Back in Time

Einstein’s time dilation theory teaches that traveling forward in time is possible. Scientists have tested this theory on small scales, like with subatomic particles. It has proven sound. Today the formulas for time dilation are worked into our GPS systems, which wouldn’t perform accurately without them. All this bodes well for traveling forward in time. However, is it possible to travel back in time (at least in theory)?

I have heard a TED Talks expert claim that traveling back in time is just a natural progression of the existing time dilation formula. It goes something like this. As one approaches the speed of light, time gradually slows down. When the speed of light is reached, time utterly stops. When one exceeds the speed of light, one reverses course and travels back in time.

This “reverse time travel” leads to all sorts of discussion about parallel physical universes, which I found entertaining to play with. The claim is that if one were to travel back, whatever s/he does in the past might seriously unsettle life in the present. To avoid such tampering, the time traveler will have to enter a double of our universe.

Despite all the fun in my intellectual sandbox, I bear serious doubts about parallel physical universes. Usually, when I encounter a deep idea, I try to see if it’s mentioned or even hinted at in the Torah, as I understand it. I never encountered as much as a hint of this idea anywhere in my Torah studies. Admittedly, this alone doesn’t mean much. It’s very silly for me to think that I know even a tiny drop of the Torah given to humans, let alone its counterpart which still lingers in the mind of God. Still, if this step is missing I am left wondering.

Next, I began to question of which is less complicated issue, (a) to deal with the possible problems in the present caused by a time traveler tampering with the past or (b) to create a whole new physical universe just to accommodate someone who has traveled back in time?

Certainly, creating a whole new universe sounds like a far more complicated alternative. This is true even if staying in the same universe would alter the present shocking ways - such as people suddenly appearing or disappearing before our very eyes; because of who was or wasn’t born as a result of the new causes planted in our universe’s past.

However, as my younger daughter pointed out to me, these shocking complications do not necessarily have to be. Let’s say someone traveled to the past. Whatever, s/he did is already incorporated into our past. It is after all the past! As a result, our present has already accounted for it. Perhaps, the only remaining complication to consider is what if a traveler where to meet his/her younger self. Under those conditions would they still be two separate human beings, sort of like identical twins, or would they be one consciousness/soul operating through two bodies?

Even though a less complicated scenario is not an automatic indication of a true scenario, with all else being equal, it’s probably a more likely one. Therefore, I feel that it should at least be accorded first consideration.

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דַעַת/Da'at

Da'at is an elusive topic largely because it does not have a direct English translation. The usual translation in modern English, knowledge, idiomatically means "learned information". Such a translation would not adequately explain many usages of Da'at, For example, "And Adam knew Eve..." leaves the unprepared reader with an exasperated, "What!".

Obviously, Adam didn't impregnate Eve by spending long hours in objective clinical study or by pouring over books. To this the Rabbi Shneur of Liadi teaches that Da'at means hitkashrut, binding, in the sense of when what's in the mind gets integrated with the personality. It's more than just cerebral information. It's identity forming.

There are lots of things a person may know which remains swimming around in his/her head and never affects his/her heart or actions. On the Sefirotic Tree this is known as Da'at Tachton, Lower Da'at. It sits between the upper three Sefirot, which represent the mind, and the next six, which represent the personality/emotions. Anatomically, the seat of Da'at Tachton is likely the medulla oblongata, the brain stem by the nape of the neck.   

Just as there are 50 gates of Binah, understanding, there are 32 paths of Chochma, wisdom (see Sefer Yetzirah). Anatomically, the seat of Binah is the left hemisphere of the brain and the Chochma is the right hemisphere. Between the two is a thick bundle of nerves called the "corpus callosum". This is the likely anatomical seat of Da'at Elyon - upper Da'at. 

Binah is left brain thinking. Though not limited to it, Binah includes analysis and academic thought. During the Omer Count we attempt to unblock our personality to its 50 gates. Binah contemplation, at its best, is the analysis of a topic in all six directions: Up-Down, Right-Left, Front-Back. For example, "Up-Down" is working with an idea along its place in a hierarchical structure. These six directions are really considered seven, when their shared point of intersection is included. Since each of these seven in some way include all seven, we really have 49 gates. The 50th gate, the highest, tends toward Da'at Elyon, where the Binah meets up with Chochma.

From Chochma emerges the 32 paths which are the 10 Sefirot and the 22 Letters. They form the grand template for discovering patterns in spiritual and physical reality. The study of the Sefirot and Letters is the study of the elements of pattern. In Da'at Elyon, Binah thought moves towards pattern and Chochma thought moves toward analysis. It's where the two styles of thinking meet. It's possible that such a situation can lead to or even be Ruach HaKodesh, divine inspiration, a lower level of prophecy (see Rashi on describing the Da'at of Betzalel).

Truthfully, Da'at Elyon and Tachton is one structure of Da'at, the 10 Sefirot of Da'at. Da'at Elyon is the first three Sefirot; Da'at's own Chochma, Binah and Da'at. Da'at Tachton is the lower seven of its overall Sefirotic structure.

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Flow / Resistance = Music

In a forest, strolling by a stream, I listen for the sounds - the music of nature...

Gentle flowing waters, caws of squirrels, chirps of birds, buzzes of insects n' breezes through leaves.

Immersed in nature's music, it dawns on me that the sounds do not simply resonate off the lonely flows. They need company called,"resistance". The actual music emerges when flow meets a resistance, oh’ so strategically set.

Flutes resist breath. Strings resist fingers. Bodies resist souls.

Perhaps it's time to stop resisting resistances and welcome the instruments which bring forth the music from our flows.

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The Future, Now!

When the Holy One wants to rescue the Jews from exile, He draws upon them a system of divine providence from the future edge of time; for in the future, nature [as we know it] will be utterly nullified…

~ Rabbi Nathan of Nemirov (LH, Netilat Yadayim 2)

I listened to a lecture by Rabbi Yuval Asherov. He explained that there are two ways to reach beyond the natural order in one’s divine service. One is through self-sacrifice, as happened in the time of Chanukah. The other is through tremendous happiness, as happened in the time of Purim. Both these Holidays are reputed to still be considered something special even after the Messiah arrives.

Considering the quote from Rabbi Nathan of Nemirov (above), it seems that in both these cases, we were rescued from the then state of exile by drawing spiritual light and power from the future edge of time, the deep messianic era; the time right before all of nature as we know it is nullified by being assimilated into a spiritual system beyond nature. In the case of Chanukah, we reached it through self-sacrifice and in the case of Purim, we reached it through tremendous happiness.

Based on this, it’s not surprising that these two Holidays of salvation will stand out as special even in the messianic era; as they are both from the messianic era itself. In that time they won’t be considered part of the past system of divine providence, but recognizably part of the current one. They will fit in nicely with the soul of the times.

What this means to me today as we enter the month Adar is that our happiness can attract the tremendous blessings of the future today. If sustained, it’s possible to even transform today into the future era, especially since we are so close to it anyways and the vessels for such blessings are certainly more developed today than they would have been during the times when the events of Chanukah and Purim happened. So, today it should be easier to attract such blessings than it was then and once attracted there’s a greater chance that they will be here to stay.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that if this generation really wants the messianic era and works for it, it will happen. We’re so close. As we enter Adar, let’s serve our Creator with the happiness to help bring it about. Then not only will we be blessed, but so will the rest of humanity as well.

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