[Translation
by Rabbi Barry Kornblau,
Chief Content Officer at Canfei
Nesharim: Sustainable Living Inspired by Torah]
“Adon Olam... The Ruler of the Universe
who ruled before any creation was formed.”
More than 13.8
billion years ago, “In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth.”
“Le-Et Naasah... At the time all was
done, all was made according to His will.”
All was concentrated in one point, the Singularity, tiny beyond measure,
compressed beyond measure [“Ein Sof”], in which were united all forces and
particles.
After 10-43
seconds began the great explosion, the Big Bang, the Tohu Va-Vohu. At that point, the creation of time, space, matter
begin, and the laws of physics – gravity, the strong force, the electromagnetic
force, and the weak force – became distinguished.
From 10 seconds
thereafter until 380,000 years later was the period of photons - “Let there be
light”.
After 400 million
years, stars began to form along with heavy elements, until [the atomic number
of] iron, since until that time only hydrogen existed. Then tremendous explosions of stars (known as
supernovas) began, releasing 4,000,000,000 times the energy of the Sun, and
atoms heavier than iron were created. As
since it is not good for an atom to be alone (cf. Bereshit 2:18), molecules
were formed.
8 billion years
ago, our galaxy, the Milky Way, was formed.
5 billion years
ago, our Sun was formed.
4.6 billion years
ago, Earth was formed.
About 3.8 billion
years ago, large molecules of millions of atoms appeared, known as prokaryotes:
a single cell, without a nucleus, with a membrane separating it from other
material – such as bacteria. They know
how to replicate themselves, and thus are the foundation of biological life.
About 2 billion
years ago, eukaryotes appeared. They
have a nucleus and organelles – a great revolution which later enabled them to
split into different organs such as the heart, brain, liver, male and female,
adult and young.
(Notably, it took
0.8 billion years for prokaryotes to appear, another 1.8 billion years until
eukaryotes appeared, and another 2 billion years until the [large] creatures we
recognize today appeared. Maran Ha-Rav
Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Cohain Kook writes: “Physical reality's slowness, nature's
restrictions, its external sloth, the contraction of spiritual ascents, the
transience of miracles: these are all supporting foundations of the unending
ascent constituting the ultimate foundation of physical reality. The latter
includes internal limitations which prevents reality's revelation from sinking
until its lowest depth, as well a darker thought which promotes the eternal,
unending ascent.” – Orot Ha-Kodesh 2.529; cf. 2.539, 2.547)
1.2 billion years
ago, reproduction by male and female appeared.
Previously, a single cell duplicated itself, but this process requires
two different cells. The offspring has only
50% of each of its progenitors' traits but is nonetheless doubly enriched in
traits, doubling its survival rate.
“They shall be male and female” (Bereshit 6:19)
900 million years
ago, multi-celled organisms appeared – pre-sponge creatures.
(The pace is now
faster.)
580 million years
ago, a creature with nerves and muscles: jellyfish.
570 million years
ago, creatures with six or eights limbs.
550 million years
ago, flatworms with head and tail, front and back, and a controlling brain.
550 million years
ago, the first species of fish.
475 million years
ago, plants on land.
405 million years
ago, freshwater fish.
400 million years
ago, plants with seeds and insects.
315 million years
ago, amphibians with lungs and gills, living in the sea and coming onto land.
255 million years
ago, finally land creatures.
220 million years
ago, mammalian ancestors.
150 million years
ago, birds.
125 million years
ago, placental animals which protect the fetus inside.
120 million years
ago, flowers.
65 million years
ago, a small mammal living in trees, ancestor of the primates.
40 million years
ago, division of primates into different types.
25 million years
ago, Proconsul africanus, a primate.
13 million years
ago, a primate whose body structure approaching our own, including flexible
elbows, a hard spinal base, and more.
10 million years
ago, the appearance of hominids that branched off from gorillas.
7 million years
ago, hominids separate from chimps [Maran Ha-Rav Kook: “Zohar (Parashat
Vayikra, p. 10) states that there were many types of man before Adam mentioned
in the Torah.” – Letters Vol. 1, page 108]
3.5 million years
ago, Kenyanthropus Platyops. [“And Adam
became a living being” (Bereshit 2:7) - “At that point, Adam was only a living
being, unspeaking until he was formed in [G-d's] Image and Likeness]” – Commentary of Rabbenu Ovadiah Seforno,
cited in The Torah of Rav Gedalyah Nadel, pp. 99-100]
2.5 million years
ago, Homo Habilis.
1.8 million years
ago, Homo Erectus which walks erect.
1.5 million years
ago, Homo Georgicus which mastered fire.
700,000 years
ago, the predecessor of Neanderthal Man and modern man.
350,000 years
ago, Neanderthal Man himself.
160,000 years
ago, Homo Sapiens, the predecessor of Adam. He knew how to bury the dead and to
slaughter.
150,000 years
ago, Homo Sapiens Sapiens.
50,000 years ago,
migration to eastern Asia.
40,000 years ago,
migration to Australia and Europe; Cro-Magnon man.
10,000 years ago,
the Neolithic Era.
6,000 years ago –
Year 0: After a long process, man was elevated to the status of Adam the First
and our mother, Chava. They are the
first with the Image of God, which expresses the permanent, holy [familial]
relationship between them [Adam and Chava]. (Maran Ha-Rav Kook, Shemoneh
Kevatzim 1.594)
Year 1056, Noach,
the righteous man.
Year 1948, our
father Avraham.
Year 2048, our
father Yitzchak.
Year 2108, our
father Yaakov.
Year 2368, our
teacher Moshe.
Year 2448, the
Exodus from Egypt.
Year 2488, the
Conquest of the Land.
Year 2854, King
David.
Year 2928,
Building of the Temple.
Year 3338,
Destruction of the Temple.
Year 3408,
Renewal of the Temple.
Year 3828,
Destruction of the Second Temple.
Year 5642, the
First Aliyah [to Eretz Yisrael].
Year 5664, the
Second Aliyah.
Year 5679, the
Third Aliyah.
Year 5684, the
Fourth Aliyah.
Year 5692, the
Fifth Aliyah.
Year 5699, the
Sixth Aliyah.
Year 5708, the
Establishment of the State of Israel.
Year 5727, Return
to Yerushalayim.
How great are
Your works, Hashem! (Tehilim 92:6)
If our mouths
were as filled [with Your praise as water] fills the sea,
It would still
not suffice to thank You.
