empirical. Every theory is usually a modification of another more crude theory that establishes a better explanation, and consequently and more convenient way to predict the future of events. Humans have also manufactured (for a much longer time) countless organized efforts to explain why the universe exists. These organized efforts have traditionally been developed into things we now define as ancient religions. (Note that there are virtually no modern day religions...not since modern day science has burgeoned.)
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Yasher Koach for your lucid progression of ideas, I think I managed to follow the train of thought all the way till the end, where when I thought I could not absorb one more question without the necessary (and obvious) answer, my head would split! I'd love to read more articles like this on Chabad.org
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we are learning about this is bio class
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What a beautiful article! It is unfortunate that more people do not understand that you don't have to discount science to believe in G-d. They are not mutually exclusive....
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The whole essay about the autumn colors was wonderful. As a retired chemist I wrote a presentation about global warming which showed the help from photosynthesis by plants to give us oxygen- thought I should mention this contribution of science to hope, which so often it fails to contribute. The burning of fuels takes oxygen and gives carbon dioxide. You mentioned the carbon dioxide making food! This is photosynthesis.
Most of the science in the chabad.org article was pretty wondrous to me and helped me to see the hope and power of G-d. Thank you.
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My brother sent me the article. I want to publicly thank him for doing so. Though thoroughly enjoyable reading, I will remain an unobservant Jew, for now. I say "for now," because based on my brother's late in life transformation, anything is possible. Indeed, given how he lived his life up until a few years ago it is something of a miracle that he now studies Torah.
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I liked your article but so much of it is spent on the "hows" of science, so little on the "whys" of Torah. You should have mentioned the Kabbalistic/Chassidic understanding of God's general desire for this physical world, His generosity in allowing us to participate with Him in its ongoing creation, the advantage to us & rewards associated with connecting to the higher than infinite God, an impossibility without His having told us how in His Torah, given in the presence of 3.5 million people, etc., etc. To just say that the why of creation is to be holy isn't appealing enough, at least to me.
The Torah's explanation (in Jewish mysticism) of why there's a creation is too relevant to the purpose of our own existence to overlook it within the context of an article specifically addressing this profound subject.
Being an ignoramus, however, relative to rabbis and great rabbis, my comments are submitted respectful of your superior knowledge.
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If Chabad is prepared to allow this article in its web site, where does it leave their usual idea that the earth is around 5000 years old?
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this is a brilliant article and very well written. it could be used as the opening statement for a debate. thank you very much
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.I did read this article and was very impressed I do love it when people can write like this. I often wondered thou who would come up with the answer in detail about this subject? On one hand you have the blind Rabbi and on the other hand you have the blind Scientist. In every day life we just can't count on having everything about our bodies working just right.Lets just think about this match up, who could come up with answer the fastest. I am just going to say the Rabbi because in life we sometimes must feel for our environment. Calculating nature is money job, but truly having a feel for our world can leave us blind but thankful. When it gets to the heart of the matter both human beings should come up with the same answer and agree with no doubt, A-men to that!
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