By R. YK
Creation is a subject that is extensively addressed by theology and science. One of the places that Jewish theology tackles this subject is in the section of the Siddur known as "The Shema and Its Blessings". Specifically in the first blessing of the 'Shema'for Shacharit Birkat Yotzer ("Blessing the Creator") and in the first blessing for Maariv Birkat Maariv ("Evening Blessing"). These blessings present a theology of 'Creation' from a traditional Jewish point of view. Science looks at the issue of 'Creation' from a purely non-philosophical, non-religious, and mechanistic point of view. Science asks, how was the universe created and why do things function the way that they do, theology asks, who created the universe and why the creator brought the universe into existence. In other words " Science is about "Madua" a quest for causality. ["Madua" shares the same shoresh (root) with "Madah" (science) the shoresh being Yud- Dalet- Ayin] It explains the measurable in terms of the measurable. Religion is about "Lamah" -teleology. It celebrates creation. Its root stimulus is awe." (1)
The purpose of this paper is to determine if it is possible to harmonize the cosmogony of modern science with the cosmogony of traditional Jewish theology as expounded in the blessings of Birkat Yotzer and Birkat Maariv.
Harmonizing Modern Science and the Bible - A Brief History
There have been many attempts to try to discover "the harmony between modern science and the Bible." Gerald Schroeder, an Orthodox Jewish scientist and author of the book Genesis And The Big Bang The Discovery Of Harmony Between Modern Science And The Bible, is representative of those who believe that a harmony between modern science and the Bible is demonstrable. He along with those who believe in a "demonstrable harmony," affirms Maimonide's proposition that "Conflicts between science and religion result from misinterpretations of the Bible." (2) The late Dr. Henry M. Morris one of the founders of The Institute for Creation Research could be considered Dr. Siegel's Christian counterpart.
One of the latest attempts to harmonize modern science and the Bible is "The theory of intelligent design." Its proponents claim that this theory is science but it is really pseudoscience.
"Over the past several years proponents of so-called "intelligent design theory," also known as ID, have challenged the accepted scientific theory of biological evolution. As part of this effort they have sought to introduce the teaching of "intelligent design theory" into the science curricula of the public schools. The movement presents "intelligent design theory" to the public as a theoretical innovation, supported by scientific evidence, that offers a more adequate explanation for the origin of the diversity of living organisms than the current scientifically accepted theory of evolution. In response to this effort, individual scientists and philosophers of science have provided substantive critiques of "intelligent design," demonstrating significant conceptual flaws in its formulation, a lack of credible scientific evidence, and misrepresentations of scientific facts." (3)
The Intelligent Design theory is really a reformulation of the "argument from design " as proposed by Thomas Aquinas, where he argues that G-d is the Designer of the universe. This theory is religion in the guise of science. The Bible is not, nor was it ever intended to be a "Science textbook." I agree with the following statements of Yishayahu Leibowitz. "Science has abjured teleology, restricting itself to merely describing of the universe, so it is the prerogative of the individual to find value-based reasons and purposes? Science is objective and its results are a historical, while values are subjective and may change throughout time." (4)
In his book G-d & The Big Bang Discovering Harmony Between Science & Spirituality, Professor Daniel Matt, a widely recognized interpreter of Jewish mysticism, presents an interesting approach to this issue. By "harmony" Matt means, "What do they [science and spirituality] have in common? How can one enlighten the other?" (5) In other words, do science and spirituality express parallel and similar ideas as to the creation and the origin of the universe? My answer to this question is "yes." The next section of this paper will demonstrate the parallel and similar ideas as to the creation and the origin of the universe as posited by modern science with the ideas expressed in the blessings of Birkat Yotzer and Birkat Maariv.
Creation and the Origin of the Universe - Parallel and Similar Ideas
The Big Bang and the Light of Creation: According to most scientists, "Our universe is thought to have begun as an infinitesimally small, infinitely hot, infinitely dense, something - a singularity. After its initial appearance, it apparently inflated (the "Big Bang"), expanded and cooled, going from very, very small and very, very hot, to the size and temperature of our current universe." (6) The raw material of the expansion and formation of the universe was cosmic light and energy. In other words, the expansion of the universe began as an expansion of cosmic light. In Birkat Yotzer and Birkat Maariv the word light (or) and its cognates appear 7 times. G-d is called Yotzer or - The one who forms light, Ha Meir lah-ahretz- he who illuminates the earth, and Golail or - The one who removes the light from the darkness. Many commentators such as Ibn Ezra, Rav Yehudah and Rav Nechmiah maintain that light was the first thing created. (7) Rav E.Munk calls this light "matter that radiates." (8) The ArtScroll Siddur adds this comment on HaShem being called Yotzer Or "Light is the energy- giving, life-giving force of the universe ..." (9) The Zohar describes the beginning of the universe in the following terms;
"A blinding spark flashed within the concealed of the concealed, from the mystery of the Infinite, a cluster of vapor in formlessness... Under the impact of breaking through, One high and hidden point shone. Beyond that point nothing is known. So it is called the beginning." (10)
These parallels and similarities between the Big Bang theory and G-d as The Creator of light are awesome.
Quasi Steady State Cosmology and The Daily Renewal of the Work of Creation: Despite the fact that the Big Bang is the predominant theory of the creation of the universe, "a challenge to its role as the dominant theory of the universe has been made and is known as the Quasi Steady State Cosmology (QSSC) proposed by scientists Fred Hoyle, Geoffrey Burbridge, and Jayant V. Narlikar.
The QSSC proposes the continuous creation of matter in space rather than a single event and proposes to account for observations that seem to strain the limits of the Big Bang model. Other proposed cosmologies suggest that our universe is just one in a chain of reproducing universes." (11) In Birkat Yotzer, G-d is depicted as being continually and actively engaged in the renewal (mchadesh) of the work of creation. Birkat Maariv speaks of "G-d's continuing creation of the world, each day and night." (12). These Berachot teach us "creation is an ongoing process in which the exuberance of G-d's power can be seen and felt anew each day." (13)
Cosmic / Pre-biological Evolution and Creation from Chaos to Order:
Cosmic /pre-biological evolution is " the evolution from chaos to order in the physical universe." [A self organizing evolving chain beginning with the cosmic material of the universe with the subsequent formation of galaxies, stars, solar systems and planetary systems including Earth.] (14)
Birkat Maariv places an emphasis on G-d as the One who brings order (m'sahder) to the heavenly constellations, times, seasons, and day and night. The ArtScroll Siddur adds these comments "He takes the infinite number of forces and conditions that form the universe and harmonizes them to perform His will (R' Hirsch)." (15) Bereshit 1:2 tells us that the Earth was tohu and bohu (formless and void) - "matter without substance" as the Rambam explains. (16) The account of creation continues with HaShem taking the chaos- 'matter without substance' and ordering it into the wonderful world that we live in. Blessed is the One who brings order to all things!
Conclusion
The "facts," as outlined in this paper pertaining to the creation and to the origin of the universe as currently perceived by 'modern science', paint a striking parallel to the theology of creation as presented by Birkat Yotzer and Birkat Maariv. As Daniel C. Matt contends science and spirituality can enlighten one another. Science can explain the process of how the universe was created. Spirituality can explain who created the universe and His purpose for doing so. It is my hope that one day science and spirituality will realize that they are just two sides of the same coin. Maimonides said it aptly when he wrote, " The account of the beginning [Genesis 1] is natural science but so profound that it is cloaked in parables." (17)
Footnotes
- S.W. Email to R.Y.K., March 3, 2008
- Gerald L.Schroeder, Ph D., book Genesis And The Big Bang The Discovery Of Harmony Between Modern Science And The Bible, New York: Bantam Books, 1990. P. 27
- http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2002/1106id2.shtml
- The NOMA of Yishayahu Leibowitz Mordechai BenAri Department of Science Teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 Israel
- Daniel C. Matt, G-d & The Big Bang Discovering Harmony Between Science & Spirituality, and Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1996, back book cover
- http://www.big-bang-theory.com Big Bang Theory An Overview
- Rabbi Nosson Scherman/Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz General Editors, The ArtScroll Tenach Series bereshit Vol. (a), Brooklyn, N.Y., Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1977, p.39
- Scherman, p.40
- Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Complete ArtScroll Siddur Nusach Ashkenaz, First Edition; Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1984,p. 85
- Matt, p.42
- 11. ("http://www.astrosciences.info/creation.htm THE CONTINUOUS CREATION PROCESS
- 12. Steven M. Brown, Higher and Higher - Making Jewish Prayer Part Of Us, 8th ed.; New York: International Youth Commission United Synagogue Of Conservative Judaism, 2007, p. 98
- 13. Reuven Hammer, Entering Jewish Prayer, New York; Schocken Books, 1994, p.141
- 14.http://books.google.com/ Synergetics: Chaos, Order, Self-Organization By Michael Bushev
- 15.ArtScroll Siddur, p.258
- 16. ArtScroll Bereshit, p.29
- 17. Schroeder, p. 70