THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Creation, Evolution in Judaism

(Continued from Page 6)
life-giving action of the
eternal God who is -ever
at work in his universe,
guiding the whole of
human existence
towards the fulfillment of
a purpose . . .' (Isidore
Epstein)."
Prof. Simon Cohen dealt
extensively with the subject
in the Universal Jewish
Encyclopedia. His lengthy
study of the subject of Crea-
tion, devotedly accounting
r the Ever Present God,
resents these views which
are relevant to the situation
as it was debated in Sac-
ramento: .
"Although evolutionary
ideas are very old, being
found in the works of Greek
philosophers and echoed in
the aggada and the Mid-
rash, the main stimulus to
evolutionary thought came
from the theory developed
at the end of the 18th Cen-
tury, according to which life
on earth is an attribute of
matter and created with it;
that the world is as it is be-
cause it is the expression of
a divine will; that all exist-
ing things consist of matter
and form; and that the im-
pression of form upon form-
less matter is a proof of the
existence and creative act of
God.
The Kabalistic view of
creation varies widely, both
from the biblical account
and the Aristotelian theory
of an eternal matter. It
proposes a gradation in the
universe from the most
spiritual to the entirely
material, and holds that the
material universe ema-
nated from the spiritual
Deity in a series of 10
stages, each less spiritual
and more material than the
preceding. The Masecheth
Atziluth (Book of Emana-
tion), written about the be-
ginning of the 13th Cen-
tury, speaks of four differ-
_ ent worls: Atziluth (Emana-
tion), Beriah (Creation),
Yetzirah (Formation) and
Asiah (Activity).
The first stage in crea-
tion was the emanation
from God Himself, the En
Sof, of the primeval light
and the 10 Sefiroth (di-
vine substances); the sec-
ond was the creation of
spiritual world forces;
the third, the creation of
individual existences in
their qualities of number,
measure and form; the
fourth and final, actual
creation of the material
universe.
In some of these Kabalis-
tic conceptions human souls
are created in the second
stage and angels in the
third. As each of these
stages came into play there
was a constant diminution
of spirituality and a coarse-
ning of spirit through mat-
ter, which brought about a
degree of corruptibility in
the last and lowest world;
and allowed for the activity
of the malevolent spirits,
the demons.
"The universe, therefore,
according to the Kabala, is
the last stage in the process
of creation; it is paralleled
by the three other uni-

lilt

verses, which represent its clusions of a logical reason-
spiritual possibilities to ing that is buttressed by an
which it can attain if it casts abundance of evidence and
off the grossness of its na- checked by repeated exper-
ture and rises to its original iments. The problem that is
heights.
presented to the modern
"The aim of the Kabalist Jewish theologian is there-
was to invoke the spiritual fore far more difficult to
powers that he felt were in solve than any encountered
the world and to reach the in past generations.
"It is clear, at the outset,
spiritual realms.
"In the later Kabala, that it is impossible to
however, the mystics maintain the biblical
were more concerned stories of creation in their
with learning how the literal sense. They were the
world was created, in the speculations of the great
hope that they might men of Israel in the past,
share the secret. Hence and based on the knowledge
there was much specula- of the past; yet, as in the
tion as to the part played first chapter. of Genesis,
by the 10 Sefiroth, the they bear a remarkable re-
angels and the letters of semblance to the conclu-
the alphabet in the work sions of geology and biology.
of creation, and great
"But the Jew of today can
Kabalistic mystics were still maintain that God is
credited with being able the Creator, though in a
to invoke the presence of_ more spiritual and endur-
the spirits and of the let- ing sense. The idea of a crea-
ters so as to perform their tion that took place at a
own acts of creation.
given time and which fixed
"Thus there arose the forever the forms of all liv-
legends of the Golem, which ing things is replaced by the
the great rabbi of Prague idea of a constant process of
was able to call to life from creation, a creative evolu-
mere clay by whispering tion that gives a new mean-
into its ear the magic crea- ing to the phrase in the
tive words. In the latter Jewish liturgy: He re-
Middle Ages and the begin- neweth every day the work
?ling of modern times great of creation."
stress was laid upon the
The modern concept
understanding of the Name of God is that of a Being
of God, and the Baal Shem, Who is the prime cause of
or the Master of the Name, the universe and without
as the adept in such mys- Whom there would be no
teries were called, was con- existence. Creation be-
sidered able to perform comes identical with
many wonderful acts ; even necessity; God is the
that of creation itself.
creator of the univrese in
"Another characteristic the sense that He is
idea of Kabala was that of necessary to its exist-
the primordial man, Adam ence, that He is con-
Kadmon, either as a combi- stantly making new crea-
nation of the 10 Sefiroth, tions by His will, and that
each one of which is as- the world is not th ep-
signed to a different part of roduct of blind chance
the human body, or as the and the play of the ele-
intermediary between the ments, but the work of a
En Sof and the Sefiroth. supreme Rule and Guide.
This Primordial Man, ac-
cording to this view, arose
"This modern concept of
in the first stage of creation, God as Creator, like the
and it was from him that all existence of God Himself,
the later creations ema- rests upon religious belief
nated, down to the forma- rather than upon
tion of the visible universe.
philosophic proof or the
"The modern Jewish authority of tradition. Sci-
theologian is faced with the ence itself, with all its pow-
problem of reconciling the ers, is unable to explain the
traditional Jewish concept beginnings of existence; it
of creation with the epoch- can only describe the work-
making discoveries of sci- ings of the various forces in
ence in the 19th and 20th the world and the evolution
Centuries. Instead of the bi- of forms from the lowest to
blical concept of a world the highest.
that was created in six days
"Modern Judaism accepts
and some five or six the conclusions of science,
thousand years ago, modern but it adds to them its own
astronomy and geology ex- thought: that behind all
tend the term of the life of existing things is the ever-
the universe to billions of present God, the perpetual
years, and modern biology Creator who is the ultimate
holds that existing forms of Cause of all existence and of
life are not static but the re- all its ever-changing
sult of a continuous process forms."
of evolution which is still in
The views presented here
action.
indicate that a Scopes Mon-
"Modern physics has key Trial could not possibly
strengthened the idea of occur in Jewish traditional
the eternity of matter by circles, that only the very
pointing out that as far as limited, the very few, would
it knows the sum total of unknowingly invoke the
material substance in the Deity as a cause of anger
universe remains the when studying the sciences
same.
or giving due respect to a
"These conclusions of theory like Evolution. In
modern thought are not 'Jewish thinking, it could
mere speculations of well be said that it is Crea-
thinkers that can be
tion Plus Evolution.
brushed aside, but the con-
—P. S.

Friday, March 13, 1981 1

MEN &
WOMEN

UJA Re-Elects Blumberg

NEW YORK — Herschel
W. Blumberg of Washing-
ton, D.C. has been unanim-
ously re-elected national
chairman of the United
Jewish Appeal and will lead
the 1982 nationwide fun-
draising campaign. The ac-
tion by the UJA Board of
Trustees was announced by

leadership.
In a move to strengthen
the management and deliv-
ery of its programs and fun-
draising services to 655 fed-
erated community cam-
paigns, the national United
Jewish Appeal has also
reorganized its senior staff
alignment and restructured
its operations.

Sprialing clothing costs
can be changed by

restyling jacket & suit
lapels, tapering pants,

collars, ties, etc.

Wedding Designs
Designer Fabrics

g Call: 559-6054

0 23300 Providence Dr.
Suite 114, Southfield

o by
nwn
the
company
we keep.

kl I

•as

Q T/

HERSCHEL BLUMBERG

former Detroiter Irwin S.
Field of Los Angeles,
president of the board.
Blumberg, now chairman
of the 1981 campaign, re-
ported that intensive ad-
vance planning for 1982 by
UJA national leadership
and professional staff has
been under way for several
months, in consultation
with community campaign

ran
mo t

=,

NIVITIEr:

nc.

• ,jewelry Designers & Manufacturers of
Original & Unusual Creations
• Authorized Appraisers • Estate Liquidators
31313 Northwestern
Farmington Hills LA:catiT,sz.

851-7333

-

Jewish mothers (and fathers) have traditionally boasted, and
justifiably so, about their children's professional achievements.
But in how many parts of the world can a Jewish parent proudly
proclaim: "Meet my son, THE KNIGHT!"
Certainly Scotland must stand in the forefront. In
recent years Scotland produced three Jewish Knights,
two Jewish Members of Parliament, a Lord Provost
(mayor), and the only Jewish pipe-band in the entire
world!
C course Scotland's most famous product is scotch
whisky. And America's favorite scotch is J&B. We care-
fully select the finest scotches and blend them for
smoothness and subtlety. The result is why we say that
J &B whispers.
Incidentally, you don't have to wait until your son
becomes a Knight or your daughter a Dame in order to
enjoy J&B. Any `simcha' will do!

whispers

86 Proof Blended Scotch Whisky. . 1980 The Paddington Corp NY