Aliens and Judaism Sourcesheet

Aliens and Judaism

Sourcesheet by Aryeh Sklar

Star Wars

Judges 5:23

א֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ ה' אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֚י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת ה' לְעֶזְרַ֥ת ה' בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים:

‘Curse you Meroz,' said the messenger of the Lord, 'curse you bitterly (you) inhabitants thereof,' because they came not to the aid of the Lord, to the aid of the Lord against the mighty.

Moed Katan 16a

Some say that [Meroz] was a great man. And others say that it was a star, as it is stated: “The stars fought from heaven; in their courses they fought against Sisera,” (Judges 5:20).

איכא דאמרי גברא רבה הוה ואיכא דאמרי כוכבא הוה שנאמר (שופטים ה, כ) מן שמים נלחמו הכוכבים

Shita LeTalmid R”I miParis on Moed Katan 16a

Others say that it was a star: Meroz was the name of a star, which did not come to fight against Sisera like the other stars did. “Its inhabitants” refers to the great aid of other stars who would have come for Meroz, and since Meroz didn’t come, they all didn’t come.

ואיכא דאמרי כוכבא הוה: אותו מרוז היה שם כוכב אחד שלא בא להלחם עם סיסרא כמו שעשו שאר הכוכבים דכת' הכוכבים ממסלותם וגו' ויושביה דקא' סיעה גדולה של כוכבים אחרים היתה לו לאותו מרוז ולפי שלא בא הוא לא באו גם כולם

Psalm 68:18

רכב אלקים רבתים אלפי שנאן

The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands

Psalm 145:13

Thy kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

מלכותך מלכות כל עלמים וממשלתך בכל דור ודור

Genesis Rabbah 9:2

It is written (Ecclesiastes), ‘He made all in its proper time.’… R’ Avahu said: We see from here that God created worlds and destroyed them, created worlds and destroyed them, until he created these and said, ‘This is good for me, those were not good for me.’ R’ Pinchas said: R’ Avahu based himself on the verse, ‘And God saw all that He had created, and it was very good’ - This good for me, those were not good for me.

את הכל עשה יפה בעתו... א"ר אבהו מכאן שהקב"ה היה בורא עולמות  מחריבן בורא עולמות ומחריבן עד שברא את אלו אמר דין הניין לי יתהון לא הניין לי, אמר רבי פנחס טעמיה דרבי אבהו וירא אלקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד, דין הניין לי, יתהון לא הניין לי.

Rashi on Genesis 1:1

Elokim created: It does not say “Hashem created” (like it does in Gen. 2, “Hashem Elokim”), because at first, it arose in His mind to create with His attribute of strict law (Elokim), but He saw that the world could not endure. So He preceded it with the attribute of mercy (Hashem), and joined it with the attribute of strict law (Elokim), and this is why it is written (Gen. 2:4), “On the day that Hashem Elokim made the sky and the land.”

ברא א-להים: ולא אמר ברא ה', שבתחלה עלה במחשבה לבראתו במדת הדין, ראה שאין העולם מתקיים, הקדים מדת רחמים ושתפה למדת הדין, היינו דכתיב (להלן ב ד) ביום עשות ה' א-להים ארץ ושמים:

Tikkunei Zohar Introduction, 14b

(Daniel 12:3) "Those who bring the multitudes to righteousness are like the stars forever and ever." The stars certainly cannot be counted, for every star is its own world, and this is what it means (Song of Songs 8:6) "alamot without number." Read it "worlds" (olamot), not "maidens" (alamot), since the righteous are like the stars and each one has a star of his own.

ומצדיקי הרבים בה יהון ככוכבים לעולם ועד, ככוכבים ודאי דלית לון חושבנא, דכל כוכבא וכוכבא אתקרי עלמא יחידא, ודא הוא ועלמות אין מספר. ואלין עלמות אל תקרי אלא עולמות ובגין דצדיקייא אינון כככבים וכל חד אית ליה ככב

Mishna Oktzin 3:12

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will bequeath to each and every righteous person three hundred and ten worlds, as the verse says, (Proverbs 8:21), "To bequeath substance [literally: 'yesh,' the numerical value of which is three-hundred and ten] to My loved ones, and I shall fill their treasuries."

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַנְחִיל לְכָל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת וַעֲשָׂרָה עוֹלָמוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח), לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא.

Leviticus Rabbah 18:1, Exodus Rabbah 52:3, Ecclesiastes Rabbah 12:5

(Ecclesiastes 12:5) "When a man goes to his world." It says "his world", not "the eternal world (the next world", teaching you that every righteous person gets a world of his own.

(קהלת יב, ה): כִּי הֹלֵךְ הָאָדָם אֶל בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ, בֵּית הָעוֹלָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ עוֹלָם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ

Avodah Zarah 3b

The Gemara asks: And during the twelve hours of the night, what does God do? If you want, say similar to the day, i.e., God performs the same activities as in the day. And if you wish, say instead that He rides on his light cherub and flies in eighteen thousand worlds, as it is stated: “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even [shinan] thousands” (Psalms 68:18). Do not read it as even [shinan], rather read it as: That which are not [she’einan].

ובליליא מאי עביד איבעית אימא מעין יממא ואיבעית אימא רוכב על כרוב קל שלו ושט בשמונה עשר אלף עולמות שנאמר רכב אלקים רבותים אלפי שנאן אל תקרי שנאן אלא שאינן ]כלו' חסרים]

Rav Chasdai Crescas, Ohr Adonai 4:2

Among them: However the world was created, whether by desire or requirement, why couldn't the desire or requirement include another world or worlds, beyond this one? Among them: According to our explanation that the world was created at [Divine] desire, to provide good and favour, it is clear that the desire to provide good has no stinginess, and adding worlds would add to the provision of goodness. It is possible, then, that there could be many worlds. Among them: Multiplicity exists only in entities which are vulnerable to deterioration, like animals and plants. This indicates that multiplicity is only to preserve species, which is why non-deteriorating entities do not have multiplicity. Since the world cannot deteriorate, this mandates that there be no multiplicity. Among them: The Creator of all existence is One, in the purest sense, and so it would be suitable for that which exists to be one. This is because of the accepted point that a pure One should only create a pure one. It is also because the great perfection of something which exists and is influenced is to resemble that which influences, to the extent possible. Since it is true that none of the reasons we presented, positive or negative, are sufficient grounds to determine the truth, and what they provide is only the possibility of multiplicity, it is appropriate that we not distance the lesson of some of our Sages, from Avodah Zarah 3b, "This teaches that He travels among 18,000 worlds," meaning that His supervision travels among those worlds.

מהם, שאיך שיהיה שהוית העולם, אם שהיתה רצונית או מחויבת, מה המונע שלא לחול הרצון או החיוב בעולם אחר או עולמות זולת זה? מהם, כי למה שהתבאר שהוית העולם רצונית, על צד ההטבה והחנינה, והוא מבואר, שאין שם כילות וצרות עין להיטיב, כל אשר יוסיף בעולמות יוסיף בהטבה, ולזה כבר יתכן, שיהיו בכאן עולמות רבים. ומהם, כי למה שלא נמצא רבוי אישים אלא באישים ההוים הנפסדים, כמו בבעלי חיים ובצמחים; הנה יראה, שהרבוי בהם לתכלית שמירת המין לבד; ולזה היו האישים הבלתי נפסדים, בלתי נמצא בהם רבוי. ויתחיב אם כן, שהעולם, אחר שהתבאר היותו בלתי נפסד, שלא יהיה בו רבוי. ומהם, כי למה שהפועל למציאות הוא אחד בתכלית הפשיטות, כבר יראה, שהנמצא ראוי להיות אחד. אם למה שהוסכם עליו, שמהאחד הפשוט לא יתחייב אלא אחד פשוט, ואם למה שכבר יראה, שהשלמות הגדול לנמצא הנאצל — שיתדמה בכל מה שאפשר למאציל ובאשר היה זה כן, והוא, שכבר התבאר שאין בכל הטענות שזכרנו, אם לצד החיוב ואם לצד השלילה, שיתן האמת בדרוש; ומה שהתבאר מהם היא אפשרות הרבוי לבד, הנה ראוי שלא נרחיק מה שבא בדרש לקצת רז״ל. אמרם בראשון מע״ז ג: ״מלמד ששט בי״ח אלף עולמות״. והכונה בו, שהשגחתו משוטטת בכל העולמות ההם

Sefer HaBris (R. Pinhas Eliyahu Horwitz, 1797)

Therefore, it is my opinion that there are inhabited worlds. But that which [the scientists] say, that their worlds are exactly like ours, with no change in physical nature, and the creatures have free will, and the animals and plants and the like live and die, that is just falsehood… One who believes in that is called “a gullible simpleton who believes everything.”

"לכן דעתי שיש בהם ישוב והן עולמות... ומה שאמרו שהם וכל אשר בהם כמו זה העולם ממש, בלי שנוי בטבעו, ובהם בעלי בחירה, ובהמה וצמח ודומם הווים ונפסדים, בזה דברו לשון שקר... והמאמין ככה נקרא פתי יאמין לכל דבר

R. David Neito, 1654-1728, England

[How could big rabbis learn science, which can be against the Torah?] Rabbi Meir [of the Talmud] ate the nut and threw away the shell [in reference to learning from Elisha ben Avuya]. So too should we deal with the knowledge of the nations, for anything against our holy and pure Torah, whether written or oral Torah, we will cast it away and consider it abominable, for it is forbidden. But that which is not against its words or interpretations, there is permission for any Jewish man to accept it or reject it according to his mind. Therefore, since there is no problem accepting that planets that revolve are worlds with living beings on them, a person would be right to accept it. Indeed, it might even fit with Chazal’s intent when they wrote at the end of Mishna Oktzin that in the future, God will bequeath to each righteous person three hundred and ten worlds.

ר' מאיר אגוז מצא תוכו אכל קליפתו זרק. וכן ראוי לנו לעשות בסברות חכמי האומות, שכל מה שהוא מנגד לתורתנו הקדושה והתמימה בין שבכתב בין שבעל פה שקץ תשקצנו ותעב תתעבנו כי חרם הוא, אבל מה שאינו נגד דבריה ולא נגד פירושה הרשות ביד כל איש ישראל להאמין או למאן בו לפי שכלו. ובכן כיון שאין שטן ואין פגע רע להאמין שכל הכוכבים בין המהלכים בין הקובעים בגלגל השמיני הם עולמות אשר בהם מכל בעלי חיים, בצדקתה החזקת ולא ארפה. ואפשר שלזה כיוונו רז"ל כשכתבו בסוף מסכת עוקצין עתיד הקב"ה הוא להנחיל לכל צדיק וצדיק שלש מאות ועשרה עולמו.

Rabbi Judah Barzilai (12th century), commentary on Sefer Yetzirah

Eighteen thousand worlds were created - It’s possible that this world is most beloved by God from all the other worlds, because perhaps He did not give them the Torah. And it’s also possible that the creatures on those planets have no sin like we do. And its possible that those creatures are angelic spirits, who were created for His honor. Or it is possible they are close to be angelic, and have no sin, since they have no evil inclination.

יח אלף עלמות שברא... שאפשר שזה העולם חביב לפניו יותר מכל שאר העלמות כי אולי באותן השאר עולמות לא נתן להם תורה... ואולי אפשר נמי לומר כי באותן היח עולמות אין בהם בריות בחטא ועון כמו באלה ואולי אותן הבריות מלאכים רוחות הן שברא המקום לכבודו או אולי קרובים להן והן בלא חטא שאין יצר הרע שולט בהן...

R. Aryeh Kaplan, “On Extraterrestial Life”

Once we know that the stars and their planets were created as an abode for the Tzaddikim, we might naturally wonder how they will be transported to them. However, the Talmud even provides an answer to this question. Discussing the passage (Isaiah 40:31), "They shall mount up with wings as eagles," the Talmud states (Sanhedrin 92b) that in the Future World, God will grant the Tzaddikim wings to escape the Earth. The Zohar goes a step further and states that "God will give them wings to fly through the entire universe." In a way, this teaching predicts the event of space travel. But more than that, it provides us with at least one of the reasons why space flight would be inevitable as part of the prelude to the Messianic age. This, of course, could bring us to a general discussion of the role of modern technology in Torah hashkafah (perspective), a lengthy subject in its own right.

Rav Kook, Lenevuchei Hador 5

It would certainly not become too crowded for everybody, because with the increase in gradual perfection of humanity, we would discover easily ways to settle on innumerable other planets and galaxies.

המקום ודאי לא יהיה צר לבני אדם. כי ברב ההשתלמות ההדרגית יתגלו עוד בנקל דרכים להתיישב בכוכבים רבים ועולמות אין מספר.

Rabbi Yonatan Eybeshutz, Tiferet Yehonatan on Noach

And Hashem smelled the sweet smell, and Hashem said to His heart, 'I will no longer curse the land because of man.'" This that is written 'to his heart' is because it was not the Will of Hashem to reveal that he would no longer destroy the world again, in order that the fear would be on mankind so that they would not do as the abominations of the generation of the Deluge, lest, forfend, a deluge come to the world. And this was the matter of the generation of the Dispersion, that they wished to construct a tower unto the heavens. For there is to understand -- were they such fools?! For if so, they would have needed a foundation, based on the science of architecture, to be wider than the globe of the earth! Rather, they judged, based on the science of nature, that all the rains descended from the steams and the mists which arose from the earth and the element of water. And from this came to be the clouds, and from their they poured forth their water. And the water did not come from the Heavens at all. And they already estimated, based on observation, that the measure of the clouds, which was from the thick mists which arise from the earth, was not higher than five mil at most. And if so, perforce the fine mists which distribute the water do not rise higher than that. For if they did rise higher than that, then even the clouds would be higher than that from the earth. And therefore, they thought to build a tower higher than the altitude of these clouds, and if so, it would be impossible for rain to fall upon them. And the language (in pasuk 4) of וְרֹאשׁוֹ בַשָּׁמַיִם is an exaggerated expression. However, it is known that in the sphere of the Moon there is also a place for settlement just as on the sphere of the Earth. And they already discovered the craft of flying, which is to make something like a mast {and sail) resting parallel to the width of the earth. And therefore, by virtue of the fact the the wind arises from the earth, and so too all the winds arising from the earth below. And therefore I have written that Noach did not travel in a ship to the sea in the middle of the ocean. For certainly the Deluge did not descend there. For what purpose would there be for a Deluge in the sea?  And if so, he should have gotten into a ship and not in an ark. And if they did not know how to construct a ship, Hashem should have instructed him the construction of a ship in place of the command of the ark. And even if we believe that the Ocean surrounds the world from edge to edge, like a pipe {tzinor}, such that on one side are the three parts of the world -- Asia, Africa, and Europe -- and on the other side is the New World which is called America. And if so, how could humans have come there before the Deluge to the New World without a ship? And if you say that there were no men there, then even the Deluge didn't descend there, for it would be to no purpose. And if so, what advantage does Eretz Yisrael have that it is called Pure because the water of the Deluge did not descend there? Behold even the New World is Pure, for the waters of the Deluge did not descend there! Rather, it is in accordance with what I wrote, that in the Deluge, all the power of the Earth was reduced such that the Wind did not go out at all from the earth. And if so, it was not possible for Noach to traverse the water in a ship in the sea of the Ocean, since in the place he was at the time of the Deluge, the Wind did not move, and it is not possible to move in the water without wind. And if so, that which I have written that the wind traveled from the earth below to above, it is fitting, that the vessel made in the craft of aviation, that the wind blows on the mast {sail} and the wind lifts up the vessel up and up, and it does not return further to the ground, but rather, it return to the ground is caused by the strong and thick wind close to the earth, which weighs down on the thing and compels {/drives} it to descend. And therefore, the engineer assays that via the explosive powder they call polvir {gunpowder} with great force of the explosive powder placed in a tube and shoots the ball which is placed within it such that it goes up and up until it reaches that place, and the ball {bullet?} does not descend all all down, for there is not found a ball at all on the ground, even though according to the natural way it would descend in a short amount of time. And from this they judge that the ball ascended first above the thick and murky air, via the force of the polvir. And when it is above it, it {=the thick air}prevents it afterwards from descending. And if so, if it is possible to bring all the flying vessels above this thick air, it is possible to travel in the wind up and up, until the sphere of the Moon, for the wind would continually lift it up to travel, and above, the wind moves mightily. And they have already written articles on how to make such a ship as this to travel to the Moon. But the main point is that this ship must first rise above this murky air. And this was the intent of the Generation of the Dispersion, as well. That they wished to establish their residence in the sphere of the Moon, for there they would be saved from a Deluge. And they figured out how to construct the aforementioned ship. However, how would they lift this ship above the murky air? And therefore they figured to build a tower, so tall that it was higher than that air. And from there, they would be able to utilize the aforementioned ship to travel in the air until the sphere of the Moon. And there was another group in the generation of the Dispersion who thought of another reason to build the tower. And this is that it is known that from the heavens to the earth, all of the airspace is filled with winds. For it is not possible that from the earth to the heavens is emptiness and a vacuum, and it is not within the realm of the understanding of a scholar to understand that they are so empty  to such an extent that there is no matter there. And if so, perforce there must be winds, and the winds which are close to the earth are thicker and coarser, while the winds which are closer to the heavens are lighter and purer and better. And the entire matter of the generation of the Deluge was before the Deluge, that they offered incense to these winds {/spirits} and they attached themselves to them, and via them they performed many {wondrous} things. And the winds {/spirits} lied to them, falsely assuring them that they would not drown in the waters of the Deluge. But in the generation of the Dispersion, they already saw that they had misled them, and also judged that these winds which were close to the ground did not have power and understanding. But they thought to build a higher than high tower, and there the winds are pure and clear, and if they offered incense to them, they would perform their will, for their force was strong. And in truth, there was in the generation of the Dispersal difference groups, one group thinking this and another group thinking that, as stated in the midrash. {Josh: probably the midrash discussing three different groups and purposes to building the tower, e.g. to wage war, etc.}And therefore it states וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אֶחָת, that is that all of them agreed with one accord to build the tower. Yet, וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים, {separate purposes}, that this one had this reason and that one had that reason. And at any rate, we know that they were afraid of the Deluge, and therefore they said that Bilaam went as a talebearer, revealing the secret of the hidden things of Hashem to the gentiles, and also this is reckoned as a curse for them. For the gentiles fenced themselves off in many ways for they were afraid of the Deluge, but Bilaam told them that Hashem already swore that he would not bring a Deluge to the world. And because of him, they returned to their evil ways. And therefore Hashem said it at first in His heart, so as not to cause a disgrace, such that they would have fear from a Deluge.