Can anyone here tell me if in the Jewish custom Genesis is to be taken literally? If it is then do most Jewish people argue against evolution? I am really confused about this subject. Apparently my church teaches it is OK to believe in evolution..
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Evolution
- Thread starter Christy4Christ
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simchat_torah
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Yes, Judaism believes the account in Genesis is a literal account.
shalom,
yafet
shalom,
yafet
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Really? I've seen Jewish web sites that argue for a non-literal reading of Genesis that supports evolution. What do you make of that?
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Henaynei
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The difference in Jewish creation views can be directly traced to the difference in their views of Torah.
Those who still believe that Torah is from the Hand of G-d, Christians would say inspired and infallible, mostly believe in a literal 6 day creation. As one moves down the spectrum of disbelief in inspiration one encounters a stronger and stronger move toward evolution.
As with Christianity, or mankind at large even, this can not be taken as a dictum true 100% of the time in 100% of the groups.
Those who still believe that Torah is from the Hand of G-d, Christians would say inspired and infallible, mostly believe in a literal 6 day creation. As one moves down the spectrum of disbelief in inspiration one encounters a stronger and stronger move toward evolution.
As with Christianity, or mankind at large even, this can not be taken as a dictum true 100% of the time in 100% of the groups.
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simchat_torah
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Henaynei stated it best...
Essentially these are either non-believing Jews, or are reform.
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But How literal? Do I believe the world was created in 6, 24 Hour days? No.
Do I believe G-d created the world and to better relate the story of creation to the world, stated 6 days when infact it might have taken 6 million? I lean twards that one.
I take Bereshit in a literal and non-literal sense, given that G-d would not have given detailed accounts of the creation of the cosmos to a society that really would not understand it.
Bereshit is ripe for Sod.
Do I believe G-d created the world and to better relate the story of creation to the world, stated 6 days when infact it might have taken 6 million? I lean twards that one.
I take Bereshit in a literal and non-literal sense, given that G-d would not have given detailed accounts of the creation of the cosmos to a society that really would not understand it.
Bereshit is ripe for Sod.
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ShirChadash
A Jew, by the grace and love of God. Come home!
I always find it so funny that people would say G-d took billions and blahblahblah years to create the world, but He can work huge miracles, pull back the waters of the reed sea and return them instantaneously to wipe out Egyptians, etc. lol... all in a moment's notice 6 days. All it took. He didn't take 6 billion and give us a 7th billion for Shabbat. 
6 days. All it took. He didn't take 6 billion and give us a 7th billion for Shabbat.
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Plan 9
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Hix said:
Whether taken literaly or allegorically, the lessons taught by Genesis appear to me to be precisely the same. One could take the parables of Yeshua as literal, rather than allegorical truth, and their meaning would also not change not at all.
My position on this subject has changed three times (so far) without affecting my theology in the least.
I am willing to entertain the notion that I'm just a mite weird...
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Exactly so Planny, HaShem could have created the universe in an instant should he have so wanted to, however the Torah records it as seven days so as to teach us the lesson to keep Shabbat as a day of rest.
Alot of Rabbis would question whether Genesis is literal or Allegorical but both would agree that regardless it teaches many important lessons for us.
Shalom and G-d bless
~Hix~
Alot of Rabbis would question whether Genesis is literal or Allegorical but both would agree that regardless it teaches many important lessons for us.
Shalom and G-d bless
~Hix~
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Plan 9
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Hix said:Exactly so Planny, HaShem could have created the universe in an instant should he have so wanted to, however the Torah records it as seven days so as to teach us the lesson to keep Shabbat as a day of rest.
Alot of Rabbis would question whether Genesis is literal or Allegorical but both would agree that regardless it teaches many important lessons for us.
Shalom and G-d bless
~Hix~
*Hix agrees with me? Hix?? Be still, my heart!*
I find it amazing that none of Genesis's vital lessons need be lost, altered, or subtracted from, whether we take them as literal events or as teaching stories, given to us specially by HaShem for our instruction. I adore good stories which teach, but I'm hard-pressed to think of a single example, other than the ones I have mentioned, that the meaning of which wouldn't change when viewed as allegory; perhaps there are others, but, if so, my mind's a blank. Perhaps when Professor Tolkien's translation of Beowulf is issued, I'll have to bite my tongue...we'll see.
Sometimes, just a phrase will stick in my head, and it will become allegorical to me...I may have no clue whatsoever what that phrase really means.
Okay..that may qualify as weird...
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ShirChadash
A Jew, by the grace and love of God. Come home!
Or... extremely wise. Yep, there's that possibility too. Yep.Plan 9 said:Whether taken literaly or allegorically, the lessons taught by Genesis appear to me to be precisely the same. One could take the parables of Yeshua as literal, rather than allegorical truth, and their meaning would also not change not at all.
My position on this subject has changed three times (so far) without affecting my theology in the least.
I am willing to entertain the notion that I'm just a mite weird...
Yep, yep.
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