Every once in a while, someone addresses the topic of aliens & Judaism.
The truth is that Rav Aryeh Kaplan answered this long ago, based on older Torah sources, basically explaining that while Hashem can do anything, He already established that only human beings enjoy the privilege of bechirah (often translated as "free choice").
Human beings are made in God's Image.
In Tape #541, Rav Avigdor Miller answers the question of life in space:
The truth is that Rav Aryeh Kaplan answered this long ago, based on older Torah sources, basically explaining that while Hashem can do anything, He already established that only human beings enjoy the privilege of bechirah (often translated as "free choice").
Human beings are made in God's Image.
In Tape #541, Rav Avigdor Miller answers the question of life in space:
The truth is, there is no statement anywhere that life doesn't exist in space. That cannot be a statement in the Chumash; it doesn't say anywhere in the Chumash or the Gemara that there is no life in space.
No man – there won't be any man anywhere in the universe – because man, the Torah says, comes only from Adam and Chava, and they are down below.
So far they didn't invent any vehicle that would take them to the distant stars. But life could be.
I don't believe that there is, but it wouldn't be a contradiction to the Torah if life will be discovered on some other heavenly body.
While Toras Avigdor generously supplies most material from Rav Avigdor Miller, the above is from Rav Avrohom Tikotzky's email subscription, which can be subscribed to here:
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UPDATE 18/11/2021:
Toras Avigdor upload the following transcript from Tape #340 on this topic from Rav Miller:
https://torasavigdor.org/rav-avigdor-miller-on-ufos/
Here's an excerpt in reply to the question of whether Jewish should believe in UFOs (boldface mine):
rmillerqa.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=51050d25b69193df91b43c6e8&id=ec593cbc54
UPDATE 18/11/2021:
Toras Avigdor upload the following transcript from Tape #340 on this topic from Rav Miller:
https://torasavigdor.org/rav-avigdor-miller-on-ufos/
Here's an excerpt in reply to the question of whether Jewish should believe in UFOs (boldface mine):
...if you will ask anybody this question, should you believe in UFO’s, so the answer has to be no.
You believe in it only when it’s proven.
It could be there are unidentified objects floating around but if they are manufactured objects, then they come from someplace on this earth.
There’s no question that somebody on this earth has released them.
No objects that are fashioned by intelligence are coming from any other place in space.
There are no thinking, intelligent beings in space.
...Now, I’m willing to wager also that there is not even unintelligent life in space anywhere.
But that’s not a principle of the emunah to say that.
If you want to believe there are certain species of elephants someplace in space, go ahead.
But no men or no thinking beings are anywhere in space.
...Even according to the evolutionists, man is, chas v’shalom, the way they say it man is the result of an unimaginable lucky accident....So you’re going to say the same number of lucky accidents happened another time in the history of the world?
...So you can be sure there’ll never be anything like a visitor from outer space.
If he does come, he already was on this world first.
Furthermore, it's silly to for scientists to look for lifeforms like ours—something they insist on doing against all logic.
Just as we find life in what for us are non-viable conditions (like at the bottom of the ocean or deep in the ground), any life found on other planets would not need oxygen or pressure the way we need.
Furthermore, dimensions exist beyond the 3 we experience in our physical life.
Who's to say alien life would exist in our dimension?
However, my concern is not about life on other planets, but rather how certain authorities in the world might use that idea.
Just as we find life in what for us are non-viable conditions (like at the bottom of the ocean or deep in the ground), any life found on other planets would not need oxygen or pressure the way we need.
Furthermore, dimensions exist beyond the 3 we experience in our physical life.
Who's to say alien life would exist in our dimension?
However, my concern is not about life on other planets, but rather how certain authorities in the world might use that idea.
Current Technological Capabilities? Not Fully Known.
An announcement of alien contact or war would be an effective way to galvanize people under one authority.
Surveys in recent years show an increase in the general population's openness to the idea of alien life, with even the US government hinting it knows more than it lets on:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/266441/americans-skeptical-ufos-say-government-knows.aspx
It would also challenge many religious people throughout the world, throwing them emotionally off-keel.
Feeling awed, stunned, fearful, & helpless drives people into the supposed security of obedience.
A person in charge of dealing with alien contact or alien threat would likely be obeyed blindly.
At any kind of announcement, however, my first thought would be: Is this real?
For example, we know that whatever technology we discover, the most powerful governments & militaries hide even more advanced technology.
It's hidden under layers of confidentiality.
They go to bizarre lengths to cover tracks.
Remember reading about the pilot flying around wearing a gorilla mask?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Woolams
While the United States tested out the experimental P-59 plane in the 1940s, pilot Jack Woolams wore a gorilla mask to deter pilots he encountered from reporting the experience.
What pilot would risk his reputation by claiming he saw a gorilla piloting an unknown jet?
Many already claim that governments & militaries can spray chemicals in the sky that affect our health & mental state.
I'm not sure about the hard proof of this (literally, I'm not sure), but its possibility makes sense.
We already know they possess the technology to affect weather.
Here's one example:
https://hamodia.com/2021/07/21/dubai-beats-heat-rain-making-drones/
But impressive visual technology exists too.
Look at this video projection of the moons of Mars onto the night sky of the UAE:
https://video-tov.ml/watch/KBxozQQk138
Low-frequency sounds—especially those below 20 hertz & beyond human hearing—trigger stress hormones & can directly affect the human central nervous system, causing the following sensations:
Such low frequencies are known as infrasound.
What would people think of seeing visions similar to those in the UAE without preparation, especially if it their visual experience was accompanied by other sensations (like emotions or sound)?
Due to the ability to produce a wide variety of visions & presently unknown technology, plus the possibility of saturating our air with chemicals or infrasound affecting our emotional states, I would encourage a healthy suspicion of any hint or announcement—including even a convincing display of an alien contact or threat.
It could all easily be a highly advanced show of all-too-Earthly technology-induced sensations & lights.
This post also relates to the topic:
communications-from-stars-or-angels-in-todays-ufo-cults-nothing-new-the-generation-of-the-flood-did-that-too.html
Surveys in recent years show an increase in the general population's openness to the idea of alien life, with even the US government hinting it knows more than it lets on:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/266441/americans-skeptical-ufos-say-government-knows.aspx
It would also challenge many religious people throughout the world, throwing them emotionally off-keel.
Feeling awed, stunned, fearful, & helpless drives people into the supposed security of obedience.
A person in charge of dealing with alien contact or alien threat would likely be obeyed blindly.
At any kind of announcement, however, my first thought would be: Is this real?
For example, we know that whatever technology we discover, the most powerful governments & militaries hide even more advanced technology.
It's hidden under layers of confidentiality.
They go to bizarre lengths to cover tracks.
Remember reading about the pilot flying around wearing a gorilla mask?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Woolams
While the United States tested out the experimental P-59 plane in the 1940s, pilot Jack Woolams wore a gorilla mask to deter pilots he encountered from reporting the experience.
What pilot would risk his reputation by claiming he saw a gorilla piloting an unknown jet?
Many already claim that governments & militaries can spray chemicals in the sky that affect our health & mental state.
I'm not sure about the hard proof of this (literally, I'm not sure), but its possibility makes sense.
We already know they possess the technology to affect weather.
Here's one example:
https://hamodia.com/2021/07/21/dubai-beats-heat-rain-making-drones/
But impressive visual technology exists too.
Look at this video projection of the moons of Mars onto the night sky of the UAE:
https://video-tov.ml/watch/KBxozQQk138
Low-frequency sounds—especially those below 20 hertz & beyond human hearing—trigger stress hormones & can directly affect the human central nervous system, causing the following sensations:
- disorientation
- discomfort
- dizziness
- anxiety
- fear
- panic
- bowel spasms
- nausea
- vomiting
- disturb activity in the heart or brain.
Such low frequencies are known as infrasound.
What would people think of seeing visions similar to those in the UAE without preparation, especially if it their visual experience was accompanied by other sensations (like emotions or sound)?
Due to the ability to produce a wide variety of visions & presently unknown technology, plus the possibility of saturating our air with chemicals or infrasound affecting our emotional states, I would encourage a healthy suspicion of any hint or announcement—including even a convincing display of an alien contact or threat.
It could all easily be a highly advanced show of all-too-Earthly technology-induced sensations & lights.
This post also relates to the topic:
communications-from-stars-or-angels-in-todays-ufo-cults-nothing-new-the-generation-of-the-flood-did-that-too.html
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