4

I'm looking for sourced statements of modern technology possessed by King Solomon.

So far I have seen: An answer here quotes the idea that King Solomon had a flying carpet of sorts. The Ben Yehoyada (on "shiddim v'shiddos, Koheles) says that he had trains. The Gemara writes that he had a complex mechanical throne.

What other technology did they possess?

|improve this question
  • 1
    Considering that David had an alarm clock, he probably could've had one too – הנער הזה Mar 20 '15 at 6:54
  • 1
    @Matt Nice point, but David's alarm clock was not a work of technology in the modern sense. It was a well-positioned harp that played from the wind. – LN6595 Mar 23 '15 at 22:42
  • 1
    you have a severely limited view of "technology". The wheel is also a form of technology. – הנער הזה Mar 23 '15 at 22:46
  • @Matt. You are very correct. I will edit my question. – LN6595 Mar 23 '15 at 22:48
  • 2
    @Matt I once commented to my Rosh Kollel that I hated technology (after having a frustrating experience with my computer). He asked me if I wouldn't be using a pen anymore. – Y     e     z Mar 23 '15 at 22:52
4

R. David Halevi Segal writes that Moses (theoretically) had the technology of printing:

Turei Zahav Y.D. 271:8

ואם איתא דמעשה הדפוס הוה חקיקה קשה מנא לן דהיה על ידי שמיר שהוא דבר שאינו מצוי דילמא היה על ידי הדפוס ובדיו כדפוס שלנו ונמצא שפיר מתקיים פתוחי חותם

And if it's true that the process of printing is engraving, it is difficult – how did [the Talmud] know that [the engraving of the stones on the High Priest's breastplate] was done with the shamir, which is something that is not found? Perhaps it was done via printing and with ink, like our printing, and it would be a proper fulfillment of [the requirement for the stones to be] "engraved like a signet".

In defending this view, R. Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen wrote as follows:

Knesset Yechezkel #37

ובמחילת כבודו וכי מרע"ה אשר דיבר פא"פ ושלמה אשר עליו נאמר ויחכם מכל האדם לא ידעו להמצי' חכמת הדפוס עד שקם חכם א"ה

And with forgiveness of his honor, did Moses our teacher peace be unto him, who spoke [to God] face to face, and Solomon about whom it was said "and he became wiser than any man", not know how to bring forth the knowledge of printing until a gentile scholar did?!

He goes on to say that they didn't actually do any printing because they had no use for it, but they had the technological capability of doing so had they wanted to.

While this only directly mentions the technology of printing, the same reasoning would presumably apply to various other technologies as well.

|improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .