Thrilled to see telescope’s view

On Dec. 25, 2021, NASA launched one of its most ambitious achievements. The James Webb telescope, which had been in planning and development for 25 years, was boosted atop a rocket to reach its final destination about 1 million miles above the earth’s surface. For comparison, the Hubble telescope is in orbit 340 miles above earth. The Webb is nearly six times the size and 100 times more powerful than the Hubble, and unlike the Hubble, the Webb will be able to see low frequency infrared light. This will enable it to observe high-redshift objects that are too old, faint and distant for Hubble, far older than anything seen before.

That sounds tantalizingly close to seeing the very beginning of the creation of the universe, the Big Bang, God or God’s work, the origin of light and existence itself. How do those of us in a theistic tradition or even an agnostic tradition understand this? Do Bible scriptures help clarify?

On the one hand, there is the simple Divine declaration “... you cannot see My face, for no one can see My face and live” (Exodus 33:20) and yet there is also a verse “they (Moses and the elders) saw the God of Israel” (Exodus 24:10).

The Zohar (13th century midrash) suggests there is a place above upon which it is forbidden to gaze due to an element of shame which is a constituent of the human condition. (my words)

As a religiously observant Jew, I am as thrilled as all who anxiously await the images sent from the James Webb telescope. Whatever it is that we will be able to see with our eyes will surely be a wonderful enhancement to the world and to the worship of one true God. Joseph Fleischman

New Haven