Scanning the media today, one can hardly miss noticing the two ominous scenarios threatening our world’s very existence, physically and mentally.
Geopolitical tension starts with China’s challenge for world domination overshadowing all other global flash points, whether it is Russia and Ukraine, Iran and all of the Middle East, or any and all other “skirmishes” confronting mankind today.
Artificial Intelligence is considered the final blow to humanity as we know it, demonizing our survival by metaphorically becoming a modern-day Tower of Bavel with all its implications. Basically, one voice, one system, and no Gd threatening its success. (We know how that ended!)
I asked Chat GPT about AI and received some answers in a matter of seconds.
The first and dominant concern was that “AI could become super intelligent and surpass human intelligence and control, posing an existential threat to humanity.”.
To the globally disproportionate few who still believe in Torat Moshe and Jewish prophecy, faith and belief offer a soothing antidote to AI situation today and more menacing future without hope, salvation, or escape. Inextricably trapped in this period in time and space, there is no future. If you will, it is the Armageddon espoused by gentile nations. By comparison, Torah people will still speak of “Moshiach coming” and rebuilding our Temple in Yerushalayim for the benefit of all mankind under a Universal King, the God of Israel.
Reb Chaim Zimmerman zt’l, in Torah and Reason writes, “all the religions of the world are built on three aspects: superstition, emotion and instinct; Torah is also built on three aspects: intellect, intuition and faith.
“Since all the religions of the world are built upon superstition, emotion and instinct, the more science developed, the more the religions of the world were abandoned. The more that scientific data will be discovered, the more the nonsense superstition and emotion and instinct will disappear. But on the other hand, the more that scientific data will be discovered, the more the truths of the Torah will be fostered, and the facts of Halacha will be seen as reality. This is a mathematical ratio. By the same proportion that all the religions the world are falling apart, the system and the facts of the Torah are being strengthened.”
Science and archaeology today have a common contribution to this understanding. The more archaeology is uncovered, the more the Torah is verified. The more science can achieve in reaching heretofore unreachable limits of the tiniest of all galaxies in this Milky Way, the more it will understand that it cannot fathom the magnificent infinity that is the Creator and that indeed all men must accept, worship and praise G-d‘s Kingdom for his own happiness and security.
As the Geopolitical players eventually will either make peace, seek to annihilate each other, or defiantly await the Armageddon, Chat GPT concluded that today’s challenges created by AI and into the future “are not just hypothetical scenarios, but real issues that are already affecting people’s lives today. Therefore, it is important to have informed and ethical discussions about the potential benefits and risks of AI, and how to ensure that it aligns with human values and goals.”
I suggest that the world today looks for an alternative for achieving these noble endeavors as it utilizes AI for good and begins to understand that Torah is not a religion, but a blueprint for life itself, past, present and future.
And if indeed “it is important to have informed and ethical discussions about the potential benefits and risks of AI, and how to ensure that it aligns with human values and goals,” look to Torah Moshe, now literally translated into the proverbial 70 languages, as “the real thing,” like Coca Cola, and the perfect teacher of human values and purpose.
The great Rambam in his classic Chapter on Kings, ends with: “And in the end the world will be filled with knowledge as water covers the oceans in order to give man time to achieve serenity and calmness to contemplate G-d as Creator of His unfathomable Universe.
“The Sages and the prophets did not yearn for the Messianic era to dominate the entire world, rule over the gentiles, to be exalted by the nations, or to eat, drink, and celebrate. Rather, it is to be free to involve themselves in Torah and the ultimate knowledge without any pressures or disturbances, thereby merit the World to Come.
“And at the same time there will be neither hunger nor war, envy and competition, that the abundance will be great, all delicacies will be as dust, and there will be no occupation for the whole world but to know God alone [is the ultimate truth-YS}.
“Within the Jewish people will be great sages knowing His secrets and will attain the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as the Prophet Isaiah (11:9) says, ‘The world will be filled with the knowledge of God as waters cover the oceans.’ ”
I believe this is the ultimate reason for AI encroaching on the world today. We should embrace it and use it wisely.
As for geopolitical tension and wars, I’m putting my money on G-d as the “Man of War”. It’s very comforting. In this now beginning of the Messianic End Game.
The Gemora (San. 98a) asks: What should a person do to be spared from the birth pangs of the Moshiach? And answers “Be involved in Torah, Mitzvot and maasim tovim.”
I asked: Really? Is that all we have to do? But we have to do that now! And since the world will continue naturally thereafter, we will have to do it then as well?
The answer?
Do MORE Torah and MORE Mitzvot and MORE maasim tovim than ever before. In this manner, while basking in the bliss of Malchut Beit David, what you will be doing will comes naturally!
