Purim, Randomness and Quantum Mechanics

Purim in Tel Aviv

Einstein stated, "God does not play dice with the universe." In his clarifying letter, he wrote: "God tirelessly plays dice under laws which He has Himself prescribed.”

These days we may have an easier time understanding the double-slit experiment that demonstrates light and matter can satisfy classical definitions for both waves and particles. This ambiguity is considered evidence for the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Electrons fired in a single trajectory toward a screen, pass through a barrier with two slits, then interfere to produce bright and dark bands on the screen, a result that would not be expected if light consisted of classical particles.

This dual particle-wave quality demonstrates the fundamental limitation of the observer to predict experimental results, Richard Feynman called it "a phenomenon" where the observer affects the outcome.

Strangely the Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates drawing the random lot, as in a "lottery", that was played by Israel's chief villain to decide the date he would annihilate the Jews of Persia. The festival obliges Jews to reach a mind set, typically induced by excessive alcohol, where the cursed villain Haman and blessed hero, of the Jewish people, Mordechai are identical. Strangely, while inebriated, Jews must remain cognoscente that Haman was the villain. This mental juggling act can get tricky for some, especially after a few drinks and atonement on this occurs through unadulterated expression of joy. 

So why, on this most festive day of the entire calendar do Jews celebrate the miracle in the "lottery", surely there are other much more meaningful aspects of this redemption from collective disaster? 

Based on thousands of years of teachings, consistent with Torah, the Rebbe precisely describes the lofty, apparent randomness of the "lottery"! In classic Kabballah and Chassidus, the studies of Jewish mysticism and philosophy, the world and its Creator are defined, often invoking scientific analogies. For the uninitiated these are difficult to comprehend, but here in his Maamar, Al Kein Karu (highly recommended reading), on the story of Purim, the Rebbe transcends all complex spiritual barriers.

The lottery describes a lofty spiritual level like that experienced on the calendars holiest day, Yom Kippur, literally meaning a day like (ki) a "lottery" (pur). The classic meaning is a day like Purim where "like" defines Purim's lofty status over Yom Kippur. Opposite to Purim, atonement on Yom Kippur is granted for conflicting the Will of the Creator and takes place through affliction and fasting. Similarly, on Yom Kippur lots were cast to decide which of two identical goats would be sent to Azazel, the evil side and which one would be offered up on the Holy Temple Altar.

Since these items, goats, villain or hero should be either physically or spiritually identical ones intellect cannot reach a meaningful decision thus the will or desire to make an informed decision submits. Reverting to a higher order, the decision rises to the level of lot or lottery.

Masterfully The Rebbe elaborates on the Biblical sources that teach how choosing, on these high holidays, resembles the systematic order of creation. Here, 'lottery" presides above will or desire, but even more lofty, the possession of a free-choice. Therefore, in deference, The Creator, who granted free-choice to Man, Woman and the Jewish People, presides, including over particles and waves as The Master of Free-Choice. The Ultimate Observer affects infinite outcomes because every expression is probable, identical until, in our world, its momentarily not.

Haman and Babylonians knew about spiritual systems, he knew that his lot fell in the month Moses, the leader of the Jewish people died, he didn't know it was also the month of his birth. Only the lottery would afford him a random chance to destroy the Jewish people. In his arrogance he failed to recognize that free-choice granted by The Master of Free Choice affects all outcomes through His continuous expression that manifests as time and space. 

King Achashverosh (his name intimating controller over alternating modes of speaking-silence) who who had been influenced by his Jewish Queen, Esther (her name intimating her concealment), lifted his decree against the Jewish people and placed Haman's future into his Queen's hand. The gallows Haman prepared for Mordechai were instead used on Haman and the Jewish people were saved from certain annihilation.

Spooky science at a distance? Then watch this.

    

Who Wants To Speak Like Ben-Gvir?

Most will react, "not me", but why? Consider this:

The term "Big Bang" is insensitive to unimaginable quantum states that turned on spacetime, particles, elements, stars and galaxies, but mostly, because the universe has no center the term is also grossly inaccurate.

3 billion acids, attached to sugars, make up DNA of the human genome. A change to any can lead to the birth of a super talented individual, a genius, a leader who stands out from the crowd, or it may cause excessive anxiety, depression, suffering, disease and even death. Technologies manipulate DNA, test results and compute vast cellular networks that inform us about previously unknown sensitive, but transformative events. 

The Bible recalls that one frog emerged from the Nile and resulted in a plague of frogs that engulfed Ancient Egypt. We can only imagine this super-species was initiated through a small DNA alteration, in a progenitor, that rapidly accumulated and was programmed to annihilate shortly after its ascent onto land. 

Some plagues in Egypt were easily replicated by the necromancer opponents of Moses. Others distracted them, caused their concentration lapse and suddenly they were defeated. We disconnect from the sensitivities behind these events because our noisy world distracts us. 

Simchat Torah 5784 (7 October 2023) marked a distraction with disastrous affect for Israel. The Jewish people have always experienced periods of unification followed by utter distraction that plunged them into the abyss of suffering. On each occasion Israel has valiantly returned from its exiled state to a heightened awareness where people speak more kindly of each other. 

Indeed the Hebrew word for speak is also the plague of pestilence or דבר (DeVeR) the preceded hail or ברד (BaRaD) through a one letter switch that changed the outcome for millions. 

We hate our present state of exile, our suffering, but it reminds us to be aware, to speak more kindly of each other and to anticipate the delicate possibility of redemption. In suffering we suppress our base, emotional instincts to amplify our personal voices and attack others. In good times the status-quo is nice, life is generally good, that's when we can sink to defend our comfort.

We may not like what Ben-Gvir has to say, or how his offensive confronts us and our preference to deny uncomfortable, inconvenient truths about frenemies. Apparently, for some, he promotes suffering and how do we respond? We attack the disrupter of our comfortable beliefs, our status-quo! We protest, amplify our voices, disrupt others and become polarized. Then, redemption dissipates and distraction passes the baton to enemies who are patient, dedicated and poised to dispel their disaster upon us.

A laissez faire approach to Palestinian frenemies, by Israel's elected governments of the past 30 years, resulted in Hamas rising, arming, training and unfortunately exploiting the inconvenient truth. We must wise up, respect each other, focus on security and let Israel's politicians do our tough talking, but we must not let this moment pass, we must demand they do more.

For the honor of those who have fallen and those, 100 days later, who continue suffering the most, we should all endeavor to make Simchat Torah 5784 the beginning of our full and final redemption.

The New, Better Israel

MK Simcha Rothman,
 Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee

Israeli disunity and distress leading up to the Simchat Torah 5783 (October 7, 2023) attack parallels ancient events. To understand these I provide some background.

The holiday of our Redemption is commonly known as Passover or Pesach and the traditional meal ends with participants saying: “Next Year in Jerusalem”. That would be ok, unless your dinner happens to be located in Jerusalem, where all attendees sing out the same ‘Next year in Jerusalem’. Seems strange doesn’t it? 

The universal tradition renders it a personal statement. Regardless of location, each attendee has not realized their fullest redemption from self imposed exile, perhaps it will be, next year.

The traditional Seder dinner focuses on the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, in Hebrew Mitzrayim. The word rendered as: M-tZ-R-Y-M can be segmented as Ma-tZ-eR Ya-M, translated as ‘Sea of Distress’. In other words, in Egypt, Israel was drowning in a Sea of Distress. 

Israelite enslavement started under an Egyptian Pharoah whose ministers grew anxious that Israel's flourishing population posed a civil threat that could topple their regime. The antidote was a birth control decree that banned male babies, requiring them to be killed at birth. This exacerbated the national distress for millions of Israelites as Egyptian authorities pursued pregnant mothers. 

The Bible explains this is the time that Moses was born, rescued and raised in the palace of Pharaoh. When he was older he became incensed by an Egyptian taskmasters abuse of an Israelite woman and subsequent beating of her husband. Moses struck out and killed the Egyptian.

Had it not been for Israelite disunity Moses could have triggered the rebellion Egyptians feared most. Instead the victim blamed Moses for highlighting their plight. accused him of being a self-appointed judge and reported his action to the authorities. Moses fled and Israel's torturous conditions prevailed.

Now, our babies have been dismembered, murdered, kidnapped, as hostages our woman raped and our men beaten. Is this the result of our Israelite disunity, our national disorder that appears to parallel events in Egypt? On Simchat Torah the disunity was brought to a head. Now Israel has choices to make, either prolong the suffering, like it was in Egypt, or come to the full behavioral realization that our redemption moment has arrived. Take it or leave it. 

In the words of MK Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee: "When the war is over, we will all be different. Because we learned something. My camp created a great deal of fear in people and did not do enough to reduce the fear. In the future, I will do everything not to pry into the other side's wounds in a manner that would make them unable to listen".

This time we must be different, politics has its place as it must, but we are above that and this is our moment to shine! 

We must not allow this holy day to be denigrated by calling it 10/7, 7/10 or the October 7 massacre. Instead, in honor to those who have sacrificed the most, we must elevate it to the highest spiritual order. It is Israel's calling, its Simchat Torah Redemption - soon in Jerusalem!