1917, the same year that the
Great October Revolution took
place in our own country,
another revolution also took
place.
Einstein claimed that all three
of the space Dimensions were curved
and that a spaceship travelling
in the same direction for a long
enough period of time
would return to its point of
origin.
In 1922, the Soviet
mathematician Alexander Friedman
offered another model.
In his model, the Universe
expands.
Expansion began at a point.
All of of today's models allow
for an expanding Universe.
Although I must add that not all
scientists are pleased with this.
I am not sure I like it either.
The idea of the Universe
appearing from nothing
and perishing into collapse is
somewhat unnerving to me.
How is it possible?
Did the Universe begin at the
point?
Did matter evolve from nothing?
What was there before the
creation of the Universe?
Do you know, young man, that
that particular question has
already been answered?
Long before the birth of Albert
Einstein.
No, I didn't. By whom?
By St. Augustine.
And what, in his opinion, was there
before the creation of the Universe?
In his opinion, before the
creation of the Universe
there was already a hell for
those asking such questions.
But you are a world-renowned
physicist.
So what? There are no positions
available at the University for
head of project.
Shiffman will not have me.
He has already let too many Jews
into his school,
he's a Jew himself, he's afraid
to let anyone else in.
Logov has never let Jews in and
is not about to start now
and Sarkisian is far too poor.
I will not be able to continue
my research there.
There really is no place for me
to go.
The only one who wants me is
Burkov.
So, where is the problem?
Go work for Burkov.
He has plenty of money and
you'll be able to continue your
research.
Burkov is making the bomb.
And what of that?
Do you really believe that if
you refuse to make it, it will
not be made?
I suffered under that illusion
in my youth as well,
the end result of which was that
I helped build the bomb both
here and over there.
You cannot stop progress, Sasha.
There will always be someone
willing to use scientific discovery
to further causes of evil.
What does that mean?
That science should be outlawed?
Do you think that if you don't
work for Burkov now,
some other Burkov in the future
will not find a way
to use your achievements for
more efficient warfare?
Or something even worse?
If that's the case, why not just
quit altogether?
I am only interested in the
structure of the Universe.
Why can't I be left alone to
study it?
Be left alone - in Burkov's
employ.
Even Christ, that shining beacon
of morality,
preached to "render unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's
and unto God the things which
are God's".
Continue your cosmological
research for God,
and make the bomb - for Caesar.
I had another alternative in
mind - emigration.
At nights, I wandered the
streets,
saying goodbye to my beloved
city.
That summer in Moscow was hit
with an unprecedented heat wave.
The sidewalks practically melted
under one's feet.
The streets in Moscow were
swirled in acrid smog.
All around the city underground
swamps were on fire.
The "refusniks" would jokingly
remark that the Egyptian plagues
had begun.
Applying for emigration was
risky.
One might never get permission
to leave and be forced to remain
in Russia an outlaw -
"a refusnik" with your career
and life ruined.
Still I wasn't afraid. Somehow I
was sure of my luck.
Our committee reviewed your
application to change your
permanent place of residence
to the country of Israel and
decided that permission should
not be granted.
On what grounds?
On the grounds that you were
involved in classified work.
But the Institute where I worked
was not classified.
You cannot know that.
Our committee only can know
which organizations are
classified and which aren't.
I suggest you find