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
nefesh
The Soul – Part IV. The Whole vs. the Parts
This is the fourth installment in the series of essays on the nature of the soul. The first three installments can be found here: What
December 27, 2021 / 23 Tevet 5782
1 Comment
What is a Soul? III. The Many Souls of Man
…[H]e who tries to cure the soul, wishing to improve the moral qualities, must have a knowledge of the soul in its totality and
December 15, 2021 / 11 Tevet 5782
No Comments
What Is a Soul? II. Anatomy of the Soul
In the biblical story of the creation of Adam, the Torah states: Then the Eternal G‑d formed man of the dust of the ground, and
November 5, 2021 / 1 Kislev 5782
2 Comments
Noah’s Ark—Three Layers of Being Human
A light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou
October 23, 2020 / 5 Heshvan 5781
1 Comment
The Soul is in the Blood
For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” (Leviticus 17:11) The word translated here as “life” in the Hebrew original is nefesh, i.e.,
May 4, 2020 / 10 Iyyar 5780
6 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
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
Brit Milah in Six Dimensions
Sefer Yetzira speaks of three dimensions: Olam, Shanah, and Nefesh (Sefer Yetzirah, 6:4.) Olam means “world” and signifies space. Shanah means “year” and signifies the dimension of
September 18, 2018 / 9 Tishri 5779
1 Comment
The Fifth Force – Epilog
This post is a continuation and the conclusion of the previous post, THE FIFTH FORCE. Aside from the connection with the last week’s Torah portion,
October 13, 2016 / 11 Tishri 5777
5 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
Carpe Diem
As we have discussed in the post, It’s the time, stupid, Pharaoh never got the message that it’s all about mastery of time. To make
January 2, 2014 / 1 Shevat 5774
No Comments
Sensing Spirituality
It is unsurprising, then, that spiritual phenomena have never been experimentally detected in a laboratory setting. Spirituality, by definition, is non-physical. Consequently, no physical laboratory
December 25, 2013 / 22 Tevet 5774
No Comments
Tumah and Taharah
The Hebrew words taharah and tumah, which are the subjects of the Torah portion of Chukat (Numbers 19:1–22:1), are usually translated as ritual purity and
June 19, 2013 / 11 Tammuz 5773
No Comments
Freedom in Space, Time and Spirituality
And the entire Mount Sinai smoked because the Lord had descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended like the smoke of the kiln…
May 18, 2013 / 9 Sivan 5773
No Comments
On the Nature of Time and the Age of the Universe
Presented at the International Torah and Science Conference in Miami International University on December 18, 2005 Alexander Poltorak Introduction. This is the third in
August 15, 2012 / 27 Av 5772
8 Comments