(c) 2000 Dr Hendel; 1st appeared in Torah Forum (c) Project Genesis
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Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 22:44:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: Russell Hendel <  rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Subject: Re: The 10 Plagues

Amichai in Torah Forum volume 4 number 83 speaks about the permissability
in a Torah context of believing in evolution.

I would summarize the Torah perspective as follows:

 ######
developed in the same way as physical parts of several members of the
animal kingdom (eg many female mammals breast feed).

 ######
prophetic relationship with God which animals do not have. The capacity for
prophetic relationship includes the human capacity to learn, speak etc
which in full form animals do not have. In other words we are obligated to
believe that speech, learning and prophecy in humans are different than in
animals.

I believe such an approach would not confront science and would enrich our
appreciation of our religion.

Russell Hendel; ModeratoR Rashi Is SImple;
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/