From Einstein to the Arizal

We were a small group of kollel avreichim who once a week after morning seder used to meet in the small Vizhnitz caravan on Rechov Darchei Ish in Beitar to learn kabbalah. Trying to get our feet wet a bit in the secrets of the Torah, we had just begun learning the sefer “Otzros Chaim” from Rav Chaim Vital, the main student of the Arizal. The sefer Otzros Chaim is considered the ‘key’ to the writings of the Ari as one who is familiar with its contents should have the tools to study the other sections of the Kisvei Ari as well.

Well, one of the members of our group was someone named Yaakov. Yaakov was a baal teshuva who before learning in yeshiva had studied science at the Weitzman institute. His unique perspective greatly enhanced our class.

At the beginning of the sefer, the Ari discusses one of the most important topics in kabbalah: the tzimtzum. At the heart of the world, lies a deep but really very simple question: If Hashem is infinite, then how does the world exist? The teaching of the tzimtzum helps us work around this difficulty by explaining that, yes, even after Hashem created the world, He remains infinite (which ultimately means “Ein Od Milvado” as if something is truly infinite then there is no room for anything else). However, as the Nefesh Hachaim explains in the third gate of his work, the word ‘tzimtzum’ does not mean ‘removal’ chas veshalom but rather it means “to hide”. In other words, in order to make room for a finite world, Hakadosh Baruch Hu hid his infinite presence so that the finite could emerge from his infinity. With this understanding, Hashem remains infinite but we also have a world as the Torah attest to right from the beginning.

The Arizal at the beginning of Otzros Chaim explains that this process of tzimtzum, in which Hahshem concealed and constricted (at least from our perspective) his infinite light is what allowed for the creation of finite vessels from which our world could be created from. Hashem concealed his light in order to create “kelim” vessels. Well, we were learning this and suddenly my dear friend Yaakov got really excited. “Wow!”, he said, “this is Einstein! The Arizal is saying that the constriction of light is what creates vessels. This amazingly parallels the idea that the constriction of energy creates matter.

The greatest physical discovery of the 20th century was that matter is ultimately composed of energy E=Mc2. However, for matter to exist in its current form the energy has to be constricted in an incredible way. In other words (on a spiritual level), in order for the vessels of our world to exist Hashem’s light or energy has to go through a tzimtzum.

Something clicked! Yaakov was very excited. Even several years later, when we would meet, we would discuss this amazing insight. Because this was an insight that showed that Torah and kaballah are not just nice ideas but deep ideas that express the underlying blueprint of creation. Suddenly Einstein and the Arizal, on some level, were speaking the same language.

The most simple definition of what Kaballah means is to “receive”. In other words, the Kaballistic tradition is a spiritual tradition that was passed down over the years and received by those Torah scholars who were worthy of it. For example, Rabenu Bachaye, the student of the Rashba and the author of a profound commentary on Chumash, writes ( Devarim 25:9) that the whole doctrine of gilgulim ( reincarnation) is a Halacha LeMoshe Misinai, a tradition that was passed down to the Sages from the Prophets all the way back to Moshe Rabenu at Sinai.

However, there is another very fundamental definition of Kaballah that is also very critical for a proper understanding of this matter. The Torah in Parshas Tetzaveh teaches us that the covers of the Mishkan each had 50 loops that were parallel to each other. The Torah says that the loops were מקבילות one to the other. “Makbilos” here means that they were parallel to each other. Amazing! Here the word “makbilos” which comes from the word “kaballah” means something very different than just “receiving” as we said before. Here the word kaballah means parallel structure. In other words, kaballah teaches us about the parallel structure that exists in the universe between the spiritual and the physical. Yes, the Arizal is describing things up high in the spiritual realm. However, with some insight one can begin to see how he really is explaining on a deeper level about everything that exists down here as well. Because kaballah means parallel structure. A deep design that intimately unifies the spiritual with the physical. With this in mind, we can begin to understand that the roots of the theory of relativity are at the beginning of the kisvei Ari.

In recent years, many have discussed the idea of a unified understanding of Torah and the world. In truth, nothing should be more natural as the same creator who gave us the Ten commandments also created the heavens and the earth. However, in order to do this properly one must understand the world but also really understand Torah very well, very deeply and in an integrated way. And this is why learning Kabbalah and Chassidus in a deeply integrated way can be so powerful and begin to give one the tools for this ultimate expression of divine unity. Because kaballah teaches us about the internal structure of the spiritual world. This deep understanding can give one tools to see this structure in the physical world as well on many different levels.

A new book in Hebrew by Rabbi Yitzchok Ginzburg and Nir Manosi entitled ” Ichud Torah and Mada” expands upon this idea. The whole idea of the books is that a deep ‘pnimius’ integrated understanding of kaballah ( as counter intuitive as this may be for some) is the key for the proper approach of integrating Torah with the world.

In truth if one reads the section in Kol Hatur, by Rav Hillel of Shklov the student of the Gra, about secular studies carefully one will also clearly see that the Gra held that in order for secular studies to be learned properly from a Torah perspective they need to aligned with a Torah perspective that is rooted in deep kabbalistic understanding.

In a few weeks we will be celebrating Lag B’omer and dancing around the bonfire celebrating the great light that Rahsbi brought to the world. As we see the sparks from the bonfire going up to Heaven we can also reflect that this great light is ultimately what is going to unite the heavens and the earth. May we all merity to see the great depths and wonders from Hashem’s Torah!

-Ariel

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)