Footnotes:

1.   From Yaakov Wolbe’s Torah 101 Podcast #46 – Divine Omniscience 10/17/21

The great twelfth-century physician to the Sultan of Cairo in Egypt and codifier of Jewish philosophy and Torah law, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1138 – 1204), also known as "The Rambam" or “Maimonides,” (which is the Greek form of "the son of Maimon") pointed out more than a 800 years ago, that if you look at the world, if it was in fact random, you would imagine that there would be an equal distribution of resources. But that is not the case.  The truth is, the things that we need most to survive are in abundance and the things that we need least to survive are scarce. 

2.   Through a process called photosynthesis, trees and plants use sunlight as energy to combine water (from the soil) and carbon dioxide (from the air) into sugars, which are their food.  Oxygen is produced as a byproduct of this reaction and is released back into the atmosphere. 

3.   Anyone who has traveled to populated places such as India knows that water is in high demand and many people have to travel large distances to fill up containers with water. Also, in places like Iran, where there is a gross mismanagement of the water supply, the availability of clean water can be a big problem. As government management and technology improves, water storage, reclamation practices and reverse osmosis systems will become more prevalent and less expensive, to hopefully cure these situations.

4.   The sun's energy is the ultimate power source for nearly all life on Earth and is essential for many life-sustaining processes. Here are some ways that life depends on solar energy:

•  Photosynthesis:  Trees, plants, algae, and some bacteria use photosynthesis to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into chemical energy in the form of sugars, producing oxygen as a byproduct.

•  Foundation of the food web:  The sugars produced by photosynthesis form the base of the food web, providing energy to herbivores and, in turn, to the carnivores that feed on them.

•  Fueling all life:  All living things, even those living in total darkness, are dependent on the sun for energy, either directly or indirectly.

•  Climate and weather:  Solar energy powers Earth's weather systems, ocean currents, and the water cycle, creating a habitable climate.

• Vitamin D: Sunlight enables the human body to produce vitamin D, an important nutrient that helps regulate calcium and phosphate for healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. 

5.   “Miracle Seeds” by Bruce Licht

https://www.myelevatorpitchforgod.com/all-authors/bruce-jos-licht

6.   Google AI: Are there people and places in the world with a scarcity of food?  Sure.  Amazing how much food is wasted and thrown away each day. 

Multiple UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), state that the planet produces more than enough food for every person.  A 2022 UN News article noted that the world produces enough food to feed 1.5 times the global population. Furthermore, the UN and related humanitarian organizations detail many complex causes for famine, with human actions at the core. 

A common figure from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and related sources indicates that the world produces enough food to feed around 10 billion people, which was sufficient for the 2050 projected population at the time the statement was made. 

Hunger remains a complex problem not just of quantity but also of poverty and unequal distribution.  Hopefully, as a society, we will get better at making sure no one goes to bed hungry. 

7.   It's a scientifically theorized phenomenon that on the planet Jupiter, the extreme pressure and heat in its atmosphere, can transform carbon-rich methane into diamond particles during lightning storms, which then rain down (referred to as “diamond rain”), eventually melting into a liquid state deeper in the planet.  As the essay above asserts: the planet Earth, on the other hand, was designed for sustaining life. Diamonds are in no way necessary to survive, and hence are scarce.

8.   Rare natural items not necessary for life include:

•  Alexandrite:  A rare gemstone known for its color-changing properties, requiring very specific geological conditions to form.

•  Bismuth:  A metallic element not essential for life, known for its use in antacids and its unique crystal formations. 

•  Astatine:  The rarest naturally occurring element, a highly radioactive element with a very short lifespan, making it impossible for life to depend on it. 

•  Rainbow Eucalyptus:  A tree with a vividly multi-colored bark due to its peeling outer layers, found in places like Indonesia.

•  Dragon's Blood Tree:  A rare, endangered tree on Socotra Island, known for its unique umbrella shape and the red sap it produces. 

9.   Rare, man-made products no one needs to survive include:

•  Rolex Daytona "Unicorn" Reference number 6265:  This model is considered one of the rarest Rolex watches, being the only known white gold edition of the reference. 

•  Pappy Van Winkle bourbon:  This highly sought-after whiskey is produced in extremely limited quantities each year, with bottles sold through a lottery system.

•  Almas caviar:  Almas caviar is expensive due to the extreme rarity of the albino beluga sturgeon it comes from, which must be between 60-100 years old and found only in the Caspian Sea. The meticulous, labor-intensive harvesting and processing, combined with strict quality control and the fish's endangered status, contribute to its status as the world's most expensive food.  

•  Birkin handbags:  Manufactured by Hermès, these bags are so exclusive that customers must have a purchase history with the brand and be offered one rather than ordering it.

• Rare collectible cars:  Certain vehicles are produced in extremely limited numbers or have a unique history, making them highly desirable and difficult to obtain. For example, the Ducati Limited Edition 1098 R Bayliss Superbike.

•  Designer sneakers:  Brands like Nike and Adidas release very small quantities of certain sneaker models, creating massive demand and resale value.