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| Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (Mishpacha) |
Those of us that have studied both Torah and science do not need to say that the two fields contradict each other. On the contrary. We can believe in the Torah and accept the science – even in its theoretical form. There is no need to deny the evidence shown by science that seems to contradict the Torah. The fact is that the two can be reconciled.
That the universe is as old as theoretical physicists say it is is something in which I believe. Because that is what makes the most rational sense to me. Does that make me an Apikores – a non believing heretic? This was the issue many years ago that destroyed the reputation of Rabbi Natan Slifkin among his then peers in the Charedi world.
In brief - his books reconciling Torah with science were banned by the then acknowledged rabbinic leader of Lithuanian Jewry, R’ Sholom Yosef Elyahshiv. When the contents of Rabbi Slifkin’s books containing his reconciliations of science and Torah were described to him by English speaking Charedi activists he banned them. To say that the world was any older than the about 6000 years it was traditionally believed to be was considered by him to be Apikursus - heresy.
This threw the world of Charedim into turmoil. Until the ban – Rabbi Slifkin’s books were considered acceptable. As were other books of the same genre. They were used even by Charedim in outreach to Jewish college students.
Even tough Rabbi Slfkin’s books had received approbations by a number of Charedi rabbinic leaders prior to that ban, R’ Elyashiv’s declaration was considered ‘Daas Torah- the final word on the subject. . Among those that had given his books approbation was Agudah Moetzes member, R’ Aharon Feldman. He was at first incredulous about R’ Elyashiv’s ban to the point of flying to Israel to get it directly from R’ Elyashiv. Which he did. He withdrew his approbation and explained with what amounted to ‘Daas Torah’ had spoken’.
I mention all this in light or Eytan Kobre’s wondeful article in Mishpacha Magazine about Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. He was basically described as a pivotal influence in the Jewish world whose brilliance along with his credentials in both science and Torah were impeccable. That resulted in a treasure trove of books dealing with all aspects of Judaism. Works that appealed to a wide variety of readers from all segments of Orthodox Judaism.
His ability to reconcile Torah with science was uncanny. But an important lecture he gave on the subject to the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists back in the 70s was ommitted. Therein he used proofs from numerous sources that included the Torah, Shas, Rishonim, Achronim, and Kabalah to prove that the universe is actually as old as theoretical scientists say it is – about 15 billion years old. He even ridiculed those that thought it was actually only 6000 years old! I’m not going to go into the details of his explanation. Suffice it to say that all of the sources he quoted are considered legitimate even according to the most hardcore Charedim.
I don’t know if Eytan Kobre is aware of that lecture. If not, that might explain his unabashed exuberance about Rabbi Kaplan.
My hope though is that he was aware, and purposely left it out because of the controversy, That tells me something both good and bad.
The good news is that by writing about Rabbi Kaplan in such glorious tones Eyan is essentially saying that – unlike R’ Feldman - he sees a 15 billion year old universe as a perfectly acceptable Jewish belief.
The bad news is that he probably omitted it for fear the controversy it would generate among Mishpacha’s Charedi readership. (Or maybe it was his editors at Mishpacha who made that decision.) Which does a disservice to Emes.
That this fact about Rabbi Kaplan was hidden is a problem. But extolling the virtues of a man that clearly believed in an ancient universe is a step in the right direction.
