Chabad And Evolution

The DesertNews has a report surveying the beliefs of various religions regarding evolution. All mention have degrees of flexibility. The most liberal, like the Catholic Church, openly endorse evolution and see the first chapters of Genesis as allegory. The least liberal see evolution as fitting within Genesis if parts of the text are understood as allegory. This would be the Mormon position, for example. The Muslim position is a literal understanding of Genesis and a rejection of evolution, but with an important caveat:

"Scientific theories change over time," [the imam] adds. "If science someday proves Darwin's theory to be a fact, without a speck of doubt, then we would somehow find a way to make it compatible with the word of God."

Christian fundamentalists read Genesis in an absolutely literal fashion. No wiggle room here. But what, asks the DesertNews, do Orthododx Jews believe? Enter a Lubavitcher rabbi, Benny Zippel, to represent us all:

Orthodox Judaism, too, has a literal approach to creation, taken from the Old Testament and the Talmud, known collectively as Torah.

"Torah does not believe in evolution," said Rabbi Benny Zippel of Chabad Lubavitch of Utah. "Torah believes that during the six days of creation, God created man in God's image."

This reads Rav Kook, Rabbi Hertz, the Tiferet Yisrael, and almost all of Modern Orthodoxy out of Orthodox Judaism. It also perverts the words of Rishonim who argued all of ma'ase bereshit (the creation story) is allegorical, and ignores the Rambam's (Maimonidies) philosophy entirely. Worse yet, it is predicated on the belief that the days of creation were six 24 hour days exactly like todays days in length. This reads out Rabbi Dessler and many others, including at least one rabbi who signed the Rabbi Slifkin Ban.

This either represents complete ignorance of Orthodox opinion on this critical issue, or it represents a willful disregard of it. Either way, this is another in a long line of examples where Chabad's "wellsprings" of Torah prove to run shallow, not deep.

Comments

[j]

I met Zippel at a Shabbos table in Crown Heights once I wasn't too impressed. He kept going on about the misnageds in Utah who apparently had the audacity to do kiruv work there.

[j]

There are members of Lubavitch who are denying what happened 12 years ago wtih the Rebbe ztl. So why be suprised about them denying events that occured thousands of years ago.

[Dovid G.]

As I recall, the Rambam holds that torah must be understood as emes kepshuto, albeit knowing that torah shel baal peh informs torah shebiksav.

Shmarya, what are you active in these days, other than this site?

[The other Dovid G]

As far as I learned, Al Pi Kaballah, the Universe is 15.3 Billion years old. Why the black hat world, Lubavitch , Lakewood, fill in the blank _________, doesn't teach this is another story. I think AISH had some form of this on their site a few years ago.

[Jerome Soller]

Shmarya and readers of this web site,
I recently read the article about the evolution survey, and thought I would comment. By the way, I loved the cartoon. My background is a conservative Jew originally from Long Island, who has lived in Utah for sixteen years and attends two synagogues in Salt Lake City: Sha'Arei Tefilah (modern orthodox, led by Rabbi Ari Galandeur) and Chavurah Byachad (lay-led reconstructionist).

First, a minor clerical issue: the newspaper is the "Deseret News", not "Desert News."

In your criticism, the author said
"This either represents complete ignorance of Orthodox opinion on this critical issue, or it represents a willful disregard of it. Either way, this is another in a long line of examples where Chabad's wellsprings of Torah prove to run shallow, not deep."

I want to shed light on the realities of the situation. Tracy Rosen is the Rabbi at Kol Ami, the largest synagogue in the State. So, the press would contact her first. Rabbi Zippel of Bais Menachem (Chabad)has been in the State longer than Rabbi Galandeur and has more exposure with the non-Jewish community. Therefore, when many in the Utah media think of orthodox judaism in Utah, they contact him. Rabbi Galandeur is working to improve his recognition in the community, but these things take time. Honestly, I don't know if Ari's views would be drastically different from Benny's, but I have not asked him. I respect Ari's convictions as sincere, even when I don't agree with him.

However, the bottom line here is that in Utah, there are good relations with the Mormon (LDS) community, but ignorance about the broad range of Jewish beliefs (that one would expect in a place like New York).

While criticizing Benny's position and the article may get your views read by two to three Jewish people from the State of Utah (and none of the non-Jewish readers of the Deseret News in Utah), why not send a short letter to the editor of the Deseret News educating its readers on the more diverse set of Orthodox Jewish viewpoints on the evolution issue? So, Shmarya, why won't you send an e-mail letter to the editor of that section of the Deseret News to educate the Utah community on these issues?

Jerome Soller, Ph.D.
Salt Lake City, Utah

[Shmarya]

1. Because I don't have time.

2. Because that is what the local MO rabbi should be doing.

you are sick

[Reb Barry]

Good post, Jewish fundamentalism is a huge problem. I refer to this post in a D'var Torah I gave for this Shabbat at:

http://www.neshamah.net/reb_barrys_blog_neshamahn/2006/10/bereshit_5767_s.html

[Ryan S.]

This is all ridiculous. Everyone can have his own beliefs. I am a conservative Jew, who was taught by Rabbi Zippel. His Orthodox beliefs involve literal interpretation of Genesis. I believe that evolution does occur, but, as in all laws of the earth, G-d created them, and He is not bound by his own laws. We are all entitled to his/her own beliefs. If you do not agree with Rabbi Zippel, there's no need to attack his beliefs openly.

[Ari]

There are no gaps in the theories behind evolution that leave room for a sudden introduction of humanity, not to mention the incredible similarities between humans and apes (if humans are in god's image, then apes look very similar, so there's no reason to take offense at having evolved from their species), and especially no room for the world to have been wished into existence 6000 years ago. Evolution and Judaism are not mutually exclusive. What is a 'day' in Judaism? It's the time from sunrise to sunrise. Before god created the world there wasn't even such thing as a sunrise! That for me just introduces the concept of time being an illusion, which would allow many of the apparent contradictions to dissolve.

[Yosef]

The Lubavitcher Rebbe said strongly that the six days of creation are six literal days. I don't like the phrase "Jewish fundamentalism." Let's assume we all believe G-d created the world. Is that also Jewish fundamentalism? Where do we draw the line? Yes, some opinons interpret six days as non-literal. The Rebbe was very critical of the Tiferes Yisrael, who he said bases his opinion on non-existent sources. (See the book "Mind Over Matter" for the exact quote). For those of who follow the Rebbe, six days is six days. We need to stop being apologists, and trying to fit the Torah, which is eternal and unchanging, into the scientific model, which continually changes. By the way, the Rebbe stressed more than anyone how Torah and science do not contradict. The Rebbe, who had a degree from the Sorbonne, was highly sought out by scientists from around the world for his opinions and knowledge of science. I highly recommend "Mind Over Matter," published by Shamir publishing.

[Ryan]

As a former student of Rabbi Zippel, I must politely disagree with this view. Science and Judaism are not at odds, but rather, they reinforce each other