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The Rabbinic-Kabbalistic Teachings on Extraterrestrial Life Forms

An excerpt from the book, “UFO's & Aliens in Light of Torah”

by Ariel Bar Tzadok
Copyright © 1993 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
 

I most certainly am not the first Rabbi to reveal material concerning life on other planets. Other Kabbalistic Rabbis before me have written books revealing some of the best-kept secrets in the world. We will discuss just a few of them here.

The late 18th century was a turbulent time for Jews living is Europe. The so-called age of enlightenment and science was spreading even into Jewish circles. This new religion of science sneered at the valued teachings of the Bible and sought in every way to contradict them, to "prove them wrong scientifically." One of the great Kabbalistic Sages of Eastern Europe, Rabbi Pinchas Eliyahu Horowitz of Vilna, arose to meet this challenge. He authored a monumental work on Kabbalah and science the likes of which has not been duplicated to this day.

In 1797, Rabbi Horowitz published his monumental work Sefer HaBrit, The Book of the Covenant. The work begins by discussing the order of the physical universe, the stars, planets and the like, continues to discuss the physical world and finishes with long, rich metaphysical discourses on the nature of man, consciousness and prophecy. The scope of the text is far too great to do appropriate justice to it here. I must limit myself to our topic and Rabbi Horowitz's most striking revelations about it. It seems that even in Rabbi Horowitz's days there was interest and speculation about life on other planets. In Section 1, Lecture 3, Chapters 3 and 4, Rabbi Horowitz responds to the so-called scientific theories of his day regarding life on other planets and proceeds to enumerate from authoritative Jewish sources what the Torah teaches about this subject.

In Kabbalistic literature it is taught that the Holy One, Blessed Be He, has created an infinite number of worlds. Most commentators on these Kabbalistic texts will state that the worlds being spoken of are spiritual worlds. In other words, the Kabbalah is speaking about an infinite inter-dimensional quantum reality. There are four general dimensions or worlds in the Kabbalistic panorama; the three highest of these dimensions/worlds are Atzilut, Beriah and Yetzirah. These correspond to the dimensions of Spirit, Mind and Emotion respectively. Therefore, any worlds manifesting these realities are not going to be physical, as we understand the meaning of physical.

Rabbi Horowitz now steps in with a significant point. In Chapter 3 he asks why should the number of worlds in the fourth Kabbalistic level, Asiyah, corresponding to the physical realm, be any less than the infinite number of worlds in the supernal realms above it. He continues by quoting the holy Zohar "in many places" and the Mishna that in the future the Holy One, Blessed Be He, is to place each and every righteous person as a governor over 310 worlds. Rabbi Horowitz emphasizes that these are physical worlds in outer space. The future being spoken of is the time after the Messianic age and the resurrection of the dead. The reward of the righteous is that they are to ascend to the stars and rule sections of the galaxy as the regents of the Holy One, Blessed be He.

Rabbi Horowitz continues to bring evidence of other worlds from the Bible itself. With this proof text, he not only claims to prove that there are other worlds, but that they are also inhabited by beings. Rabbi Horowitz quotes from Judges 5:23, "cursed be Maroz, cursed be those who dwell there." The Talmud (Moed Katan 16A) records an opinion that Maroz is the name of a planet. And the verse says, "cursed be those who dwell there." This seems to imply that the planet Maroz is inhabited. Rabbi Horowitz concludes Chapter Three with the words, "According to my opinion, there are inhabited planets [in outer space] and this is also implied in the Tikunei Zohar."

Accepting the given fact of other inhabited worlds, Rabbi Horowitz now addresses the issue of what type of beings are on these other planets. He begins by criticizing those who are of the opinion that the other planets are just like ours, with similar peoples of free will, similar animals, plant life and the like. He calls these beliefs lies and a waste. Those who believe them, Rabbi Horowitz says, are "simpletons who will believe anything."

Rabbi Horowitz asks why would so many planets be needed just for our forms of life. Certainly, our planet is large enough to hold us all. Being that these planets are so numerous and distant from one another they must also be very different. No two can be exactly alike; each one is different from the other both generally and specifically.

Rabbi Horowitz also says it is a fallacy to think that the planets are formed of the same types of matter as is ours. He gives an example of the sun (which in Judaism is also considered a planet). Can someone dwell on the Sun and not be burned, he asks? Would not the brilliant light blind a person? In addition, as an example, on Saturn Rabbi Horowitz asks, would not a person freeze to death there due to its cold nature. To again prove the point of the varying types of life that are in outer space, Rabbi Horowitz uses the example of the ocean, saying that just as sea creatures differ tremendously from land creatures due to the different nature of their environments, so do the inhabitants of the other planets differ from us.

Rabbi Horowitz then follows with one of his most important points. He acknowledges that these extraterrestrial beings are "ba'alei sekhel u'madah" (masters of intelligence and science). Yet, with all their intellectual potentials, Rabbi Horowitz claims that all extraterrestrials will lack one essential component that will forever set them apart from the human race. They lack "behirah," the ability of Free Will. Free Will separates mankind from any and every other species. It is Free Will that is the G-d given spiritual component that separates the human race from being just another animal species.