"Kabbalah and the age of the universe" by
Aryeh Kaplan is something of a disappointment. Kaplan has managed to locate an
intriguing Kabbalistic speculation about the age of the universe. According to
the 14th century rabbi Isaac ben Samuel of Acre, the universe is 15 billion
years old, based on a numerological interpretation of Sefer HaTemunah, a
Kabbalistic tract. This isn't far from the current estimates of the age of the
universe. While scientifically worthless, it obviously could be used to bolster
the credentials of Orthodox Judaism, Kaplan's stated goal.
Yet, Kaplan throws everything away when claiming that the universe was created in thought only 15 billion years ago, with the *real* creation commencing around 6000 years ago. Leaving aside the contradiction that God apparently created Time without a material universe already 15 billion years ago, I admit I was astounded by this ridiculous compromise!
Perhaps I have misunderstood the good rabbi. Or perhaps not, since he begins his exposition with interpreting the Torah through the lens of the Talmud, and only then moves on to consider science. Judging by this short booklet, Kaplan (whose other works I haven't read) was at bottom just as obscurantist as all other religious fundamentalists.
How annoying.
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