So I compiled 15 inconvenient questions on the weekly parshah, parshas Noach (I feel so sorry for the Shabbos Project they chose the worst Shabbos for kiruv!). Just in case they may indeed try to be mekarev you (try to win you over to OJ).
Feel free to add your own, here they are:
- Start with this excellent video for some flood absurdities:
- How did the earth repopulate after the flood?
- Nobody in documented history ever lived a 950 years.
- How many climates were there on the boat? Some animals can't survive in cold places, some not in warm ones.
- Why did ALL life on earth deserve to be destroyed? And why the babies, too?
- Why is there a contradiction between Genesis 6 where 2 animals of each species were required and in Genesis 7 seven pairs of clean and 1 pair of unclean animals?
- Some animals are carnivorous. Were these animals (food) part of the 2 or the 7 and 1 animals? Or were they extra?
- How did the kangaroos from Australia, the pandas from China and the penguins from Antarctica?
- Were there any dinosaurs on the boat?
- How did Noah know all the animals had entered the Ark? Did he know all millions of species by heart?
- There is no geological evidence of a global or even larger local flood (a uniform layer of sediment in the earth). No archeological evidence of whole societies and buildings destroyed.
- Did the flood extend to the sea? In that case, salty water mixed with fresh water and many animals would not have had drink water after the flood.
- How did light refract when it was raining an the sun shone before the rainbow?
- Points of similarity between the Babylonian and Noachian flood stories.
- All. The. Shit.
Recommended bonus reading: Why the Shabbos Project is Dividing Us, by Suzanne Oshinsky and Shloimie Ehrenfeld.
There are easy answers to a few of these (from an OJ point of view):
ReplyDelete> Nobody in documented history ever lived a 950 years.
The Chumash documents history, and the Chumash documents someone living to 950 years old. Ergo, there is someone in documented history who lived to 950 years old.
> Why is there a contradiction between Genesis 6 where 2 animals of each species were required and in Genesis 7 seven pairs of clean and 1 pair of unclean animals?
Like most cases of doublets, the second one is just clarifying the first one.
> Were there any dinosaurs on the boat?
Of course not. Dinosaurs were never real. They were just planted by Hashem in order to test our emunah - and becuase He likes a good practical joke.
> How did Noah know all the animals had entered the Ark? Did he know all millions of species by heart?
Noach wasn't in charge of getting all the animals on the teivah. It was a nes that they all came of their own accord, and Hashem let Noach know when they were all there.
> Points of similarity between the Babylonian and Noachian flood stories.
Amazing! Other culture's myths corroborate the truth of the maul!
I knew this but I never really completely believed it...
Deletemiracle, miracle, miracle. END simple. clean. no difficulties
ReplyDeleteLOL! But unfortunately true.
DeleteBut what is most preposterous is that all mankind descends from a Single Male - Noah within in the span of say a one to two thousand years.
ReplyDeleteThis is the sort of nonsense the yeshivas are teaching our brothers and sisters.
It's 3-4'000 years ago (Abraham was allegedly born in 1948). Still, that is only about 4-5 times Noach's lifespan :P
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletePlease try to stick to the topic, thanks.
ReplyDelete