Dating of Jewish History

This is the year 5785. How is it that prehistory is dated 1200bce which makes the Jewish calendar 4565 older than the beginning of prehistory ?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

The Jewish count of 5785 began from when Adam and Eve opened their eyes on the 6th day of Creation.

The Talmud says that G-d created the world in a fully grown, mature state. Meaning, when G-d created trees, the trees were fully grown and produced their fruits that same day. In the “natural” ordered of events it could take trees years, and some trees even decades, to get to their fully grown and mature states. Animals were created as “adult.” Adam and Eve were created as “adult” and so on. As such, this is but one example of how one can easily see how scientists can come up with different estimations as to the age of the world.

Another answer given to reconcile the scientific view with the Jewish view is that it is possible that when the Torah speaks of the days of Creation, these days were not 24 hrs. period, but perhaps they were periods/day of a million years or so.

Another answer is that the flood of Noah aged the world leading to the miscalculation of scientists. We are told that the water of the flood was boiling got, and such boiling continues for 40 days. As you can image, when you boil something in water for 40 days it will prematurely and artificially “age.”

There are other approaches as well.

Abarbanel to Bereishit 1, Ramban to Bereishit 1:3, Rabbeinu Bachya to Beireshit 1:3, Rosh Hashana 11a, Bereishit Rabba 3;7,14:7,