What does Judaism say about space aliens?

While the question might seem like the beginning of a Purim joke, the truth is that rabbis in every generation are asked to wrestle with traditional Jewish teachings in light of modern discoveries and contemporary challenges. Recent statements by President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump suggest that now might be such a time.

After all, just last week, Presidents Obama and Trump were both talking about extraterrestrial life. In a podcast interview, the host asked President Obama, “Are aliens real?” President Obama replied, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them.” He quickly clarified that he had no evidence of alien contact—but the idea clearly captured the public imagination.

Seemingly confirming President Obama’s assertion about the existence of alien life, President Trump accused him of leaking classified information. President Trump then directed government agencies to release files related “to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”

And that raises a deeper question. If tomorrow scientists were to discover intelligent life beyond Earth, would it shake the foundations of Judaism?

The short answer is no. But the long answer is far more interesting.

Let’s start with the good news: if aliens land, they will probably not immediately seek synagogue membership any time soon … which means we don’t have to debate their dues structure. The bad news? Someone will still ask me whether they count in a minyan (spoiler: they would not count in the minyan unless they converted).

But maybe that is precisely the point. The existence of A.L.F (Alien Life Forms) helps us to understand humanity’s place in the universe and clarifies the Jewish obligations therein.

Jewish Theology in a Vast Universe

The possibility of alien life does not contradict the fundamental teachings of Judaism. Judaism affirms that God exists, that God created everything, that human beings are imbued with divine dignity, and that the Jewish people live in covenant with God. If alien life exists, then it too is part of God’s creation.

The Torah does not claim that Earth is the only place where life exists. Genesis speaks of the creation of heavens, stars, and vast cosmic order. Classical commentators and rabbinic literature imagined a universe far larger than our own planet, with the Talmud even speculating that God surveys 18,000 worlds each day.[1] Whether metaphor or mystery, Jewish tradition has long encouraged humility in the face of the cosmos.

After all, if a human artist can create many paintings, why should the Infinite Artist paint only one world?

Are Aliens Animals or Moral Beings?

The next question is: what kind of beings would these aliens be? Are they more like animals, or more like humans?

Steven Spielberg’s E.T. begins as a frightened creature but becomes a moral being capable of love, communication, and longing. If extraterrestrials were merely animal-like, Jewish law would instruct us to treat them with compassion and avoid cruelty, guided by the principle of tza’ar ba’alei chayim.[2] And yes, someone would still ask whether they are kosher. I am prepared to rule in advance: probably not.

But if aliens traveled across galaxies to meet us, they would almost certainly be intelligent and perhaps also moral agents. In that case, Judaism already has a framework. The Torah commands us to love the stranger and apply one law to the native and the outsider.[3] Judaism affirms that God and the Jewish People maintain a unique relationship, but that God loves all Creation – and because of the unique relationship between God and the Children of Israel, Jews are commanded regarding establishing a society rooted in justice and compassion for all peace-loving residents.

Just as space aliens might benefit from a society rooted in Jewish ideals, so too might humans benefit from the encounter with aliens. Pirkei Avot teaches: Who is wise? One who learns from all people.[4] Perhaps wisdom would mean learning even from beings not of this world.

Covenant, Identity, and the Challenge of Encounter

Indeed, the discovery of alien life should deepen Jewish faith rather than challenge it. It would remind us that we are not the center of creation—and yet we remain responsible within it.

Jewish thought also warns us to maintain our identity in the face of powerful cultures. Just as the Biblical and Rabbinic texts warn Jews against the risks of assimilation, Ray Bradbury’s story “Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed” warns against humans losing their humanity by assimilating into Martian culture. Encounters with the unknown should expand our wisdom, but we cannot allow them to erase our distinctiveness.

War, Peace, and Moral Responsibility

If extraterrestrials threatened human life, Judaism would affirm the obligation of self-defense. From War of the Worlds to Independence Day, our cultural imagination is filled with apocalyptic invasions. Jewish law reminds us, however, that even in war, the goal is the preservation of life and the restoration of peace.[5] The obligation to preserve life also requires that any human war against space aliens takes pains to protect Earth’s environment and its ability to continue to sustain human life after the war is won.[6]

Ultimately, the question of alien life is not really about science fiction. It is about humility. In an age of polarization, antisemitism, and global anxiety, we are reminded that humanity itself is fragile. The possibility that we are not alone in the universe should reduce our arrogance and increase our sense of shared destiny.

Perhaps, if we ever encounter alien life forms, humanity will discover a renewed ability to cooperate. We may need to learn to treat one another with dignity in order to survive together.

Perhaps in that way more than any other, we may need, as a certain science-fiction franchise puts it, “to boldly go where no one has gone before.” The same God who created all the galaxies calls upon us to act with justice, compassion, and courage here on Earth – and that becomes even more true if we were to discover alien life in outer space.

Conclusion: A Cosmic Jewish Vision

Moreover, whether or not we ever meet beings from another world, Judaism has always insisted on something radical: that every star, every world, and every being is held in the same divine embrace. The question is not whether we are alone in the universe. The question is whether we will become the kind of people worthy of being part of a universe created by God.

Or, as the psalmist proclaimed: “When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers… what are human beings that You are mindful of them?” [7]

May the Force be with us now and always. Amen.

[1] See, for example, Rashi on Genesis 1:1 and BT Avodah Zarah 3b.

[2] See, for example, BT Bava Metzia 32b.

[3] Leviticus 19:33-34.

[5] Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars.

[6] Deuteronomy 20:19-20.

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