(c) 2000 Dr Hendel; 1st appeared in Torah Forum (c) 1996-2000 Project Genesis

Re: Judaism and extra-terrestrial life

Russell Hendel (rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu)
Wed, 29 Jan 1997 21:59:10 -0500

Akiva Miller in Vol # 19 states:
>>Several people are asking if extra terrestrials (if they exist) would
have a Torah like ours. Let me remind everyone that until about 3309
years ago, even Planet Earth did not "have a Torah like our">>

But Prior to the giving of the Torah 5 very specific events happened which
"were prerequisites" to the Torah. That is the Torah could not really have
been given without these things happening "first": They are
1)-3) The lives of the 3 Patriarchs which of course represent "values"
which were later incorportated into the Torah
4) The Freedom from Egypt
5) The laws of Noah which were later incorporated more fully into the Torah
(e.g. "...Gen 9...And also your blood in life I will seek (Prohibition of
murder)"

In a previous posting I argued (quoting a Rand study) that life exists on
other planets "in the same way" it exists here. The temperature ranges must
be more or less the same, the atmosphere, seasonality, the animal kingdom etc.
Similarly the social evolution of the planet would be the same: There would
be a person who preaches charity and belief in a charitable G-d, a person
who teaches the value of sacrifice etc. Finally, if and when evil develops
to the point of a concentrated tyranny like Egypt there would naturally arise
prophets and other leaders who would help the people.

Thus it seems reasonable that life evolves in the same form on every planet
and the Torah comes after its "prerequisites"for its being written.

Russell Jay Hendel, Ph.d, ASA, rhendel @ mcs drexel edu