Reply To: Science and Astronomy in the Torah

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#672538
squeak
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cantoresq (are you also onlyemes?): What is a primary source that will satisfy you?

The Gemara relates many instances of Tannaim or Ammoraim exercising “powers” that we don’t have. Do you disbelieve the Gemara? Do you really think that you are on equal footing with the Torah giants of nearly 2000 years ago? That anything you can’t do they couldn’t either? Is it so hard for you to accept that you are puny compared to them? Why are there no “holy human beings” of that stature today? Don’t you agree that our generation is completely unable to comprehend, let alone produce, a human being comparable to those great Sages?

I’m not saying you have to believe that they knew a way to unleash atomic energy or how to cure cancer. Incidentally, the Sefer Harefuos (which contained cures to all diseases and conditions) was hidden away so that we would not have access to that knowledge. But it’s a big leap from saying that Chazal did not know (or care to know) things that they never discussed (such as atomic energy) to saying that they did not know what they DID talk about.

I’m still not saying that they could not be wrong. But I have tried to show that as much as we think we know today, we still haven’t even proven the groundwork. So a little humility is in order here. Bashing Chazal should not come as a corrolary to bashing contemporary gedolim. And whatever you are going to say to discredit the words of the Gemara is just going to lower the value of your opinion to me.