•e . 6 Friday, March 13, 1981 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS HAPPY PURIM FROM I Creation Plus Evolution in Jewish Tradition (Continued from Page 5) known or nonrational force directing it toward its de- velopment, and in this is a parallel between phylogeny, the develop- ment of the species, and on- togeny, the development of the individual. "These assumptions have an indubitable reli- gious significance, and in this connection mention should be made of the words of Rabbi Kook: The theory of evolution, which is at present in- creasingly conquering the world, is more in harmony with the mys- teries of Kabala than all other philosophical theories' (Orot ha- Kodesh, ii, 558). "On the other hand there are many evolutionists who are not prepared to include in the scheme of creation and evolution a nonrational force and hold that these `unknown' forces, responsi- ble for the evolutionary process, will be revealed and defined as known chem- ical or 'physical forces. There are numerous theories to explain the mechanism of evolution, but the doubts exceed the certainties. "When Rabbi Kook was asked about the problem of evolution, he summed it up as follows: 'Nothing in the Torah is contradicted by any knowledge in the world that emerges from research. But we must not accept hypotheses as certainties, even if there is a wide agreement about them' (Iggerot ha-Re'iyyah, no. 91)." One of the most concise definitions of the subject of Creation, relating it to Evolution, is the explanat- ory comment by Rabbi Philip (Pinhas) Birnbaum in "The Book of Jewish Con- cepts." Dr. Birnbaum states that "the term creation is primarily used for the orig- inal formation of the uni- verse by God, as described SPITZER'S of Harvard Row • greggers • beards • masks • puppets • crowns • records • story books Discount Prices For Your Shalach Monos Giving complete line of kosher wines & champagnes SPITZER'S Hebrew Book & Gift Center Harvard Row 11 & Lahser 500 GET 356-6080 CASH BONUS ON ANY SKYLARK PURCHASED FROM STOCK THROUGH MARCH z 19 GET $ 700 CASH BONUS ON ANY REGAL PURCHASED FROM STOCK THROUGH MARCH 19 Fleet purchse not applicable TamaRoFF Buick-Honda 28585 Telegraph Rd. across from Tel-Twelve Mall Southfield, Mich. Phone 353-1300 • • • • • • W • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 0 • • • • • • When you join our V.P. Club Membership • • • NT 4 DAY 5 NOW ONLY $35 00 • • S • • • ▪ S S ▪ ' • • • Complete Video Library. Preview hundreds of movies ONLY $5.00 for 4 days Movies such as STUNT MAN 9 to 5 XANADU FAME AIRPLANE BLUES BROTHERS • • • • North Dallas Forty "10" • Muppet Movie Alien • Jaws The Jerk VIDEO PLUS 12 Mile at Evergreen Evergreen piazza OPEN 7 DAYS ■ 569-2330 ••••••••••••••• •• • ••••••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • * RABBI KOOK "If someone were to bring us a fair copy of script that could only have been writ- ten with a pen, and were to tell us that ink had been spilled on paper and these carefully written characters had come of themselves, we would charge him to his face with falsehood. How, then, can one assert that some- thing far finer in its art could have come about without the purpose, power and wisdom of a wise and mighty designer?" "The cosmogony account in the Torah has been an es- sential part of the Jewish faith, which insists that the world and all it contains is - not the product of chance but the handiwork of God, transcendant and almighty, who observes all events and „nothing escapes him. Judaism has always em- phasized that Creation is not spontaneous nor the re- sult of accident, but is the work of the Author of every- thing in accordance with definite plans and laws. "It has been pointed out that the relationship be- tween God and the world, the belief that his providen- tial activity preserves the universe from collapsing, is the foundation of the mean- ingfulness of human history and human life. in Genesis 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3." He then proceeds to offer his definition: The description of the formation of man and his surroundings (Genesis 2:4-25) is supplementary and not contradictory. Though the story of crea- tion has been told in var- ious parts of the world by different writers and at different times, the bibli- cal account of the facts of creation gives us the first definite idea of One God who controls human af- fairs, maintaining a sym- pathetic concern over the thoughts of the deeds of his children on earth. "Each of the seven acts of the creation drama covers a period of one day, assumed by some to be a geological period of countless cen- turies, so that there is no real conflict between the bi- blical account and the scien- tific theories of the origina- tion of the universe. Since, however, such a view re- sults in more difficulties than it solves, there are those who think that noth- ing is gained by making a desperate attempt to force science into the Bible: It is declared unreasonable to expect the first two chapters of the __Torah to contain all the facts of astronomy, geol- ogy and biology. "We are told that science is limited to study and ob- servation; it may form hypotheses and theories, but it cannot give a definite answer to the question how the universe was origi- nated. It may discover the laws of nature, but it cannot establish new laws of na- ture or create life. a scientist, "One biochemist writes: 'What is a cell? For many years it was thought to be a bag of jelly-like substance . . . Today we know it as a beau- tifully structured thing, made up of various bodies, of canals and vesicles, of small particles and amorphous material, all ar- ranged and organized as if there were a definite reason for their existence and their placement.' "Rabbi Bahya ibn Pakuda, in his famous work 'Duties of the Heart': 'How can one say that the universe came into existence without a wise, purposeful and mighty designer? If ink were poured out acciden- tally on a blank sheet of paper, legible writing could hardly result. "Contrary to the notion that human life is mean- ingless, because it is shaped by blind forces, and that man is a puny and helpless creature be- cause he is dependent entirely upon a physical organism, Judaism af- firms the creative and (Continued on Page 7) DICTATING MACHINES $8888 also transcribing units 342-7801 CISH FOR JEWELRY Highest dollars paid for your diamonds, gold, sterling or old jewelry! TH Zrariti cmotOgi8t8 d State at Michigan Licensed CALL FOR APPOINTMENT 851-•7333 A wine fi lled wit h the joys of the people who made it. Grvnache Rose! Adorn Barie 1 Hock/ Light Golden Sweet/Red Na tura Sweet1.5zoeet Grape Kosher for Passover vin p'12 ass ,*11310 1:3",t11 a4n p 71M3Attrt Irtnn IMPORTED BY KEDEM CO. NEW YORK N.Y