It says in Tehilim chapter 115 verse 16 – „The heavens are the heavens for G-d, but the earth He gave to the children of men”. In Parashat Noach we have the story of the Tower of Babel. (Chapter 11 of Bereishit). A group of people move to a valley and decide to build a city with a tower with its top in the heavens to make for themselves a name, lest they be scattered across the land. As a punishment, G-d mixes up their languages and scatters them across the earth. The questions is asked as to what was so wrong about what the people of Babel did?
The story involves technology, as it says the people perfected brickmaking factories with fire and earth, and these
technologies were used to ascend to heights not previously scaled by man. The midrashim take this to be not just literally
building a high tower, but to think this technology elevates them to be like G-d. It says they will make themsleves „a name”.
This implies a very selfish purpose, to be known as the highest in the world.
This is a physical and spiritual invasion of heaven, supposedly the place of G-d alone. The midrashim also state that since G-d promised not to destory the world with water again after the flood, the people wanted to make a building which would be immune to fire as a protection against G-d.
So if the people were deserving of a punishment, why be punished by changing their speech and language. When the people started the city it says: „They said: Let us build a city for ourselves …”. All of the improper parts of their schemes came through speech, so it was fitting to be punished by that way. The making of bricks and building of cities and towers was not wrong in itself. Rather the schemes they planned together, and what they intended to acheive.
The lesson here is about technology and progress. Sometimes we are fooled into thinking that our technical advancement have made us more like G-d. On the other hand sometimes we see evil in technology and what it acheives. Technology is nor good nor evil, rather it is what we use it for that is good or evil. Technology does not make us like G-d, rather it allows us to recognise what G-d has created in this world.
Based on the writing of Rabeinu Bechayei (13th Century Spain)
Rabbi Daniel Simons