- Torah and Jewish Thought
- General Questions
Age of Earth and Universe
Question
What is the age of the universe and earth from a Jewish standpoint?
Answer
Thanks for wording your question concisely (it greatly averts unfortunate misunderstandings!). The Jewish people obviously do not count the year as 2012 as Christians do, but as 5,772, which is the number of years we have consecutively counted since the creation of the world. Our rabbis teach us in the Midrash and Zohar (oral tradition, written down about 1,800 years ago), that G-d created previous worlds and destroyed them, and created different types of man, before the world and man as we know them. That explains why there are fossils dated millions, even billions of years old, while the world as we know it, began counting only 5,772 years ago with Adam. Maimonidies details the unbroken chain of Jewish tradition in his introduction to the Mishne Torah. I personally am the
131st generation of rabbis since Sinai, which was the 26th generation of the world, so my grandchildren are the 159th generation of mankind.
With Love of Israel!
Rav Ari Shvat

Meaning of the Tanakhs mention of accents
Rabbi David Sperling | Tishrei 30, 5782

The Holidays & Spiritual Growth
Rabbi Chaim Tabasky | Tishrei 16, 5769

Questions in judaism
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Tammuz 13, 5780

A single life vs. the lives of many
Rabbi Jonathan Blass | 14 Iyyar 5763

Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.

Birkat Hamazon - extra verses
Adar II 25, 5771

Bircat baalat habayit 2
Adar I 23, 5771

Fasting or giving Tzedaka on seeing Sefer Torah fallen
Shevat 7, 5771

Bircat baalat habayit
Shevat 7, 5771

Is a left-handed Cohen disqualified?
Rabbi Chaim Tabasky | 26 Tevet 5766

Mezzuzah for Non Jew
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 18, 5773
Genesis 24: 2-9 – Put your hand under my thigh
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Tevet 26, 5770

Popcorn at the cinema
Rabbi David Sperling | Nisan 8, 5773

Thank you
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Tevet 17, 5783

Does God Have Feelings?
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Tevet 24, 5783
