Q&A: Consistency in the Interpretive Approach
Consistency in the Interpretive Approach
Question
Hello Rabbi!
Regarding the age of the world as accepted in the scientific community, I’ve noticed that the “answers” given on this issue are pretty post facto. That is, it feels to me that only after the theory of evolution came along did people start saying that this can *also* be seen in the Torah. Among others, Rabbi Kook talks about this in "Perplexities of the Generation." He writes there that if he wants to interpret it that way, he can.
My question is: what is the correct answer? What really is the age of the universe according to Judaism? Every time a new theory comes up, will people try to show that it *also* can be heard from the scriptures?
Answer
Evolution has nothing to do with the age of the world, only perhaps with the age of life. If someone says that it appears in the Torah, ask him why. I do not say that. The question of what the age of the world is according to Judaism has no meaning at all. The age of the world is a factual question. What does that have to do with according to Judaism or according to Islam? If the world is 1,000 years old, then that is its age according to Judaism. And if it is 14 billion years old, then that is its age according to Judaism.
What needs to be shown, at most, is that the new theory does not contradict the scriptures, not that it emerges from them. It does not.
Discussion on Answer
What I’m saying is that the concept of “Judaism” is vague. Facts are not facts according to Judaism or according to Islam. They are evaluated according to whether they are true or not. Reasoning and the facts indicate that the world probably has existed much longer. It also says “an eye for an eye.”
So, does the Rabbi mean that Judaism does not really address this point, and therefore there is no need to try to fit the scientific data into it?
Basically there is no one correct answer… it’s a gray area in which whoever chooses can integrate science into it?
There isn’t one right answer?
Why not just say that the world was created in six days and that’s it? That’s simply what is written…
Thank you!