The rabbi knows best part 3 – An article review E

Continuing my critique of a speech given by rabbi Aryeh Kaplan called “The Age of the Universe: A Torah True Perspective” and it can be found here. It was published by Reuven Meir Caplan.

So Kaplan carries on.

One problem is that many people have taken a stand on this. When people take a stand on something, it is very hard for them to change their mind. (page 8)

I agree with this. But Kaplan’s position is always that this issue is not one to take a stand on although his criteria for advising people not to do so is, at last to me, questionable. “It’s history not law so there’s no authoritative decision.” So God neither creates the universe, nor did he take the children of Israel out of Egypt. That’s history, right?

For the next few paragraphs, rabbi Kaplan goes through instances where Jewish books were written stating that the Torah position is so and so but the “correct” position was something else. He refers to the geocentric universe and space travel above and beyond earth’s body of air, the so called “atmosphere”. Both of these are instances where Kaplan believes Jews painted themselves into “an intellectual corner.” I believe he only uses these examples because he believes a geocentric universe and “no outer space to traverse” are factually incorrect positions and he feels Jews were wrong to make these Torah standards.

But the footnote of the publisher of this speech actually corrects the rabbi with regards to geocentricity.

This opinion should not necessarily be scoffed at. For it should be noted, that according to the theory of relativity, there in no preferred reference point. That is, any point in space and time is as “centered” as any other (although much easier to understand when looked at in some reference frames than others.) In fact, according to modern cosmology, every square speck of space was present at the moment of creation of the universe, and therefore every point in space is the “center” of the universe. Now since every point is in a way, the center of the universe, the only possible difference between different positions would be on a spiritual level. Therefore, to say that right now, the Earth is the center of the universe is technically a true statement according to the current laws of physics. (footnote 3, page 8)

I do not share this as an endorsement of Einstein’s theories of relativity, but rather to show that in popular (pseudo)science, the sort of “science” that Kaplan should have been aware of, the statement “the earth is the unmoving centre of the universe” is a valid statement because odd relativity.

And it should be known that ever since it was claimed that man went into space and onto the moon, that the claim has been doubted, and questioned, and even rejected, with notions of the vacuum of outer space being challenged by the second law of thermodynamics.

The problem here is that where a person should take a stand is a difficult question. When it comes to the Torah, there will be a difference in opinion as to what the standard should be. Maybe rabbi Kaplan wants Judaism to be inclusive to points of view that treat science as if it is the absolute truth that the Torah must bend to. Unfortunately his inclusive view must alienate Jews and others who don’t hold science as a purveyor of absolute truth but rather the Torah.

So to summarise, Kaplan’s view of where one should take a stand is very different to other rabbis, just as his view on the solidity of the dictates and opinions of modern scientists differs from those more knowledgable of the nature and philosophy of science.

To be continued.

PS. Also based on the works of Rabbi Manechem Schneerson, found in the article, “Theories of Evolution” at https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112083/jewish/Theories-of-Evolution.htm

and

How The Days of Creation Were Understood by Our Sages–Revised found at https://slifkin-opinions.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html?m=1