Is There Life on Other Planets? The Jewish view on UFOs, aliens and extraterrestrial intelligence By Tzvi Freeman

Can't see images? Click here... Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works  with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money,  and spiritual engagement A SMILE A smile costs nothing ... but gives much. It enriches those who receive it without making poorer those who give it. It takes but a moment. However, the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it. And none is so poor that he can't be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business... and is the countersign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad. It is Nature's best antidote for trouble. A smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen. It is something of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours. None needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. Love Yehuda Lave Is There Life on Other Planets? The Jewish view on UFOs, aliens and extraterrestrial intelligence By Tzvi Freeman Question: Someone told me that according to Judaism, human beings are the only conscious beings in the universe. Is there any basis to this? Response: Certainly not! First of all, the sages discuss the fact that animals also feel pain, based on the biblical prohibition against causing them undue suffering.1 Second, there are plenty of accounts in the Torah of the higher angels, who are conscious of a realm of reality far beyond ours. Third, Maimonides2 and others write about the heavenly bodies as conscious beings—and not simply in an allegorical sense. If anyone should ask, "How can a ball of helium and hydrogen contain consciousness?" simply ask in return, "And that a warm mass of gray meat has consciousness is reasonable?" The uniqueness of humankind is not our consciousness, but the way that consciousness is able to enter the realms of good and evil, make decisions and distinguish between them. Sources in Torah Several Torah scholars of past generations have discussed the possibility of life on other planets. Rabbi Chasdai Crescas (Spain, 1340–1411) wrote that there is nothing anywhere in Torah that negates such a possibility.3 Rabbi Yosef Albo (Spain, 1380–1444), on the other hand, disagreed.4 Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz (Poland 1765-1861), cites Albo, but rejects his thesis.5 Shortly after the first moon landing, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory, pointed out6 that there is support in Torah for the notion that life exists on other planets. Furthermore, we can know something about that life through deduction from what the Torah tells us. Here is his argument: In the Book of Judges,7 Deborah the prophetess sings about the victory of Barak over Sisera. In her song, she says, "Cursed be Meroz! Cursed, cursed be its inhabitants, says the angel of G‑d!" Where is Meroz, and who are its inhabitants? The Talmud8 gives two explanations, one of them being that Meroz is a star or planet. The heavenly bodies had also come to help the Israelites, as Deborah stated just one verse earlier, "From the heavens they fought, the stars from their orbits . . ." This star, however, which was the dominant star of Sisera, apparently did not come to their aid. And so, General Barak penalized Meroz—and its inhabitants. Are these inhabitants intelligent? Intelligence is defined by Torah to mean the capacity to make decisions with free will. Free will is only possible where there is Torah, whereby the Creator offers His creatures more than one possibility and asks that they make the appropriate choice. (Torah includes the laws of Noah, which are given to all human beings.) In other words, just as we are created by the Creator's word, so we are provided free choice by His command to do or not do. So, if there would be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, those creatures would have to have Torah. Could they have a different Torah than us? This is not possible, since Torah is truth, and there cannot be two truths. Could they then have the same Torah as us? This also seems impossible, since the Torah itself describes in detail how the Torah was revealed on this planet, and that account itself has a strong impact on how the Torah is to be fulfilled. It therefore appears that although it is quite possible there is life on other planets, that life would not be intelligent in a way similar to human life and culture. But should we be looking? Dr. Velvl Greene was a microbiologist who was enlisted by NASA in their project to determine if there is life on Mars. He asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe privately if this was something he should be doing. The Rebbe replied, "Dr. Greene, look for life on Mars! And if you don't find it there, look somewhere else in the universe for it. Because for you to sit here and say there is no life outside of planet Earth is to put limitations on the Creator, and that is not something any of His creatures can do!"9 Footnotes 1. See, as examples, Talmud Baba Metzia 32a; ibid 85a. 2. Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 3:9. 3. Ohr Hashem 4:5. 4. Sefer Ha'Ikrim. 5. Sefer HaBrit HaShalem 1:3, 4. 6. Shabbat Parshat Devarim 5729 (August, 1969). 7. Judges 5:23. 8. Shevuot 36a; Moed Katan 16a. See also Rashi on in Judges ad loc. 9. For a full account of this story, see The Rebbe and the Scientist: Looking for Life on Mars. By Tzvi Freeman What It's Like to Rekindle Jewish Life in Barcelona After 500 Years of Darkness https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/4442900/jewish/What-Its-Like-to-Rekindle-Jewish-Life-in-Barcelona-After-500-Years-of-Darkness.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=14_news_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content What Do Anti-Semites Have to Offer? Anti-Semitism is a powerful, negative, thoroughly unholy phenomenon. Stripped of its negativity, however, its raw power can be used in the service of holiness. By Michael Chighel https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/video_cdo/aid/4435503/jewish/What-Do-Anti-Semites-Have-to-Offer.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content What Do You Know About Ancient Shiloh? Shiloh is an ancient city located 40 kilometers north of Jerusalem. For generations, it was Israel's spiritual center. By Doron Kornbluth and Seth Aronstam Shiloh is an ancient city located 40 kilometers north of Jerusalem. For generations, it was Israel's spiritual center. The First Holy Temple was built in Jerusalem by King Solomon, roughly three thousand years ago. Until then, G‑d's "home" — the Mishkan (Tabernacle) — was in Shiloh. Indeed, Jewish spiritual life was centered there — and Jews performed aliyah l'regel (pilgrimage) and brought offerings there — for 369 years, until the death of Eli, the High Priest, when the Ark was stolen by the Philistines and, it seems, Shiloh was destroyed (I Samuel, chapter 4). Identification of the ruin as ancient Shiloh has been nearly unanimous. Local Arabs preserved the name ("Seilon"), and there are storehouses and signs of destruction that have been dated to the right time period. Furthermore, the location fits descriptions in the Torah almost perfectly. For much of Jewish history, Shiloh was a symbol of destruction. Indeed, when the prophet Jeremiah warns Jerusalem about its sinfulness (Jeremiah 7:12), he says (in the Name of G‑d) "Go now to My place that is in Shiloh, where I caused My Name to rest at first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel." That being said, Shiloh itself is hardly depressing. When Jacob calls his sons together to bless them (Genesis 49:10), he says of Judah, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, as long as men come to Shiloh…" What is this "Shiloh"? The famous commentator Rashi declares that Shiloh refers to "Moshiach," the Messiah himself, meaning that Shiloh is a symbol of Redemption. In 1978, modern Shiloh was established beside the ancient site. It now includes four thousand people, a hesder yeshiva where boys study Torah alongside army service, a kollel where married men study, and much more. Interestingly, the town's main synagogue was designed to replicate the original Mishkan from the Bible. Today, Shiloh has become a symbol of Jews identifying with the past and yearning for the future. Modern Shilo built its synagogue to resemble the ancient Mishkan (tabernacle). By Doron Kornbluth and Seth Aronstam Doron Kornbluth is an author, internationally renowned speaker, and inspirational licensed Israeli Tour Guide. His articles, newsletter, books, tours of Israel, and international seminars and talks help inspire Jewish identity. Doron is one of the bestselling authors in the Jewish world. His books include Why Be Jewish? Raising Kids to LOVE Being Jewish, Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View, The Jewish Holiday Handbook, and Why Marry Jewish? (all by Mosaica Press). An engaging popular lecturer, Doron speaks in over 50 cities a year to all types of audiences on many subjects. Doron is also an experienced and licensed Israeli Tour Guide. He began guiding youth groups around Israel in the 1990's and offers fascinating and inspirational tours to individuals, families and groups. For more information, visit his website. Seth Aronstam was born and raised in South Africa and now lives with his wife and children in the Beit Shemesh area of Israel. In college, he studied graphic design and advertising. Over the last twenty years, he has established himself as one of the premier art directors, graphic designers, and visual artists in Israel, South Africa, and the United States. He has worked with some of the most prestigious graphics and advertising firms in the world. Seth's passion is photography. He has developed new techniques and was, for example, one of the first photographers in Israel to use advanced drones for still photography. With a keen eye, tremendous technical know-how, and endless patience, he has taken some of the best photographs ever taken of the Holy Land. For the first time, in Inspirational Israel, his amazing photographs are available to all. Excerpted and Adapted with permission from the acclaimed Inspirational Israel (Mosaica Press, 2019) More from Doron Kornbluth  |  RSS Dogs react to $3000 Robot Dog Watch these dogs' hilarious reactions as they meet an Aibo for the very first time. Excited to bring to you today the magical Sony Aibo, a new artificial intelligence dog created by Sony to be as real as a robot dog can be. Let's see how the Aibo interacts with real dogs! Why Do People Love the Sony Aibo Robot Dog?: https://youtu.be/72eSciRc82w Revenge of the dogs: Sony Aibo does not impress your furry friends https://cnet.co/2XezhGi We played with Aibo: Sony's $2,899 robot dog https://youtu.be/oGo0TwNXXuo Sony Aibo: what it's like to live with a robot dog https://youtu.be/-sobjkWJq3I Backfire! Sleep apps may actually be causing insomnia | Consumer Tech Update from Kim Komando Is there an app for that? People wanting a good night's sleep are downloading apps they think will help them go to dreamland. But now, a doctor in London says the apps don't have the intended effect, and Kim explains why. The Opening of the Academy Awards: 1965 Oscars Bob Hope opens the 37th Academy Awards, and Claudia Cardinale and Steve McQueen present the Oscar for Sound to the Warner Bros. Studio Sound Department (accepted by George R. Groves, Sound Director) for My Fair Lady. Introduced by Arthur Freed with orchestra conducted by Johnny Green. Featuring red carpet arrivals and overture with Gregory Peck, Dick Van Dyke, Richard Chamberlain, Joan Marshall, Agnes Moorehead, Greer Garson, Ann-Margret, Roger Smith, Deborah Kerr, Anthony Quinn, George Hamilton, Lila Kedrova, Jane Fonda, Roger Vadim, Army Archerd, Vince Edwards, Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, Gladys Cooper, Jack L. Warner, Debbie Reynolds, Buster Keaton and more. Watch more of the 1965 Oscars: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... See you Sunday bli neder Shabbat Shalom Love Yehuda Lave Rabbi Yehuda Lave PO Box 7335, Rehavia Jerusalem 9107202 LIKE TWEET FORWARD You received this email because you signed up on our website or made purchase from us. Unsubscribe