Opinion

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Universal Introspection

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48

September 13 • 2007

jpi

the false assumption that
whatever is more sophisti-
here is the
cated (and more artificial),
world going?
is better.
Is it progress-
This optimistic view, as
ing in a positive way and
appealing as it may be, is
moving toward some ideal
considered by many to be
state? Or is it sinking lower
naive, unrealistic and empty.
and lower toward immoral-
The Jewish view of world
Rabbi Adin
ity and disarray?
history
is optimistic, but it
Steinsaltz
In Greek mythology, a
is
optimism
with substance
Special
Golden Age of peace and
and
meaning:
The realiza-
Commentary
happiness was thought to
tion of the hope that it offers
become gradually more corrupt, even- depends on us. It can be summarized
tually degenerating into an Iron Age of like this: Humanity is born into the
greed and cruelty. The Nordic myths
perfect world of the Garden of Eden
were even gloomier, and included
and begins to descend into decadence
depressing descriptions of each stage
and immorality. But this downfall
of the collapse of nature and the uni-
is only part of the story. At the same
verse. Some scientists today have a
time, there is another, parallel momen-
similar view, as they predict the inevi- tum: a path that leads upward. Step
table (but not immediate) end of the
by step — sometimes revealed, some-
world due to global warming, species
times hidden — this inexorable pro-
extinction, bacterial immunity, etc.
cess leads to redemption. And when
Another approach sees human his-
that process is complete, man and the
tory as a series of recurring cycles. The entire world will ascend to their point
classic description — what I would
of departure and even transcend it.
call an emotional outburst, rather than
The religious idea of future
a theological viewpoint — is found in
redemption contains an entire system
Ecclesiastes 1:9: "That which has been
of introspection and self-examination
is that which shall be, and that which
that must guide our outlook and our
has been done is that which shall be
behavior, not once a year — between
done, and there is nothing new under
the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah
the sun!' This approach is also pes-
and Yom Kippur — but every day.
simistic, because it imprisons us in an Each year is not necessarily better or
endless loop that we are powerless to
more perfect than the preceding one:
escape, no matter how much human
It must first go through the crucible
effort we exert.
of Divine judgment and prove that
The concept of a world that will
humanity and human history are
be redeemed in the "End of Days"
worthy of continuation. We claim that
was carried over from Judaism and
this or that thing represents "prog-
— mediated by Christianity and Islam ress," but there is at least a 50 percent
— has become one of the foundation
chance of progressing toward hell in
stones of modern thinking. It is so
this world.
powerful that it has been integrated
The Divine measuring rod renders
into non-theological "religions": The
judgment according to the Divine cri-
ideology of Communism assured its
teria — values that are not manmade
followers that the Revolution (like the
and are not determined in relation
Messiah) might tarry, but it (like him) to man. It is on the Day of Judgment
would surely come.
that the Divine criteria are reinstated.
We can also see this way of thinking The world sorely needs this Divine set
in the theory of evolution, which has
of criteria. A value system based on a
– through a subtle shift in meaning
theory of relativity is the highway to
— turned from a theory that explains
the deluge. Holding onto "the finger
how organisms adapt to their environ- of God" (Exodus 8:15) offers us a way
ments, to a description of how cre-
to return to the possibility of redemp-
ation improves with each generation.
tion. II
According to this view, if we let nature
run its course and don't interfere,
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz is a teacher,
society will evolve toward perfection.
ethicist, philosopher and social critic.
Advances made in science and tech-
He is the author of 60 books, including
nology are held up as alleged proofs
"Understanding the Tanya" (Jossey Bass).
that the world is improving, based on
His Web site is at www.steinsaltz.org.

