Page 579 - 24107

Orchard of Delights Shoftim

that bringing the fruits up to Jerusalem symbolizes returning the £The Archetypal Nature of Trees The Archetypal Nature of Trees The Archetypal Nature of Trees
sparks to their Divine source. We cannot fail to note that the farmer ££
bringing the first fruits begins his speech by describing how his
forefathers descended into Egypt and only later were redeemed by
God and brought up to the Land of Israel. This process of exile and When discussing the commandment not to cut down fruit trees
redemption also corresponds to the scattering and redemption of the during the course of laying siege to a city, the Torah, as if providing
holy sparks in Kabbalistic thought. a reason for the commandment, rhetorically asks whether “a tree
of the field is a man, an enemy, that rises up against you in war”
A final thought about the meaning of the above Midrash relates to (Deuteronomy 20:19). Interestingly enough, R. Abraham Ibn Ezra,
various ideas in the realm of quantum physics regarding reality and a medieval biblical commentator, reads this question as a statement
human consciousness, as discussed in the portion of Re’eh (“Quantum that compares man to a tree. In fact throughout the ages, rabbis,
Physics and Human Consciousness”). Recent discoveries about atomic mystics, and poets have used various types of trees and their produce,
particles have had far-reaching implications for our understanding of the tree’s growth cycle, and the tree’s component parts (roots, trunk,
reality and creation itself. Scientists have established that electrons, branches, leaves, and fruit) as rich symbolic material for illustrating
like all particles, function as both particles and waves. As a wave, both the human life cycle and the nature of the Jewish people.
the electron has no fixed position and in a sense may potentially
occupy an almost infinite number of locations. The human observer The Writings provide several comparisons of the individual human
ultimately determines the approximate position of the electron, or being and trees: “The righteous like a date palm will flourish, like a
to use scientific language, human observation “forces” the electron cedar in Lebanon will grow tall” (Psalms 92:13); “But his delight is
to assume a defined position. This counterintuitive supposition has the Torah of God and in His Torah he meditates day and night. And
in fact been verified by rigorous experimentation. This revolutionary he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth
idea has far-reaching repercussions for how we define reality. Its logical its fruit in its season, its leaf also will not wither and in whatever he
conclusion is that reality is only determined by conscious awareness. does he shall prosper” (Psalms 1:3); “The fruit of the righteous is a
In this sense quantum physics blurs the boundary between what has tree of life….’ (Proverbs 11:30).
been called hard science and the metaphysical realm of sod. The prophets compare the people of Israel to trees in the following

In Sefer Yetzirah, one of the oldest Kabbalistic texts, reality is two verses: “I will be as dew to Israel, he shall flower like the lily and
characterized as taking place in a number of dimensions: “world” cast forth his roots like the Lebanon. His branches will spread and his
or “space” (olam); “year” or “time” (shanah); and “soul” or beauty will be like an olive tree….” (Hosea 14:6-7); “God called your
“consciousness” (nefesh). Until Albert Einstein, only space was name – a green olive tree with goodly fruit….” (Jeremiah 11:16). The
conceptualized in dimensional terms. Einstein was able to reveal just Sages take this comparison a step further comparing the nature of
one hundred years ago that time can also be considered a dimension the Jewish people to the process of extracting olive oil. In the process
and that the three dimensions of space and one dimension of time form of extracting the olive oil from the olive, the olive is beaten; the more
a unified space-time continuum. This forever changed humanity’s it is beaten the more oil is extracted. The Sages explain that the
perception of reality. The importance that science is beginning to nation of Israel functions among the nations in a similar manner: the
assign to the role of human consciousness is one of modern physic’s more the Jewish people are beaten the more precious oil is extracted
most “spiritual” revelations. and the more light is provided (Menachot 53).

606 # 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Cyan 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Magenta 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Black #24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Yellow

# 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Magenta #24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Yellow 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Black 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 19 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:06 | SR:-- | Cyan