The Age of the Universe: Bridging Science and Torah

Editor's Note:

The scientific theories concerning the age of the universe are not undisputed facts but rather interpretations based on preceding assumptions. These theories, like the speed of the universe's expansion, could have been adjusted by the Creator at will. For example, Dr. Gerald Schroeder in 'The Science of God' illustrates how different time frames can coexist according to Einstein's theory of relativity, suggesting billions of years could pass within a 24-hour span without contradiction.

This article proposes one possible interpretation to reconcile scientific theories with the teachings of the holy Torah. We hope to align, with Hashem's help, with the truth of the Torah.

The age of the universe, or the time since creation, seems to be a source of tension between science and Jewish tradition. Yet, an exploration of current scientific findings and Talmudic wisdom suggests potential harmony and enrichment between science and the teachings of the Torah.  

Today's dominant scientific theory explaining the universe's inception is the "Big Bang" theory. This theory posits that the entire universe was initially compressed into a singularity, expanding in a cosmic explosion that filled the universe with primordial energy (in the Torah: "Let there be light"). Various studies over the years have supported this theory.

The discovery of cosmic background radiation, a remnant of the Big Bang, and the understanding that the universe is expanding and accelerating help estimate, on science's timeline, the age of the universe: "Hubble Constant" relates the velocity at which galaxies retreat from us with their distance, and from this, the universe's age can be calculated.

Measurements via satellites and telescopes have refined these results. The European Space Agency's Planck space telescope, operational from 2009 to 2013, yielded data published in 2018 suggesting the universe's estimated age, according to the Hubble Constant of 67 km/s/Mpc, is:

13,787,000,000 years (with an error margin of ± 20 million years)

In other words:

13,767,000,000 < Age of the Universe< 13,807,000,000

The Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope have shown slightly different results measuring galaxy distances and the redshift phenomenon, reducing the universe's age to 12.6 billion years. This calculation uses a Hubble Constant of 74 km/s/Mpc. Scientists today are at a crossroads in resolving these differences.

Our sources also hint at the universe's age, which can be calculated...

According to the traditional Jewish chronology, from the world's creation to today, the year is 5784. This is, of course, not the universe's age as science calculates, leading to some dismissing rabbinic statements without seeking understanding or resolution.

Jewish texts reference time pre-dating humanity:

• In the Midrash Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah 3, 7), our sages cite Rabbi Abbahu who said that Hashem "created worlds and destroyed them," implying the existence of previous worlds before our known universe described in Genesis.
• In the Zohar (Parashat Teruma), it states "Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world," suggesting the Torah preceded the world and served as its blueprint.
• Psalms hints that the Torah predated the world: "He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded for a thousand generations" (Psalms 105:8). Rashi interprets this to mean the Torah was destined to be revealed after 1000 generations, created before the world 974 generations: After creation, another 26 generations passed until Moses. (From Adam to Noah, 10 generations; from Noah to Abraham, 10 generations; from Abraham to Moses, 6 generations). Thus, 974 plus 26 equals 1000 generations.
• The Talmud mentions "974 generations," a term describing the time Torah was stored before the world's creation, appearing in various sources:
  • Talmud, Shabbat 88b: "Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, when Moses ascended to the heavens, the ministering angels said before Hashem, 'Master of the universe, what is a child of woman doing among us? He went to receive the Torah.' They said to him, 'This cherished hidden treasure, stored for 974 generations before the world's creation, you wish to give to flesh and blood?'"
  • Talmud, Zevachim 116a: "A cherished treasure he has in his treasures, kept for 974 generations before the world, and he wished to give it to his children, as it is said (Psalms 29:11) 'Hashem gives strength to his people.'"
  • Talmud, Chagigah 13b: "Rabbi Shimon the pious said, these are the 974 generations that were to be created."
• What is a generation? The term "generation" in Jewish texts appears with a numerical value when discussing the wilderness generation, namely the Israelites leaving Egypt. Due to the spies' transgression, this generation was punished not to enter the Holy Land. After 40 years, the generation changed - and their children entered:
  • "And Hashem's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness 40 years until the generation that did evil was gone" (Numbers 32:13)
  • "For 40 years the children of Israel walked in the wilderness until all the warriors who left Egypt had perished, those who did not heed Hashem, who swore not to show them the land promised to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey" (Joshua 5:6).
  • "Forty years I quarreled with this generation and said, 'They are a people who go astray in their hearts and have not understood my ways'" (Psalms 95:10).
• In other sources, the number 40 year symbolizes a period or complete time unit, with 40 being the end and beginning of the next stage. For example, Moses ascended Mount Sinai for 40 days, it takes 40 days for an embryo to form into a human (Mishnah), and more:
  • "And the land had rest for 40 years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died" (Judges 3:11).
  • "May all your enemies perish, Hashem; but may those who love him be like the sun when it rises in strength. And the land had rest for 40 years" (Judges 5:31).
  • "And the days that David reigned over Israel were 40 years" (1 Kings 2:11).
  • "And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over Israel were 40 years" (1 Kings 11:42).

From all stated above, we see a "generation", for our purposes, equates to 40 years.

What is a year? A solar year is roughly 365.25 days, but Torah years are lunar, not solar. A regular Hebrew year (non-leap) is 353-355 days, so we'll use an average value of 354 days.

What is a day? Psalms states, "For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has passed" (Psalm 90:4) - a day to Hashem is conceptually equivalent to 1000 years for us.

Calculating the duration based on Jewish sources:

974 generations * 40 years per generation * 354 days in a year * 1000 years per day

The computation results in: 13,791,840,000 years since the creation.

This period falls within the range of the latest scientific findings regarding the universe's age.

It's astonishing how precisely this matches.