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
Y‑H‑V‑H
Physics of Tzimtzum II — Collapse of the Wave Function
In the previous post “Physics of Tzimtzum I—The Quantum Leap”, we gave a general overview of the mystical doctrine of tzimtzum—the cornerstone of Lurianic Kabbalah.
September 11, 2020 / 22 Elul 5780
No Comments
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
Counting Weeks and Days
There is a Biblical Commandment to count the days between the Passover and Shavuot, the “Feast of Weeks” (a.k.a. Pentecost). We start counting on the
April 28, 2020 / 4 Iyyar 5780
2 Comments
Salt: The Covenant of the Opposites
And every meal-offering of thine shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy G‑d to be lacking
March 31, 2020 / 6 Nisan 5780
2 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
Cosmology and the Tetragrammaton
As we discussed in the previous post “Singularity and Paradise,” Paradise offers a beautiful metaphor for modern cosmology wherein Eden is the initial singularity preceding
January 18, 2020 / 21 Tevet 5780
2 Comments
Singularity and Paradise
These are the chronicles of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Eternal G‑d made earth and
January 16, 2020 / 19 Tevet 5780
1 Comment
Fitting Pieces of the Puzzle Together
Meditations on the Maaseh Merkavah – IV This is the fourth and the final installment in the series of posts related to Ezekiel’s prophesy, Ma’aseh
June 21, 2019 / 18 Sivan 5779
2 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
Wellsprings from Above and Wellsprings from Below
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month… all the fountains of the great
October 14, 2018 / 5 Heshvan 5779
2 Comments
Tishrei — Past, Present, and Future
The months of Tishrei is full of holidays, and they all share a common theme—the unification of time—past, present, and future. It all starts with
September 29, 2018 / 20 Tishri 5779
No Comments
The Fifth Force
Now, therefore, write ye this song for you, and teach thou it the children of Israel.” (Deut. 31:19) The four known fundamental forces are: gravitational
October 11, 2016 / 9 Tishri 5777
4 Comments
Joseph teaches Pharaoh a lesson in fundamental forces
This week, we read in the Torah portion Vayigash (Gen. 44:18–47:27) about Joseph revealing himself to his brothers and Jacob coming to Egypt with his family. This
December 20, 2015 / 8 Tevet 5776
1 Comment
The End of Days II
This post is a continuation of the earlier post, The End of Days I. In this Torah Portion, Shemot, we read about the encounter between
January 5, 2015 / 14 Tevet 5775
1 Comment
Joseph and His Brothers
I grew up in Russia and was raised on the metric system based on decimal arithmetic. When we immigrated to the U.S., I had to
December 14, 2014 / 22 Kislev 5775
1 Comment
Four Cups and Three Matzoth
On Seder night we drink four cups of wine and eat three matzoth. Why four cups and not three? Why three matzoth and not four?
April 20, 2014 / 20 Nisan 5774
1 Comment
Pesach – Time of our Freedom
The holiday of Passover – Pesach – is called zman cheruteinu– time of our freedom. As we have discussed many times on this blog (see
April 18, 2014 / 18 Nisan 5774
No Comments
Thou Shall Not Be a Flipper
Reading the Haftorah this Shabbat brought to mind scenes from the 2004 Republican National Convention in Madison Square Garden in New York City where attendees where
February 18, 2014 / 18 Adar I 5774
No Comments
I Am Who I Am: Conversation at the Burning Bush
…And behold, the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the thorn bush was not being consumed.” (Ex. 3:2) Every theologian worth his salt along
December 23, 2013 / 20 Tevet 5774
1 Comment
