Shana Tova!

Happy Jewish New Year!

According to the Jewish calendar, this is the year 5774.  This, however, does NOT represent the age of the Universe, as is asserted by "young earth Creationists".  The six days of creation are a different -- G*d's eye view -- time scale.  It represents the time from when Adam and Eve ate the apple and left the Garden of Eden -- when people formed civilizations.  When instead of living "in harmony with nature" we began shaping nature to our needs and desires.  When we began to think about the afterlife and create organized religions. As the Torah readily documents, this has not been an easy history. In many ways, "primitive tribes" who still live as prehistoric people did have a less complex life.  Not necessarily happier, but simpler (until, of course, we "discover" them.....) Seen that way, 5774 is definitely the right order of magnitude.

How appropriate to observe this anniversary with the solemn Days of Awe, when we reflect on where we have been and where we are going.  5774 years of struggling with ethics, both intrapersonal and interpersonal.

L'Shana Tova Tikhatemu
May you be inscribed for a good year.