question relating to talmud and extraterrestrial life..?

Question

Jewish scholars contemplate extraterrestrial life.
is it true that according to the talmud there are at least 18 000 worlds?

Answer 1

Knowing many Jewish scholars, I know of none that 'contemplate' extraterrestrial life as a matter of religion or anything else other than idle chatter. As for the Talmud, I have not run across the statement you are asking about, however, if it does exist, it most likely exists in the realm of midrash and aggadetta...homiletic stories used to emphasize a point...but not to be taken literally.