24

Suppose we one day find an extraterrestrial walking on our planet that originated from another planet. The alien quickly learns all about religion and now wants to become a Jew. Do we let him?

Remember: Aliens don't have to be three-eyed, green-skinned creatures. Perhaps they will even look and function exactly like we do!

(of course, the premise of this question is that Aliens do exist)

HodofHod
  • 21,056
  • 5
  • 91
  • 156
yydl
  • 38,600
  • 6
  • 88
  • 285
  • 13
    Only if they're not from Meroz... – yoel Jun 15 '12 at 22:27
  • @yoel http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/16646/759 – Double AA Jun 15 '12 at 22:32
  • 2
    Are they similar enough to allow for successful interbreeding? – Double AA Jun 15 '12 at 22:32
  • 9
    Wouldn't it basically boil down to the question of whether halachah would consider them human? If not, then no matter how sentient they are, they could no more be considered Jewish than a golem. [I imagine - though I'd have to look for sources - that the criterion would be whether they're born from a human mother (compare Bechoros 8a, הדולפנין פרין ורבין מבני אדם), so Spock might be considered halachically human, but Deanna Troi would not.] – Alex Jun 15 '12 at 22:32
  • @Alex at least in an early draft of ST:TNG, Worf's adoptive parents were Jewish and had raised him as such. This was softened to "Russian" for broadcast. – yoel Jun 15 '12 at 22:45
  • 1
    So I assume you don't want an answer from rabbis saying that there can't be intelligent life on other planets? – HodofHod Jun 17 '12 at 02:23
  • 2
    @HodofHod That's correct. Once you take that as a given the question doesn't start. [I would, however, accept an answer if it emerges that all Rabbis agreed there was no life -- since if true, that would be an actual answer] – yydl Jun 17 '12 at 02:48
  • @yydl Just to clarify, I only know of a rabbi saying that there can be no intelligent life, although he did not preclude the possibility of non-intelligent life. – HodofHod Jun 17 '12 at 03:09
  • @HodofHod Ah, I missed that emphasis. Either way, the conversation does stand -- a proper answer would only be if there's absolutely no room for doubt. – yydl Jun 17 '12 at 03:32
  • It seems to me that it would depend on if the alien could be described as a "ruach memalela" (targum on "nefesh chayah"). Otherwise, what distinction is there between Marvin the Martian and Fido the dog? – b a Jun 17 '12 at 04:39
  • @ba Don't know who Fido the dog is, but Marvin the Martian can talk... – yydl Jun 17 '12 at 06:29
  • I meant to give generic names, sorry for not being clear. – b a Jun 17 '12 at 07:04
  • 1
    See also: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/9197/does-the-torah-discuss-aliens actually that may be enough of a duplicate to close this. – Ariel Jun 18 '12 at 07:29
  • @Ariel's looks like a dupe to me. It asks about their status vis-a-vis mitzvot. Conversion falls right in there. – Double AA Jun 18 '12 at 14:33
  • If I'm a human, but claim that I'm an alien, then can I convert to Yahadut? – Adam Mosheh Jun 18 '12 at 15:41
  • 1
    Only humans have bechira. – sam Jun 18 '12 at 16:33
  • @sam your source for this statement is...? – Baal Shemot Tovot Jun 18 '12 at 20:59
  • 1
    IIRC, there is some discussion about “Jewish” & “non-Jewish” shedim. Halachic discussions of demons would be where to look regarding aliens (whether the original discussion was meant practically or theoretically). – J. C. Salomon Jun 19 '12 at 17:40
  • 1
    I'd argue this question needs a good deal more details on the nature of these aliens. Are they Star Trek-type humanoids? Ewoks? Wookies? Are they carbon-based? Are they Ender's Game-like buggers or maybe Xenocide-like pequeninos? Can they immerse in water? How do they communicate? How do they reproduce? – Charles Koppelman Jul 30 '12 at 13:55
  • @CharlesKoppelman Not familiar with all those examples. Just assume that they act like humans do in all instances... – yydl Sep 28 '12 at 02:59
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw12DQf1J1Y from http://puppetyeshiva.com/ AMAZING! – Double AA Apr 15 '13 at 01:45
  • can Koko convert? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_%28gorilla%29 She communicates. See also Malachei elyon by reuben Margoleous sitra d'smola 1, (Adam's first born a demon, Abalmus) Also see under Ashmedai, footnote 15 on Jewish, Muslim and Christian Demons. I have also seen a pamphlet discussing sexual relations with sheidim, which could explain them being at least human-ish and able to adopt religion. Leaving this as a comment because I have no idea how to answer this question based on these sources, though they seem relevant. – Baby Seal Dec 30 '13 at 00:32
  • 1
    Marklar is upvoting this marklar because it shows good marklar, especially the marklar of marklar and the Marklars of Marklar. – Robert Columbia Apr 06 '19 at 10:37
  • Just found this gem on Scifi.SE: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/195621/ – DonielF May 30 '19 at 21:17
  • Aliens may have different laws of morality. – The GRAPKE Oct 14 '20 at 00:31

3 Answers3

10

As discussed in another question, whatever extraterrestrial life exists does not have free will, and would therefore not be capable of accepting the moral responsibility of conversion.

Community
  • 1
Baruch
  • 1,092
  • 6
  • 15
  • 4
    There is no pasuk that says that aliens cannot have freewill. I understand that there are various sources on the topic, but the fact of the matter is that none is better than a Gemara, and even in the Gemara this kind of thing would be דברי אגדה which we could halachically wiggle out of. There therefore is no true Jewish belief on the issue even if there is Jewish thought. To not make that distinction is to paint ourselves into a corner for no reason. The correct answer, in my opinion, is "who knows, let's wait and see and figure it out then." – Dov F Jun 27 '12 at 19:57
  • 2
    Clearly you are correct that this question is only hypothetical, and any true ruling would depend on the circumstances of the case. However, this would seem to be the most reasonable conjecture. – Baruch Jun 27 '12 at 21:06
  • See comments on that question starting here http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/9197/does-the-torah-discuss-aliens/9203#comment39310_9203 – Double AA Jul 01 '12 at 07:21
  • @DoubleAA: I answered your question there. – Baruch Jul 02 '12 at 19:27
5

On page 50 in Moreh Ohr by Rabbi Kaplan, he concludes the following:

We see from this [starting on p. 47] that there is a singular species in the world that is capable of free will, Torah, reward and punishment which are the purpose of creation. This is mankind, to whom God has given The One Torah. It is however possible that there exists many species of living creatures on other stars i.e. planets, which may even be capable of intelligence and wisdom, just not freewill. The subject of freewill is but a very small item as it is, that cannot be verified in science [or by scientists], only by belief in our Torah. And if they do find additional species of living creatures, we have already learned from the Torah that don't have freewill.

Dr. Shmuel
  • 633
  • 1
  • 19
  • 69
-2

It would depend. If there are Jewish aliens then a non Jewish alien will be able to convert. However if there are no Jewish aliens then a alien would be unable to convert. This is similar to animals. Since there are no Jewish animals therefore a animal can not convert. (Hilchos Chayos 25:10)

All kidding aside. Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zatzal clearly said many times that there is no humans or aliens on the other planets.

Gershon Gold
  • 139,471
  • 12
  • 231
  • 553