Turkel, Klein, &
Caesar (v2-87,85 etc) discuss the compatability of
the Torah with extra
terrestial life. I suggest that by viewing
the Torah laws as dealing with
__fundamental spiritual issues__
we can easily argue that other planets if
they had intelligent
life would require a Torah like ours.
Many people are unaware of a delightful study by the Rand
Corporation,
Habitable Planets by Dole, whose purpose is to
study the properties a
planet must have in order to sustain life.
A simple example will give the "flavor" of the study: "Life is
based on
the cell; the cell is based on an aqueous environment;but
liquid water
requires certain temperature ranges. Hence any
habitable planet must have
temperature ranges at least in the 32-
212 range." The above book even
calculates "how frequently" a
planet is habitable in outer space
In the spirit of this book I would like to show how intelligent
life on
any planet would require a Torah much like our own:
Intelligent life necessitates...
* "instinctual reproduction" for its
perpetuation, and hence
the Arayoth Laws are needed to prevent "instinctual
excesses"
* an animal hierarchy, kingdom or cycle so that higher forms can
feed on
lower forms--hence Kasruth laws are needed to promote
purity by focusing on
which forms can and can't be eaten
* Consistent periodic cycles of light and dark (see the
above
book)---hence we need the various Calendar laws & holidays.
* We can be a bit more speculative: If we accept the
allegorical
interpretation of lulav and ethrog: "holding 4 diverse parts
of
the _plant_ kingdom symbolically affirms the unity of all
_people_",
then any habitable planet requires lulav-ethrog laws
(albeit
possibly with differently named plants). If every planet has
in
its development a "bully tyrannical" Egypt which abuses human
status
then we require the "Egypt exodus" laws.
What then is the issue? Whether life exists on other planets?
Rather the
issue is whether the Torah is a cosmic book which
applies everywhere
independent of a particular people and
history. Rightly does it say: "God
acquired me (The torah) at the
beginning of history; I was the first of His
creations...It is
thru me that planet kingdoms reign..."(Prv 8:15,22-loose
poetic
translation).
Respectfully, Russell J Hendel, Ph.d.,ASA, rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu