Dinosaurs and Children

Dr. Gotfryd,

I got your email from a friend.
What can I tell my 6 year old son about dinosaurs. He is asking about dinosaurs and I don't know what to tell him according to the Torah.

Thank You,
Esther H.

Esther,

Here's what I answer my kids: Either they went extinct, probably during the flood, or Hashem put the bones there. I don't know which.
Arnie

Arnie,

Thank you very much.
Esther

A Simple Equation

Arnie,
 
A simple equation flashed into my Binah zone the other day to explain the existence of G-d to a 5 year old, a 95 year old atheist, or whomever. One needn’t know Kabbalah, the ‘Friedmann Theory’ and it’s not even a parable! Let’s see if my Daat is working:

1. We all agree the world and the universe exist…even those who call it ‘Maya’ (illusion), the ‘illusion’ is still an illusion.

2. There are scientific explanations and theories ‘explaining’ how everything comes to exist, from babies to planets, to black holes. (Here comes the fun part)

3. So, as we know, all of this leads us to what is known as the Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang Theory is in itself a conglomerate of theories, ‘proofs’, formulas, etc. But all of this inevitably leads to the lack of a satisfactory answer as to how that ‘Primordial Atom’ or ‘Primal Matter’ which contained every bit of information regarding creation came to be ex-nihilo. If one insists that all creation is an accident, then still the components for this accident must come from something. Or Nothing. Because at some point…there had to be Nothing. And now, the magic formula that everyone can agree upon, from atheist to Chassid!

NOTHING = G-D.

- Moshe Mones

Moshe Mones has been a Hollywood producer/writer/director for many years. He found his way back to Yiddishkeit, learns and lives by Chabad. Moshe lives in Upstate N.Y. He is now focusing on bringing Yidishkeit to the media. One day he hopes (please G-d) to go to Yeshiva despite the fact he has a few years on Akiva already. 

In Whose Image? 

Dear Arnie,

First let me say that I find your newsletters fascinating, insightful and highly educational.

That being said, I think your answer to Allan K. in the 7/5/07 concerning the anthropomorphic nature of Moshiach is self-serving. In each of your point by point responses you use basically the same argument. That is, that how could we no believe and accept what our great Gaonim have taught us? For the record, I believe in Moshiach. But your arguments fall short of proving the point.

In each of your responses you cite either a Talmudic or Rashi or Rambam source for the nature of Moshiach. These sources are human. Though they may have far more insight into theological matters than I, they're still human and base their derivations and teachings within human parameters. Therefore, these teachings can be fallible. Anthropomorhism is inherently built in to their teachings.

That is not say I don't respect these sources. I do. I just feel your responses don't answer Allan's question about the anthropomorphism.

Keep up the great work.

Shelly H

 
Dear Shelly,

Thanks for your warm words and your even-handed criticism, both of which are appreciated. I'm curious where you are located and if I can cite your correspondence in your name and mentioning from where in the world you write? Now my question to you.

Question: Do you believe the Torah to be of Divine Origin? Either way,please explain your view on the matter to me.

Thanks,
Arnie

 

Dear Arnie,

I'm from Woodmere, NY and you have my permission to cite my name and address. To answer your last question first: "Do you believe the Torah to be of Divine Origin?" Absolutely. With all my being and soul. I have family members who are always asking questions of me about the source of halachot and minhagim and I try to use the Torah as my stepping stone. I even support my arguments with Sinai as an accepted fact because such an occurrence before so many people is the only way that this story could be brought down so many generations without change. Even the Christians use the Old Testament as their basis and therefore accept the Torah being given on Sinai, albeit with a few modifications of their own as to the source of the Divinity. But that's another story.

Anyway - back to my original question. Allan had posited that Moshiach is anthropomorphic. I understood his question to be on two levels.

First, that Moshiach is "anthropomorphic" because it will have a "human" form. This is on a par with Hashem consulting with his angels on how to create Man in His image. Naturally our form is human whereas Hashem's transcends that form and image. So we concluded that "His image" meant His attributes (mercy, etc.).

Second, that Moshiach is "anthropomorphic" because those writing on Moshiach are humans themselves and can therefore only imagine forms that resemble humans. And, since our great gaonim were human, they will, in the course of their teachings and derivations, try to extract things in human form.

It is this second reading into "anthropomorphic" that I tried to base my question, quite confusingly I might add, now that I've reread it. Let me try again.

All your answers to Allan stated the same thing: that since our great teachers were Jewish, and since they were devout in their beliefs, and since they put on paper that Moshiach will come since that's what they read into all the texts - therefore there must be a Moshiach. If they said so, it must be true. Just like when a parent tells a child "because I said so, that's why." I feel you can't base your answer on the truth of Moshiach on the basis that since our great teachers said so, that must be true. You've done so much better in the past than to rely on others' opinions (except the Rebbe's, of course).

I believe in Moshiach, but not because Rambam said so. I believe in Moshiach because I personally feel that G-d put me here for a purpose other than to make money or even daven each day. I believe I'm part of a Great Plan. I'm merely a minor actor in a Great Play and my Director (see "G-d") allows me to ad lib (see "free will") until the main star comes (see "Moshiach") and ties up the plot neatly and explains the whole mystery (see "Olam Habbah").

There's anthropomorphism for you. I've described myself in a play (a human device) but basing its components on the Divine. That's how my human brain works. I work within the framework of human forms, human devices, human actions, because that's my nature. As was the nature of our gaonim.

They needed to look for a final resolution to the question of why we're here and so they read into the texts. But they read into them using their human brains and searched until they thought they found what they're looking for - sources for Moshiach. Two people can look at the same cloud and see two different things. Is one wrong and one right? Of course not. It's just an interpretation of the cloud's form in their mind's eye.

Same thing with our holy texts. There are countless arguments in our Talmud because different rabbis interpreted the same verses, or juxtapositions, differently. Each side has a valid position. Who decides which view will prevail? Other rabbis, of course. But the point is that there can be different ways to view the same text.

Just because Rambam was great rabbi and had great insight doesn't mean his view is sacrosanct. Just because he read into some texts and derived the Moshiach concept doesn't mean he's right. All it means is that he's human and tried to derive things in human terms from the Divine texts. Only Hashem can explain with absolute certainty what He meant to say.

All we humans can do is try to explain things in our limited capacity as humans. And so, anything we try to extract from the Divine will be in anthropomorphic terms. We can't do any better. That's not say there's anything inherently wrong with that. It's what we are and we're using the tools we were given by Hashem.

I feel there's nothing wrong with anthropomorhism. You were trying to defend our Sages saying they didn't ascribe to that. I say they did and it's fine. The Sages put on their pants one leg at a time, like you or I do. They were human, too. It's okay to try to explain things in anthropomorphic terms because that's what we naturally do.

My letter is long-winded and digresses a bit but I hope I explained my position a bit better. You can edit it or not even use it. I'm not looking for notoriety. I thoroughly enjoy reading your weekly newsletters.

Best regards.

Shelly Hoffman

Woodmere, NY

 
 
Shelly,

Granted that Hashem has to be Divine. But why Moshiach? The fact that he must posses extraordinary powers doesn't make him non-human. Also, wielding G-dly powers need not demand being divine oneself. Push the right button and you too can do unimaginable things. By the way, I don't dismiss the possibility that Moshiach may indeed have a Divine Essence. On the contrary, we all do. With Rebbes in general and Moshiach in particular, this Divine core radiates throughout his being, making the divine element the predominant one. Does this help?

Arnie

Do you have questions or comments on the interplay of science and faith? Email me now.

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