In December 2020, Dr. Haim Eshed, who headed Israel's Defense Ministry's space directorate and is regarded as the "father" of Israel's satellite program, told the main Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth that "extraterrestrials exist and have been in contact with the US and Israel. Humanity is not ready for this information, so it has been kept secret".
Neither the Israeli government nor NASA confirmed Haim Eshed's claims that were seen as the personal opinions of an official with a distinguished career. The recent release of UFO files directed by the Trump administration includes a collection of 162 declassified documents, videos, and photos. The documents detail over 400 incidents worldwide and focus on unresolved military sightings and historical mission data. For many, the release of these files constitutes a total fiasco, because they prove nothing, despite the expectations created by the US president. Others argue that there is something to explain regarding this unexpected extraterrestrial frenzy. There are also those who think that superpower politicians shouldn't joke about these matters.
The "personal opinions" of Dr. Eshed
It has never been clear what objective facts Eshed referred to in his statement, nor how his knowledge of Kabbalah may have influenced his interpretation of the empirical events he allegedly witnessed. He was born in Turkey within a Jewish family knowledgeable about Kabbalah and immigrated with his parents to Mandatory Palestine in 1934.
According to Zohar and the Talmudic tradition (Avodah Zarah 3b), God "glides" through 18,000 worlds every night. These worlds are considered domains of divine providence, inhabited by various beings.
The Talmud (Mo-ed Katan 16a) discute "Meroz" as a planet with inhabitants. Alien lifeforms, if found, are not subject to the commandments and do not need to be considered part of the human, religious community. They lack free will, they are not "moral" beings, as free will is a unique, divine endowment conferred upon humans who are subject to the Torah.
Jewish sages and scholars generally maintain that the existence of extraterrestrials is entirely possible, viewing it as a testament to God's infinite creativity rather than a theological threat. The Lubavitcher Rebbe stated that "Denying their existence would limit God’s power".
In turn, the Aish Rabbi noted that the discovery of aliens would not disrupt Judaism; rather, it would confirm that God's creation is even more vast than previously thought, without contradicting traditional, earth-centric Torah teachings. "The focus for humanity is and always will be to perfect and protect the earth".
The Age of Artificial Intelligence
2020–2021 marked a pivotal acceleration point in the AI industry. The Space Intelligence and commercial Space sector saw a "venture boom" of investment. Today, there is increasingly no doubt that the new civilization will be shaped by these technologies and Jewish philosophy.
