Questions tagged [science]
questions about science in relation to Judaism
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Chemical analysis of Niddah Ma'ros
Is a rabbi allowed/endorsed/obligated to conduct a laboratory chemical analysis of Niddah Ma'ros before he Paskens?
Are there precedents? Are there rabbis who perform it on a regular basis?
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1answer
139 views
Biblical attribution of intelligence and feelings to the human heart
Traditionally, the human heart was considered the residence of the animated soul and numerous Biblical passages refer to that ancient belief:
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your ...
2
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1answer
224 views
Why did Rambam include scientific explanations in the first chapters of Mishne Torah?
The first several chapters of Mishneh Torah (ch.3-4) include some pseudo-scientific (Aristotelian?) passages, seemingly unrelated to practical Halacha, for example,
"The celestial spheres are ...
7
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1answer
172 views
Why aren't peas mentioned in the Tanach/Talmud?
Or if my premise is wrong, please correct me?
Guns, Germs, & Steel talks about early domesticated crops of the Fertile Crescent. No surprise that he quickly mentions wheat, barley, olives, dates, ...
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1answer
149 views
What is breathing for, according to sages?
Initially, God breathed a soul into Adam through his nostrils (Gen 2.7). So we definitely know that breathing (נשימה) is linked somehow to the soul (נשמה).
We require breathing to survive and without ...
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1answer
74 views
What is the mechanism of death by poisoning?
The four deaths mentioned in the Jewish law have a very straightforward physical impact on the body. All of them cause inability to breathe which is linked to "maintenance" of the soul, and ...
2
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1answer
127 views
Overpopulation and the Tree of Life
Had it not been for the sin of Adam and Chava, I've read sources that say we would have been able to eat from the Tree of Life, which would means that humanity would never die. What would keep the ...
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2answers
139 views
What does "omniscience" really mean?
Standard teaching is that God is omniscient. But what does the word mean? To most, it means "One who knows everything". To me, it means "One who knows everything that there is to ...
2
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2answers
105 views
Mistake in Ezekiel's vision
I seem to recall that in the Guide to the Perplexed, the Rambam says that when Ezekiel's vision speaks of four heavenly spheres (according to the Rambam's interpretation), it was because during ...
7
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0answers
74 views
Is the Tanya the first rabbinic work to reflect a new scientific understanding of the circulation of blood?
The Tanya was first published in 1796.
In chapter nine of the Tanya (in the shi’ur for today, Teves 9), the Alter Rebbe writes:
The abode of the animal soul… is in the heart, in the left ventricle,
...
4
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1answer
179 views
Resources that bring out interesting scientific/historic/academic related discussions from the daf?
I have a relative that invests a few hours a day learning daf yomi, yet he recently admitted that he does this solely because he believes it's a good thing thing to do but not because he actually ...
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98 views
Database of Gematria, Notarikon, and Temurah Findings
I have been aware of Gematria, but now just learned of Notarikon and Temurah.
There is a cool twitter feed by the TilingBot on hyperbolic tessellations. It is essentially a database of all the types ...
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2answers
122 views
Why is marble not considered a stone?
Hilchot Tumat Tzara'at 14:8:
הַלְּבֵנִים וְהַשַּׁיִשׁ אֵינָן חֲשׁוּבִין כַּאֲבָנִים
Bricks and Marble aren't considered stones.
What is the reason for this decision?
5
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2answers
379 views
The Netziv on Evolution
The Wikipedia page titled Jewish views on evolution states the following about the Netziv.
When scientists first developed the theory of evolution, this idea was seized upon by rabbis such as ...
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1answer
132 views
Reconciling the Rashbam's understanding for leaning left with the anatomy of the throat
The Gemara (Pesachim 108a) rules:
פרקדן לא שמיה הסיבה הסיבת ימין לא שמה הסיבה ולא עוד אלא שמא יקדים קנה לוושט ויבא לידי סכנה
Lying prone is not called leaning. Leaning right is not called ...
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0answers
147 views
What blessing would one have said on seeing Einstein for example?
The Oruch Hashulchan O Ch 224, 6 says
הרואה חכם מחכמי ישראל שגדול בתורה מברך: "ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם
שחלק מחכמתו ליריאיו,
Someone who sees a Jewish Torah sage makes the blessing “ ...
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3answers
223 views
Has nature changed since Talmudic times
Looking at the Gemoro, people used to believe that babies born at 7 months were more likely to survive at 7 months than 8 months. A male is born face down whereas a female is born face up. Another ...
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0answers
59 views
What specifically was the ancient Jewish practice of rubbing an infant's throat?
The Jewish Encyclopedia article on "Consecration" says that the later "rubbing on" of oil aka "anointing" has roots in the practice of rubbing an infant's throat in preparation for receiving a mother'...
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2answers
196 views
Empirical evidence of Sages' intellectual superiority
Throughout ages, our Sages engaged in Halachic, scientific and philosophical arguments between themselves and with other nations' philosophers.
We hold that the truthfulness of Talmudic discussions ...
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3answers
101 views
Sources that G-d miraculously and deceptively conceal His deeds
In the debate on veracity and historicity of the Biblical stories and claims many assert that after an event in discussion G-d miraculously wiped all evidence or replaced it to look natural.
For ...
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4answers
3k views
How did Gdoley Israel react to the landing on the Moon?
IMHO, landing on the Moon did/could seriously undermine the bases of the Jewish religious view about the nature of the celestial bodies.
How did Gdoley Israel react/deal with the landing on Moon (and ...
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1answer
123 views
How can constant creation of new stars explained theologically?
"... we get on average about one new star per year, and one star dying each year as a planetary nebula in the Milky Way.... therefore there are about 275 million [born] per day, in the whole ...
2
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2answers
259 views
What defines a human in Judaism?
As a follow up to "creation-of-super-humans",
The Gene-modification technologies promise interesting developments in human evolution/changes, both physical and intellectual.
On the physical side - ...
3
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3answers
193 views
How does creation of a new species of super humans align with Judaism?
One of the most promising scientific fields of the nearest future is bio-technologies especially genetic modifications, starting with gene-therapy, genetic enhancements, and, as the process is ...
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4answers
1k views
Is there a concept of "peer review" in Rabbinical Judaism?
"Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competences as the producers of the work (peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a ...
2
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0answers
115 views
Would teleportation be allowed? [closed]
Suppose 'teleportation' like the transporter in star trek - where you are disassembled atom by atom, and reassembled in another location - becomes a reality. It will then likely become the most ...
2
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7answers
273 views
Websites or books about the Torah and history of the world
I am looking for recommendations of good websites and books that talk about various ways of understanding the 'conflicts' between the Torah and a modern understanding of the age of the universe, the ...
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0answers
95 views
Why the fact that the Earth is spherical is a deep secret according to Zohar?
Following "zohars-knowledge-about-earths-shape" and related to my other question "why-did-G-d-create-the-earth-spherical":
Zohar (Vayikra 10a) states the following, seemingly pointing to the fact ...
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1answer
249 views
Arguments against evolution
In trying to find the best, most factually based argument against evolution, I found this which said that it just doesn't make sense because why would a creator take so long.
Are there any other ...
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1answer
132 views
Why did G-d create everything important off-center?
I hope not to argue that the Heliocentric view is true as is our current understanding of [our position in] the Universe, the Earth is rotating around the Sun, that is rotating around the center of ...
2
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1answer
138 views
The science behind making liver kosher
It seems that salting and soaking liver is insufficient to release the blood sufficiently to make it kosher. It needs to be broiled (or is there some other method that also works?)
What's the science ...
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0answers
37 views
Does Earth geography resemble anything metaphorical?
All I know about the traditional geographical metaphorism is that Jerusalem is the center of the world and the whole inhabitable space is divided between the 70 nations (besides the plain facts, like ...
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2answers
173 views
Why did G-d create the Earth spherical?
I hope nobody questions the fact of the spherical Earth. Just as spherical as all other celestial bodies.
Many argued whether we knew this fact or not, but I don't recall that those who claim we ...
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1answer
97 views
Source that אמונת חכמים applies to the Sages' knowledge besides Halachah
Tons of Jewish responsa (incl. this site) is based on a common belief/premise that the Talmudic Sages knew what they say and that everything they said is true - אמונת חכמים (see this question on this ...
3
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2answers
273 views
What did G-d do before Creation?
Is it possible to know what G-d was doing before this creation?
While, as Maimonides states, that we cannot know anything about G-d except for what G-d is not (G-d has no body and is one), ...
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1answer
343 views
Gender and "Seeding" - Just Torah-Derived or Common Belief?
Niddah 31a writes (Davidson Edition translation):
אמר רבי יצחק אמר רבי אמי אשה מזרעת תחילה יולדת זכר איש מזריע תחילה יולדת נקבה שנאמר (ויקרא יב, ב) אשה כי תזריע וילדה זכר
Rabbi Yitzḥak says that ...
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2answers
202 views
What observable phenomena show that we live in the pre-Messianic era?
There's no doubt that we live in a very special era of fast and huge technological, social, scientific, economic, psychological and other changes. The world is also getting closer to the 6000 year bar,...
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2answers
146 views
“As many as the stars in the sky”- literally or allegorically?
In Bereishis 15:5 HaShem promises Avraham that his descendants will be as many as the stars in the sky:
וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־...
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1answer
60 views
Has there been any scientific study that agrees with Talmud Rosh Hashanna 20b's time difference?
I'm extracting from this M.Y. question:
In Talmud Bavli Rosh Hashanna 20b, R' Zeira quotes R' Nachman as
saying:
כ"ד שעי מכסי סיהרא לדידן שית מעתיקא ותמני סרי מחדתא לדידהו שית מחדתא
ותמני ...
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1answer
109 views
How the experience of G-d can be distinguished from experiencing AI? [closed]
This is a thought experiment aimed to aid me to prepare for the Messianic times:
We know, that the European colonizers of America were seen by the natives as "sons of gods" because of the ...
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1answer
100 views
Where did Moses' applied scientific knowledge disappear?
I had a series of seemingly true statements that lead me to a contradiction I'm unable to solve:
Moses knew all the Torah => Moses knew all the Halacha.
Moses knew all the Halochos of Shabbos => when ...
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0answers
60 views
Relation between brain damage and the soul
Physical damage to the brain can lead to various psychological and cognitive phenomena, like drastic changes in character, selective memory loss (like forgetting faces but remembering names or vice ...
1
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1answer
56 views
How precise were the Temples' directions (East/North)
Calculating the true astronomical North/South is very simple - find the longest way and cast a shadow.
Are there sources on how precise those directions in the Temples were? Are there special Jewish ...
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7answers
371 views
When is it a mitzvah to study science?
I remember hearing from Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi that HaShem created two Torahs, one the Oral and Written and the other the natural world. My question is, when is it a positive mitzvah to study science ...
2
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3answers
636 views
Biblical description of the firmament vs. round earth in the Zohar
Zohar Vaikra 10a [quotes the Book or Rabbi Hamnunab Sabah]:
וּבְסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, פָּרִישׁ יַתִּיר, דְּהָא כָּל יִשׁוּבָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בְּעִגוּלָא כַּכַּדּוּר, אִלֵּין לְתַתָּא, ...
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1answer
201 views
Is mustard harmful to bees or the honey making process?
The Mishna in Bava Basra (2:10) says: (all translations from Sefaria)
מַרְחִיקִין אֶת הַמִּשְׁרָה מִן הַיָּרָק, וְאֶת הַכְּרֵשִׁין מִן הַבְּצָלִים, וְאֶת הַחַרְדָּל מִן הַדְּבוֹרִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי ...
3
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0answers
143 views
How do the outer planets: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto fit into Judaism?
It is not a secret that we discover new things in all fields of science, not mentioned in our sources all the time.
We know that in Judaism the 7 planets represent/aligned with 7 spiritual forces and ...
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0answers
64 views
Does Judaism differentiate between a planet and a star?
On the 4th day, G-d created Sun, Moon and the stars.
Besides the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were known since ancient times (not mentioning the existence of the real stars).
...
1
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1answer
75 views
Measuring the universe in G-d's cubits (Eruvin 21a)
In the following passage (Eruvin 21a in William Davidson edition) the sages try to determine the size of the Torah scroll that Zachariah saw in his prophecy:
In order to determine the measure of ...
0
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1answer
169 views
Age of Universe [duplicate]
What is the most plausible way to reconcile the traditional dating of the universe (now 5779) with science's understanding that the universe is billions of years old?
