For centuries, a quiet war has raged in the halls of academia and the sanctuaries of theology. It revolves around the fundamental nature of reality. On one side is the physical world-concrete, visible, measurable, and governed by strict, mechanical laws. On the other side is the spiritual-the metaphysical, the unseen, and the transcendent.
For much of the modern era, the prevailing scientific view was that these two realms were entirely separate, assuming the spiritual even existed. The universe was regarded as a clockwork mechanism of inanimate matter, and any discussions of "soul," "spirit," or "metaphysics" were dismissed as comforting fictions for the unscientific mind.
However, in recent years, the clear divide between the seen and unseen has diminished. The force that broke this divide was not religion but science itself.
With the rise of quantum physics, the Double Slit Experiment, and Quantum Field Theory, scientists have been forced to confront a startling truth: the world is not made of the solid matter we believe we touch and see.
Quantum mechanics is based on the idea that the foundation of our universe is not solid objects, but invisible energy fields. What we see as matter-the quarks, protons, neutrons, electrons, and the atoms they make up-are actually temporary "quantum fluctuations" or excitations within these fields.
This prompts a profound paradigm shift. An electron is not a tiny marble spinning in empty space; it is a state of a field, a structure that exists within the "ocean" of energy, much like a wave cannot be separated from the sea. If the electron is the wave, then the field is the ocean. This leads us to realize that the substance the universe is made of is essentially an invisible energy with what appears to be full intelligence.
This scientific truth reflects the core spiritual idea of "Monism"-the unity of existence. Our perception of independence from others is just a surface illusion. When we say "I," we usually mean the body, a traditional form existing in space and time. However, the body is not where consciousness is located. Consciousness is connected to this quantum reality. At the deepest level, each individual's essence is the same single Godly energy. Matter is simply a form of spirit.
This modern scientific insight-that the unseen influences the seen-sheds new light on one of the most important figures in Jewish history: Moses Maimonides (the Rambam).
Historically, many scholars have tried to categorize Maimonides as a strict rationalist. Because he deeply engaged with Aristotelian philosophy and carefully codified Jewish law, some have sought to distance him from spirituality, portraying him as a physician who viewed the world only through a naturalistic lens. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Maimonides was not a skeptic of the mystical; he was adept at integrating it into the natural order.
Maimonides acknowledged the spiritual power behind the physical world. His writings highlight the miraculous parts of nature, the strength of prayer, the effectiveness of faith, and the very real influence God has on the world.
The concept of Divine Providence is this: Not only are all specific movements of creatures guided by Providence, and not only is that Providence the life-force and sustaining presence of every creature, but even more, the individual movement of any creature is generally connected to the grand design of Creation... The sum of all personal actions completes God's grand design within the mystery of all Creation. Consider this: If Divine Providence controls even the movement of a blade of grass and it’s essential to fulfilling the purpose of Creation, how much more so concerning mankind in general and Israel (the people close to Him) in particular!
The spiritual and the physical are deeply connected, down to the smallest detail.
Maimonides suggests that the "Grand Design" of creation is a unified web where all individual actions work together to fulfill a single divine purpose. He did not see a barren, disconnected universe; instead, he believed in one in which the "particular movement of any creature" is linked to The Absolute.
This bridge between the towering intellect of Maimonides and the experiential nature of the mystical was further elaborated by a fascinating, controversial, and brilliant figure: Rabbi Abraham Abulafia.
Abulafia, the founder of "Ecstatic Kabbalah," is often misunderstood. He was a strong supporter of Maimonides. He held the *Guide for the Perplexed* in high regard, viewing Maimonides (along with the Biblical Moses) as a "Prince of the World." Abulafia accepted Maimonides' philosophical view of prophecy and aimed to put it into practice.
Maimonides taught that prophecy was the pinnacle of human intellectual achievement-a state where the human mind attains "conjunction" (*devekut*) with the "Active Intellect" (a divine flow of consciousness). Abulafia agreed with the *goal*. However, he believed relying solely on philosophical study was not enough to break the barriers of the self.
Abulafia introduced what we might call "spiritual technologies": the systematic permutation of Divine Names (*Hokhmat Ha-Tzeruf*), specific breathing exercises, and head movements. These were designed to "unclog" the mind, freeing it from the constraints of standard logic to allow the influx of the Divine. He viewed his mystical system as the necessary completion of Maimonides' philosophy-the practical key to the philosophical lock.
Through his student, Rabbi Joseph Gikatilla-author of the foundational *Sha’arei Orah* (Gates of Light)-Abulafia’s blend of philosophy and mysticism quietly became the foundation for many essential principles of Kabbalah.
The great Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai (the Chida) wrote, "I say that in truth I see him (Abulafia) as a great rabbi among the masters of secrets... and none may alter his words."
The most striking convergence of these ancient teachings and modern science lies in the role of **awareness** and the nature of **time**.
In quantum mechanics, the "Delayed-Choice Quantum Eraser" experiment is perhaps the most mind-bending demonstration of how reality works.
The experiment indicates that the way a particle is measured-done in the *future*-can apparently affect its behavior in the *past*. It also shows that a particle doesn't have a definite form ("which-path" information) until it is observed or measured. Until then, it remains in a state of potential.
Remarkably, Maimonides codifies laws in the *Mishneh Torah* that mirror this quantum reality, specifically regarding how "awareness" determines the nature of a deed.
Actually, it’s the laws in the Torah, the blueprint of the universe, that installed the laws discovered by modern-day scientists.
In the *Laws of Shegagot* (5:1), Maimonides discusses the nature of unintentional transgression. He writes: "For his awareness separates between the inadvertent transgressions."
The law states that if a person commits a forbidden act multiple times during a single period of unawareness, it is legally considered **one single deed**, requiring only one offering. It is a continuous "wave" of action. However, if the person becomes aware-realizing "I have sinned"-and then forgets and sins again, that moment of awareness "breaks" the continuity. The single long deed is now divided into separate acts, requiring multiple offerings.
Consider a scenario involving two people engaged in a forbidden act.
A:** The man is completely unaware throughout the duration that the act is forbidden.
B:** The woman realizes momentarily during the act that it is forbidden, forgets, and continues.
Physically, both people performed the same actions for the same amount of time. However, spiritually and legally, the outcomes are vastly different. For A, it is one event. For B, the "measurement" (awareness) has divided the timeline into multiple events. Similar to the quantum eraser experiment, the "measurement" determines the particle's history. The observer is not passive; the observer creates the context of reality.
The same entity, when measured and observed at different times and from various perspectives, can produce varied results depending entirely on the type and timing of the measurement.
Conclusion:
We are compelled to realize that Maimonides, the Kabbalists, and modern physicists are ALL describing different facets of the same one universe.
The universe is not just a collection of cold, dead objects. It is a lively, united field of energy and spirit. The "spiritual" is not a separate realm; it is the basic field from which the "physical" comes. The electron is a ripple in the field; the human body is a garment for the soul. The Torah is the blueprint of creation.
This leads to a deep sense of personal empowerment. If we are all connected to this unified field-if our consciousness interacts with reality just as the observer interacts with the electron-then our actions hold more significance than we often realize.
We are not isolated dots in a vast emptiness. We are active participants in a responsive universe. As Maimonides teaches, because of this profound connection, a single good deed, a single moment of awareness, or a single act of kindness by one person has the power to influence the entire world toward merit and redemption for each individual and for the whole universe!
arutz sheva
