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 Orchard of Delights                                                             Va’eira
 Because the shepherds were able to conquer the parallel negative   universe is still expanding at an awesome rate. Therefore, how can
 energy in each of the sefirot their descendants were able to conquer   we understand the Sages’ statement?
 these nations. The three higher sefirot, though, await the Messianic   First of all, the Sages may have meant that God decided that the
 era when these three higher energies relating to the elevated levels of   world, as large as it would be, would still be finite relative to the infinite
 intellect will be completely purified and rectified. Only then will the   reality of God. Science now confirms that the universe consists of
 last three nations be conquered as well. This is yet another promise   tens of billions of galaxies, each one larger than the human mind can
 waiting to be fulfilled. When it is then truly God will be one and His   really conceive. Nonetheless, in comparison to infinity, the universe
 name will be one.
            still has its limits, and so does the world in comparison with God.
            Secondly, and more fundamentally, perhaps the Sages were alluding
            to the force of gravity and its constrictive ability to hold the world
            in place, even as the universe expands. Have you ever marveled that
            while the earth is moving on its axis at approximately 1,000 miles
            per hour, while the earth rotates at approximately 67,000 miles per
            hour around the sun, while our solar system is speeding through the
            Milky Way at approximately 500,000 miles per hour and our entire
            galaxy is speeding at roughly 500,000 miles per hour through space,
            we nevertheless seem to be stationary!?

               The Sages’ description of the creation of light on the first day of
            creation parallels modern science’s  explanation of the  creation of
            electromagnetic energy after the Big Bang (see The Mystical Nature
            of Light, pp. 9-10).  So  it makes sense to  propose  that the name
            “Shaddai” (as explained  by the  Sages) alludes  to the  creation of
            gravity, that constrictive force which balances the ever-expanding
            universe. Thus the universe is in fact expanding and yet “held in
            place” simultaneously.
               This realization that the forces of expansion and contraction are
            actually related helps us understand another anomaly in the first
            verse of our portion where Elokim declares that “I am Hashem.”
            Elokim can, indeed, be Hashem; for God revealed to Moses that the
            name “Elokim,” which like the name “Shaddai” connotes constriction
            and judgment, is at its source unified with the name Hashem, which
            connotes expansion, mercy, and giving.  At their root  these two
            seemingly contrary forces are one and the same. In the world and
            the human psyche, these two energies maintain a very fine balance,
            as represented by these two names of God.




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