Rabbi Latowicz: Welcome. I'll be with you in a moment... Melinda: Are ages in the Bible to be taken literally? Melinda: People don't live as long today as they reportedly did in biblical times, and no methods exist to slow the aging process Rabbi Latowicz: Until the Great Flood, there were no seasons; the weather was always temperate. After the Flood, G-d tells Noah that there will be constant seasonal changes (Genesis 8:22). Melinda: ok Rabbi Latowicz: Rabbi Meir Leibush (Malbim) explains this as follows: Until the Flood, the earth's axis had no tilt relative to the sun. As a result of the flood, the earth's axis tilted in relation to the sun. Thus, the earth's climate changed drastically, resulting in a weakening of the human constitution and ability to withstand these constant changes in weather. Rabbi Latowicz: Thus, as a prelude to the Flood, G-d says "I won't constantly contend concerning Man ... his life-span shall be 120 years" (Genesis 6:3). The Ibn Ezra explain this to mean that lifetimes would gradually decrease, until the maximum will be around 120. Rabbi Latowicz: I hope that answers your question about why people don't live as long today as they once did. Rabbi Latowicz: As for technology's inability to slow the aging process, that's more a problem with technology than with the Bible. "The scientific study of aging is a young discipline" (National Geographic Nov. '97). Compared to many areas of science, relatively little is known about aging. Richard A. Knox refers to the "black box of aging," and calls it a "mystery" (The Boston Globe 1997). Melinda: so everybody back then lived over 100 years? how old could people be? Rabbi Latowicz: at one pijnt several hundred years Rabbi Latowicz: then by Moses day not more than 120 Melinda: ok, what about those that say the Bible ages are patirarchal life spans? Melinda: not to be taken literally Rabbi Latowicz: Judaism does not accpept that position Rabbi Latowicz: that is not the tradition we recived at Sinai Melinda: ok i see Melinda: i read that some Babylonia kings were said to reign over 30,00 years Rabbi Latowicz: no such record in the Bible Melinda: ok thank you Rabbi Latowicz: very welcome:) Melinda: sorry i have tons of questions, just a couple more if i could Rabbi Latowicz: k Melinda: what about the evidence for evolution? are your views that it is not convincing and/or fake? Melinda: ok Rabbi Latowicz: REAL science that is sscientific FACT that has been demonstrated empirically in teh lab,,does not contradict Bible ..only scientific THEORY,,,which is a HYPOTHESIS Melinda: ok Melinda: and about the evidence that the Earth is much older than indicated by the Bible? Rabbi Latowicz: very simple solution to that Rabbi Latowicz: when G-d created Adam how old was he? Melinda: hmmm..maybe 20? Rabbi Latowicz: actually correct:) Melinda: lucky guess Rabbi Latowicz: in other words a fully grown male Rabbi Latowicz: fully developed mature human organism Melinda: ok Rabbi Latowicz: the creation of the world was teh same Rabbi Latowicz: G-d created an OLD world Rabbi Latowicz: one fully EVOLVED Rabbi Latowicz: that may meausure millions of years old Rabbi Latowicz: ( presuming that its accurate):) Melinda: ah i see Melinda: that makes sense Melinda: ok, well thanks for answering all my questions, thank you for your time Rabbi Latowicz: shalom Melinda: shalom Rabbi Latowicz: very welcome |
I have a small problem question on the evolution part...
Posted by: Bet Chesed on Jul 12, 2005
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