By the Grace of G-d 26th of Marcheshvan, 5726 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I am in receipt of your letter in which you ask various questions, the kind which can hardly be discussed in a letter. Nor is there a necessity for it inasmuch as they are explained in various sources in our Holy Torah. Moreover, you could also discuss these matters with your Rosh Yeshivah. However, inasmuch as you have already written to me, I will answer some of your questions at least, specifically whether there is life on other planets according to the Torah.

In regard to this question there are various opinions, and inasmuch as it is not a question of practical importance which in any way affects a Jew’s daily conduct, there is no psak din on it as in other matters which are of practical concern. Thus, for example, we find in the Commentary by Rabbenu Channanel (Shavuot 36a) on the verse Shoftim 5:23 where according to one opinion there is an inhabited star called Meroz.¹

With regard to your question why there are different Chassidic schools of thought, this is the same as you find differences of opinion in Nigleh of Torah, among the Tano’im and Amoro’im of the Talmud. Some of these differences of opinion were resolved by a final ruling, others remain undecided, in which case one could act according to either authority. If this is so in Nigleh of Torah, how much more so is there room for differences in regard to schools of thought connected with Ahavat Hashem and Yirat Hashem, where there can be different approaches to the same goal, as the Baal Hatanya explains in the introduction to the Tanya (see it there).²

With regard to your question relating to the ability of some people to foretell certain events and the like - one explanation could be that many forecasts of people which did not materialize are forgotten, and only those isolated instances which happened to come true are remembered. This does not necessarily mean that the person who happened to make a good guess has any more knowledge, sensory or extra-sensory, than the others. It is only that this makes news. On the other hand, the above does not exclude the possibility of there being such a thing as extra-sensory perception or prognostication. Be it as it may, I do not see, as already mentioned above, what difference this can make insofar as you are concerned, all the more so since in your case your mind should be concentrated on the utilization of every minute for the study of the Torah and the fulfillment of the mitzvos with devotion and dedication, whereas the questions you ask are no immediate concern for you, and probably would not be of any concern for a good many years in the future. If this is merely a matter of curiosity, surely it would be sufficient to satisfy this curiosity by giving it a moment of your thought now and again, but not let it dominate your concentration to the extent of interfering with your proper mental activities.

I trust you observe the three daily shiurim of Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya, in addition to your other shiurim, which you no doubt study with devotion and diligence.

With blessing,