The Difference Between The Darwinian Theory And Kabbalah

soulA question I received: I still don’t understand what you think about the Darwinian theory. Does Kabbalah support it?

My Answer: The external processes described by Kabbalah and the Darwinian theory coincide, because evolution is obvious. However, according to Darwin, the mechanism of evolution is based on the struggle for survival, whereas according to Kabbalah, it’s based on the realization of the Reshimot.

You can say that it’s the same thing, because Reshimot also lead to evolution, as well as struggle or competition. However, according to Darwin, the process is chaotic and uncertain, whereas according to Kabbalah, everything moves by precise and defined stages of development, where nothing is uncertain. The beginning state, all the stages of development, and the objective (the final state) all exist from the beginning. The speed and the process of development are determined by man’s free, conscious participation in the process.

This is what Rav Kook, a Kabbalist who lived in the 20th century, meant in the following verse, where he says that the theory of evolution resembles Kabbalah more than any other theory:

“תורת ההתפתחות… היא מתאמת לרזי עולם של הקבלה יותר מכל התורות הפילוסופיות האחרות. הרב קוק. אורות הקודש. ח”ב, התגלות העולם סעיף יט ע’ תקל”ז

Related Material: Post: The Vatican Accepts Darwin’s Theory, But Kabbalah Does Not Post: We Will Evolve to Acquire Power Over All of Nature Post: All of Evolution Is Aimed at Making Us Attain the Upper Level of Consciousness
The Open Book: “View on Evolution from the Perspective of Kabbalah”

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