Five-Hundred-Year-Journey
Alexander Poltorak Abstract This essay addresses the anigmatic statement of the Jewish Sages, stating that G-d created this world with the letter Heh and the
August 11, 2025 / 17 Av 5785
1 Comment
Space
Shemini,Phase Space,Hamiltonian Mechanics: Kabbalah and Physics of Seven and Eight
By Alexander Poltorak Abstract The Torah portion of Shemini records the climactic eighth day of the Tabernacle’s dedication, the moment when divine fire finally descends.
April 28, 2025 / 30 Nisan 5785
No Comments
Eternity Between the Cherubs
By Alexander Poltorak And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the cover, from between the two cherubim
March 2, 2025 / 2 Adar 5785
2 Comments
The Symbolism of the Menorah
The Temple Menorah served as a lighthouse, illuminating darkness and providing purpose and direction.
June 23, 2024 / 17 Sivan 5784
No Comments
The Mystery of the Eighth Day
And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Leviticus 12:3 In the Torah portion of Tazria, we are commanded to
April 14, 2024 / 6 Nisan 5784
No Comments
Time and Space as Emergent Phenomena — Abstract
The current Torah portion Beshalach tells about the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. As I discussed in my essay, “Collapse and Revelation,” the splitting
January 25, 2024 / 15 Shevat 5784
3 Comments
What Is a Soul? I. The Spiritual vs. the Material
Introduction Most Americans believe in an immortal soul.[1] Most scientists think the soul does not exist. Why do so many people believe in an immortal
October 22, 2021 / 16 Heshvan 5782
2 Comments
Fill the Earth
And G‑d created man in His own image, in the image of G‑d created He him; male and female created He them. And G‑d blessed
October 4, 2021 / 28 Tishri 5782
No Comments
Sanctuaries in Space and Time
We are quite familiar with space—we move freely in space back and forth; we concur space on land and beyond; we reclaim land from sea;
March 14, 2021 / 1 Nisan 5781
2 Comments
Noah’s Ark—Three Layers of Reality
A light shalt thou make to the ark…with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. (Genesis 6:16) We mentioned in the previous posts
October 28, 2020 / 10 Heshvan 5781
1 Comment
Tzimtzum III—Renormalization—Sweeping Infinites Under the Rug
Sweeping Infinities Under the Rug—or Renormalization Having dealt with internal contradictions in the previous section (see Physics of Tzimtzum I — The Quantum Leap and
October 14, 2020 / 26 Tishri 5781
1 Comment
Physics of Tzimtzum I — The Quantum Leap
Introduction “In the beginning G‑d created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) “In the beginning G‑d created the heavens and the earth,” the Torah
August 17, 2020 / 27 Av 5780
5 Comments
In the Beginning — It’s All About Change
In the beginning G‑d created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) The first verse in the Torah is key to understanding the fundamentals
March 11, 2020 / 15 Adar 5780
4 Comments
It Is Not Good For Man To Be Alone
And the Eternal G‑d said: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate opposite him.” (Genesis 2:18)
February 7, 2020 / 12 Shevat 5780
No Comments
Sukkot — Bringing Time into Space
Jews have a very strange custom to take four species (Heb. arba’a minim)—a fruit of a citron tree (etrog), a branch of a date palm (lulav), boughs from the myrtle tree (chadassim),
October 18, 2019 / 19 Tishri 5780
3 Comments
Relational Space
Meditations on the Maaseh Merkavah – II This post is a sequel to my previous post, “Space – Between Future and Past.” For background information,
June 17, 2019 / 14 Sivan 5779
7 Comments
Space – Between the Future and the Past
Meditations on the Maaseh Merkavah – I We do science by studying nature. We study physics in a lab, peering into space or working out
June 13, 2019 / 10 Sivan 5779
7 Comments
Ten Sephirot and Special Relativity
The Special Theory of Relativity, published by Albert Einstein in 1905, was a game changer. It ushered the era of new physics dubbed by some
June 2, 2019 / 28 Iyyar 5779
4 Comments
Chanukah Menorah – the River of Time
In a Kabbalistic meditation on lighting Chanukah Menorah, the Arizal links the menorah lights with a supernal river (see Candle on the River). The Arizal’s
December 9, 2018 / 1 Tevet 5779
3 Comments
Biblical Relativity
And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years… (Gen. 23:1) Why did Esther merit to rule over 127
November 4, 2018 / 26 Heshvan 5779
1 Comment
Sanctuary in Five Dimensions
In my last post, Tisha B’Av on Shabbat – A Relativistic Perspective, I wrote that G‑d created His sanctuary in four dimensions — Bet HaMikdash
July 27, 2018 / 15 Av 5778
3 Comments
Tisha B’Av on Shabbat – A Relativistic Perspective
Yesterday was the 9th day of the month of Av or, in Hebrew, Tisha B’Av. Usually, Tisha B’Av is marked by mourning and fasting. Yesterday,
July 22, 2018 / 10 Av 5778
No Comments
Mishkan – a Metaphor for Quantum Reality, II
Continuing the theme of my last post, Mishkan – a Metaphor for Quantum Reality, the analogy between the Tabernacle (“Mishkan”) and quantum reality goes even
May 29, 2017 / 4 Sivan 5777
2 Comments
Five Worlds
Today, Yud Shvat, is the yartzeit (anniversary of passing) of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, a.k.a. the Rebbe Rayatz, or the Frierdiker
February 6, 2017 / 10 Shevat 5777
No Comments
Big Bang
בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא Genesis 1:1 The Torah starts with two words—Bereshit bara—“In the beginning, G‑d created…” (or, as Rashi translates it, “At the beginning of creation
October 30, 2016 / 28 Tishri 5777
8 Comments
Fractal Patterns in the Torah
In the Torah portion Emor (Leviticus 21:1–24:23), we are instructed to abstain from work every seventh day on Shabbat. Next week’s Torah portion, Behar, continues
May 31, 2016 / 23 Iyyar 5776
1 Comment
Mezuzah in Three Dimensions
The mezuzah is one of the few miẓvot ([divine] “commandments”) for which the Torah states its reward. In this case, the reward is a long
August 15, 2014 / 19 Av 5774
No Comments
Menorah
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him: “When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the menorah.” (Num. 8:1)
June 8, 2014 / 10 Sivan 5774
No Comments
613 Degrees of Freedom
Passover has ended. All Jews hastily return their Passover dishes to storage in special cabinets or the attic until the next Passover. After an eight-day
June 6, 2014 / 8 Sivan 5774
1 Comment
Ye Shall be Disentangled
Ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your G‑d, am holy. Leviticus 19:2 This Torah portion begins with an astonishing statement: Speak unto all
April 25, 2014 / 25 Nisan 5774
No Comments
Maarat HaMachpelah – Double Cave
Give me the Machpelah (double) Cave Genesis 23:9 The first legal acquisition of land in Israel takes place in this Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, when Abraham
October 27, 2013 / 23 Heshvan 5774
3 Comments
Cosmological Rosh HaShanah
This Rosh HaShanah I had the strangest dream. I dreamed that I was giving a lecture in cosmology at a university when I suddenly realized
September 9, 2013 / 5 Tishri 5774
2 Comments
Paradox of the Red Heifer
Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for you a perfectly red unblemished cow, upon which no yoke was laid… The cow
June 24, 2013 / 16 Tammuz 5773
1 Comment