Do Aliens Actually Exist? What Is the Torah Perspective?
Question:
Recently there has been a great deal of discussion in the news regarding the existence of aliens. A former president of the United States stated that aliens do indeed exist. His comments generated a wave of public excitement. When President Trump was later asked whether this was true, he responded that the former president had disclosed classified information and that doing so was illegal, implying that the information itself was correct. He then added that he has ordered various government agencies to declassify files concerning extraterrestrial life. As of now, the public has not yet seen these files or what they may contain. The question is: How would this make sense from a Torah perspective? I have always been taught that the Torah teaches that aliens do not exist. How would we handle any proof that future declassified documents might reveal? Would such a discovery create a contradiction between Torah and science?
Answer:
While discussions about extraterrestrial life have become more common in the scientific community, we also find debate among Torah scholars on the topic, as I explained in length in another article. Practically, as we concluded there, contrary to the assumption that the Torah denies the existence of aliens, several respected Torah authorities—including the view attributed to the Lubavitcher Rebbe—maintain that aliens do indeed exist, and that they may even possess a level of intelligence.
One proof cited by these scholars is based on a passage in the Gemara connected to a story in the books of Tanach, specifically in Sefer Shoftim (Judges). The narrative describes the mobilization of forces to fight Sisera. According to one approach in the Gemara, Barak had summoned beings from a place called “Meroz” to assist in the battle. Since they did not come, they were cursed or ostracized. Some commentaries interpret “Meroz” as a celestial body—another planet—and its inhabitants as extraterrestrial beings. From this, the Rebbe concluded, as did the Sefer Habris, that the concept of aliens is not foreign to Torah tradition.
Therefore, there is no inherent contradiction between Torah teachings and possible scientific discoveries about extraterrestrial life. If future documents reveal the existence of aliens, this would not pose a challenge to Torah belief. On the contrary, such revelations could be understood as another step in humanity’s unfolding awareness of the universe that God created.
In short:
According to certain Torah scholars, aliens already fit comfortably within the framework of Torah thought. Whatever science may uncover can harmonize with Torah, rather than contradict it.
Sources:
Our previous article on the subject: https://shulchanaruchharav.com/halacha/does-life-exist-on-other-planets-what-is-the-torahs-perspective/
Shoftim 5:23: “Cursed be Meiroz, says [Barak[1]] the messenger of G-d, may its inhabitants be cursed, as they did not come to assist in the battle of Hashem.”
Tractate Moed Katan 16a: The above Talmudic source speaks of the identity of Meiroz. In a second interpretation, the Talmud states that Meiroz is the name of a star or planet, as the verse states that from heaven the stars fought against Sisera, and seemingly the above star called Meiroz did not show up to the battle. Some Mefarshim claim that according to the second interpretation of the Talmud, the concept of inhabitants should be taken in the literal sense, and that it refers to physical inhabitants which live on the star of Meiroz, and that they too have been cursed.
Sefer Habris of Rabbi Pinchas Horowitz 1 Mamar Gimel Chapter 2-4: “Without doubt God did not create the rest of the universe for no purpose and certainly they contain creations which are there to somehow benefit mankind…. A good proof for this position is from the Talmudic statement discussing the verse in which Barak curses Meiroz [as explained above in length in the approach of the Talmud]…. Nonetheless, it is certain that human beings such as us do not exist on these planets or stars even though it is possible that intelligent beings do exist, as it is not possible for them to have freedom of choice and therefore likewise the concept of the Jewish religion and Torah and Mitzvos can only exist in our world.”
Lubavitcher Rebbe in Sichas Parshas Devarim Shabbos Chazon 4th Menachem Av 1969, printed in Toras Menachem Vol. 57 pp. 172-174: Regarding the question that has been raised lately if there are creations and living creatures etc. on the moon, when I was asked this question by an individual I answered him that the answer to this is found in the Talmud.” The Rebbe then went on to explain the above proof from the Talmud, as brought above and concluded, “according to the second interpretation in the Talmud that it is a star, one must conclude that the inhabitants discussed in the verse refer to inhabitants that live on this star. And from this it is proven that there are inhabitants not just on planet Earth but also in additional planets. Nevertheless, the people found on planet Earth are of greater stature than the creatures found on other planets, as it is for this reason that the Torah was given specifically on planet Earth”
[1] Rashi 5:23
