Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
| Online Publication Date: 05 Nov 2007
The Age of the Earth From Judaic Traditional Literature
The Age of the Earth From Judaic Traditional Literature
Page Range: 169 – 173
The calculation of the Earth's age, based on ascribing approximately 40 years to each generation mentioned in the Talmud, results in a total of 5,740 years from the "birth" of Adam. For modern scientists holding traditional viewpoints, this "dating" has led to conflicts which have been explained by various semantic gymnastics. The most common of these is that the Biblical "six days of creation" refers not to days as we know them, but to vast periods of time. However, an examination of the writings of Rabbi Abbahu, Rabbi Abbaye, in the Talmud and Midrash, suggest a concept more akin to our present knowledge. Simon Hahasid in the Talmud estimated the Earth's age as 40,000 years. Based on these early sages, many writers of Jewish religious philosophy in the 10th-12th centuries give ages of the Earth from 50,000 to 100,000 years. Certain Kabbalists from Spain in the 12-13 centuries calculated the Earth's age at 900,000 to 2.5 billion years. A continuation of these concepts are expressed throughout Jewish traditional literature from the Middle Ages to the present by Jewish philosophers and Rabbis such as Maimonides, Rabbi Judah Halevi, Rabbi Israel Lipschitz and others.
Oral Law - the authoritative interpretation of the Written Law (the text of the Pentateuch) which was regarded as given to Moses on Sinai and therefore is existant with the Written Law. The view of the Oral Law was a fundamental principle ofthe rabbis (Enclyclopedia Judaica - Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Mishnah - General designation of the Oral Law included all its aspects. Arranged and revised about the beginning of the third century by Judah Hanasi known as Rabbi (Encyclopedia Judaica - Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Talmud - Babylonian - Essentially the interpretation and elaboraton of the Mishnah as it was carried on in the great academies of Bablyon (first half of the third century to the end of 500) (Encyclopedia Judaica - Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Babylonian Talmud - Abodah Zarah 9a (Translated by Rabbi I. Epstein, Soncino Press - London, 1952).
Mishnah-Hagigah 2:1 (Translated by Rabbi I. Epstein, Soncino Press London, 1952).
Babylonian Talmud - Hagigah 13a (Translated by Rabbi I. Epstein, Soncino Press - London, 1952).
Midrashim - The designation of a particular genre of rabbinic literature constituting an anthology and compilation of homilies, consisting of both Biblical exegesis and sermons delivered in public and forming a running aggadic commentary on specific books of the Bible (Encyclopedia Judaica - Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Maimonides (Moshe Ben Maimon) - Known in rabbinical literature as "Rambam" (1135-1204) rabbinic authority, codifier philosopher, and royal physician. Born Cordoba, Spain died Cairo, Egypt. His main books: Commentary to the Mishnah: "Guide of the Perplexed" and "Repetition of the Law" (Mishnah Torah). "Guide of the Perplexed" part 2:29 (Translated by Shlomo Pines the University of Chicago Press, 1963).
Nahmanides (Moshe Ben Nachman) - Known as "Ramban" (1194-1270). Spanish rabbi, scholar and one of the leading authors of talmudic literature in the Middle Ages; philosopher, kabbalist, biblical exegate, poet and physician. Born Gerona, Catalonia, died Jerusalem. His main book: Commentary on the Bible.
Midrash Rabba - Genesis Sec. 3, Sub. Sec. 8 (was written 426-500 C.E.). (Translated: "Challenge" Torah Views on science and its problems; Feldheim Pub. New York, 1978).
Rabbi Judah Bar Simon -(300-400 C.E.) - Jewish scholar and aggadist. His homilies interpretations of Scripture, poems and parables are quoted in the Talmud and Midrashim.
Rabbi Abbahu - (300-400 C.E.) - Jewish scholar lived in Caesarea. Halakhic important figure; his aggadic sayings are significant in the fields of religion, ethics and philosophy. Rabbi Abbahu was learned in mathematics, rhetoric and Greek.
Babylonian Talmud - Sanedrin 97a (Translated by Rabbi I. Epstein; The Soncino Press, London, 1952). Rabbi Kattina - (250-290 C.E.) - Babylonian Jewish Talmudic scholar and aggadist from the Academy of Sura.
Abbaya - (278-338 C.E.) - Babylonian Jewish scholar, head of the Academy in Pumbedita.
Sabbatical Year - According to the Biblical Law the land must be periodically given rest each seventh year known in Hebrew as "Shemitta".
Babylonian Talmud - Hagigah 13b (Translated by Rabbi I. Epstein. The Soncino Press, London, 1952).
Rashi - (Shlomo Itzhak - 1040-1105 C.E.) - Leading commentator on the Bible and Talmud. Born and died: Troyes, France.
Babylonian Talmud - Sabbat 88b - (Translated by Rabbi I. Epstein. The Soncino Press, London, 1952).
Torah - All the body of laws referring to any specific subjects written in the Pentateuch (Encyclopedia Judaica, Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Maimonides - "Guide of the Perplexed" Part 2:25 (Translated by Shlomo Pines, The University of Chicago Press, 1963).
Rabbi Judah Halevi - (-1075-1141 C.E.) - Hebrew poet and philosopher, Born Toledo, Spain, died in Israel (?). His main philosophic book "The Book of Kuzari".
Book of Kuzari - Part 1:67. (Translated by Dr. Hartwig Hirschfeld, New York, Pardes Pub. House, 1946).
Rabbi Bahya Ben R. Asher - (1250-1350 C.E.) - Exegete, preacher, and Kabbalist. His great commentary on the Torah was written in 1291. Sargossa, Spain. Leviticus 25:2.
"Jubilee" - The close of seven sabbatical cycles (Lev. 27:16-26; Num. 36:4). "Great Jubilee" - The six days of creation is not a single event and the present world was not the only one to be created. Reality encompasses many creations in the cosmos, created and recreated in cycles of seven times seven thousands (7x7,000) - a sabbatical cycle. In these cycles the creaton continues in periods of 50,000 years each period being a great jubilee.
Kabbala - the traditional and most commonly used term for the esoteric teachings of Judaism and for Jewish mysticism, especially the forms which it assumed in the Middle Ages from the 12th century onward. (Encyclopedia Judaica, Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Sefer Hatemuna - Classic Kabbalistic book written approximately 1270, one of the most difficult books in Kabbalistic literature. The main constant of Sefer Hatemuna is about the theory of cosmic cycles. (Encyclopedia Judaica, Keter Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1971).
Rabbi Isaac Ben Samuel of Akko - (1250-1350 C.E.) - Kabbalist who travelled to Italy and Spain in 1305.
Rabbi Israel Lipschitz - (1782-1860 C.E.) - Famous commentary on the Mishna "Tiferet Yisrael" and "Yakhin and Bo'az", Rabbi of Danzig.
Drush Or-Hayyeim - Sermon, given by Rabbi I. Lipschitz in the year 1842 in the synagogue of Danzig at Passover. The Drush or Hayyeim is printed in the Mishna after Massechet Sanhedrin (Nezikin). (Translated: "Challenge" - Torah views on science and its problems, Feldheim Pub., New York, 1978).
Author's emphasis suggesting 4-orogenies.
The sources about the ideas written in sefer Hatemuna26, the cosmic cycles of Rabbi Bahya23 and Rabbi Isaac Ben Samuel of Akko27 were taken from the book: Israel Weinstock "Be-ma'aglei Ha-nigleh Ve Ha-nistar" studies in Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism. (Mossad Harav Kook Pub. House, Jerusalem, 1969).