Book Review: Old Wine, New Flasks: Reflections on Science and Jewish Tradition

by Roald Hoffman and Shira Leibowitz Schmidt
New York: Freeman & Co, 1997

Reviewed by Kevin Murray


This innovative book takes on a variety of formats. "Is Nature Natural?" is written as an exchange of letters. "Bitter Waters Run Sweet" is shaped by contributions to a mailing list. And "The Flag that Came Out of the Blue" contains a play in three acts and two intermezzi. Other chapters may seem more conventional, though the hopscotch jumps between ancient and modern prevent a reader lapsing into familiar patterns of thought.

The book is based on the idea of symmetry between religion and science. It is focussed principally on the biblical science of herbs, dyes and natural symmetry. However, it is not naive as to suggest a scientific basis for biblical beliefs, as some creationists might expect science to "prove" the earth is only a few thousand years old. The dialogue between rabbi and laboratory technician is made possible by an understanding of the fragmentally basis of truth. This logic accounts for the rich mix of sources that have created the book.

The discussion of dyes is a good example. During the time of ancient Levant, dyes were the most precious commodity. Tyrian purple was equivalent in cost per weight to gold. With the loss of dyeing technologies, there have been various attempts to recover the historical methods, first, and then develop cheaper synthetic versions later.

Hoffman and Schmidt don't stint on the irony: "Today, indigo is made synthetically in sufficient quantity to dye about a billion pairs of blue denim jeans a year. The dyeing of each pair consumes 3 to 12 grams of indigo. Then you try for a long time to get part of the dye out in the pre-washed designer jeans. We've come a long away (or have we?) from a rebellion in the biblical tribe of Levis."

Old Wine, New Flasks is a powerful example of the creative force of dialogue: between old and new, religion and science, female and male, orthodox and liberal. If you weren't interested directly in the material contained between the covers, I'd recommend reading it simply for the mental stimulation. Take it and drink.