Reply To: Q&A With Rav Avigdor Miller

Finding Life on Mars

Q-
Why does the Rav keep saying that there is no life on other planets? Just because life follows a certain pattern here, doesn’t mean that there isn’t a different form of life on some other planet.

A-
Life, you have to know, must have ingredients that make life possible. Do you know what life is? Life is the ability to take things from the outside and to assimilate them into your body in order to replenish the worn out cells. The taking in of these outside ingredients to rejuvenate the body. And to provide you the energy needed for life. You have to have something – something to provide for life! And therefore, whatever it is, let’s say you want a different life form on some planet somewhere. Ok, let’s say you want people with wings. You still have to eat. Your still have to breathe. It can’t be otherwise. Look, just because you want to imagine that there are beings that don’t have to breathe and don’t have to eat – look, ha’motzee mei’chaveiro a’lav ha’raiyah. You’ll have to prove such a thing. It’s a meshugas! So you have to prove that meshugas. Otherwise, we know that life is a certain thing. It’s a certain system. A certain process. Life needs nourishment. Life needs air. Life needs water. Without air and water and without food, you can’t have any life.

Oh, so you’re telling me that maybe there’s life that doesn’t need any food and air. It doesn’t need water. (The Rav laughed) A meshugas! All kinds of crazy ideas. Think up as many crazy ideas as you want – but I’m not michuyav to worry about the crazy ideas. Ha’motzee mei’chaveiro a’lav ha’raiyah. You have to prove it. That’s all.

TAPE # E-265