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Chapter 1
Messianic Technology
The Torah Koan of the Accelerated End
Torah, especially as understood in the Kabbalah, the Jewish esoteric tradition, has long envisioned and even required an evolving interface between scientific discovery and esoteric truth. A critical component of this synergistic interaction is the speed at which it must take place. Obvious to everyone speed is the greatest denomination of modern technology.
Stimulated by the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, the wellsprings of theoretical models and new technology have been streaming forth. A wholly new paradigm of scientific thought - and consciousness - is emerging. The year 1840 witnessed the emergence of electromagnetic theory which in turn paved the way for the invention of radio waves, telecommunications, television, computers and the investigation of atomic energy and the atomic bomb. New psychological and neurological descriptions of the brain, pharmacological wonders, black hole phenomenon, genetic engineering, lasers, holography, are among the changes and ideas that have taken place in our generation. Of even greater significance has been the effect of the early 19th century breakthroughs of non-Euclidean geometry which set the stage for the 20th century theories of Einstein's relativity, quantum mechanics and the search for the Unified Field Theory. Currently, under the name of "Super Strings" this theory is being proclaimed by leading physicists as an unmistakable genesis of a new physics. Most recently the scientific community and public at large is being initiated into a mind-bending world of fractals, chaos theory, virtual reality and the ever accelerating world wide Internet.
One has simply to look at the course of history to see that the interval between the appearances of new eras is rapidly decreasing. For thousands of years, all societies were agricultural in nature. Two hundred and fifty years ago, at the dawn of the 6th millennial day (1740-1840), the Industrial Revolution burst forth in a series of earth shaking changes throughout these societies and correspondingly began remodeling our view of the world around us. A mere fifty years ago, as the millennial clock was reaching high noon of the 6th day (1940-1990), another new era was launched igniting a rapid series of extraordinary and spectacular changes. This era has been called the Space Age, the Electronic Era, the Global Village and more.
The period of time that we are in now has long been known in the Torah tradition as the Messianic Era, the Last Generation and the Heals of the Mashiach. Why, from a spiritual perspective, is the phenomenon of increasing acceleration a necessary component for global evolution?
A verse from the book of Isaiah (60:22) prophesies, "The least one shall become a thousand and the smallest one a strong nation: I, the Lord, will accelerate it in its due time". The Talmud states (Sanhedrin 98a), "R. Alexandri said: R. Yehoshua ben Levi pointed out an [apparent] contradiction. It is written [as to when the messianic process will begin], 'in its due time' yet, it is also written I (the Lord) will accelerate it' (which implies before the due time and thus the phrase appears self-contradictory). [There is no contradiction], if they are worthy, I will accelerate it: if not, [the Messiah will come] in its due time".
The apparent resolution given in this passage from the Talmud is a classic example of how the sage-kabbalists would “reveal one handbreadth and [simultaneously] conceal two handbreadths”. Under the guise of a simple “either/or” solution they have satisfied our need for a rational explanation, yet they have also intentionally concealed an esoteric truth.[1] The “answer” given here is actually a drash, a homiletic exposition and not the pshat – the simple, literal explanation. Ironically, it is in the pshat where the deeper truth often lies. This was the approach of the Gaon of Vilna (Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman, 1720-1797).
"Our Master told us that in the final analysis a scriptural verse can never be divorced from its plain meaning ("Ain mikra yotzae meday p'shuto"). The literal intention [of this verse] is that even 'in its due time I will accelerate it' [i.e., the verse literally means that both aspects will occur simultaneously and not one way or the other which is the homiletic interpretation (drash) offered by the Talmud]. And when will this occur? When, 'The least one shall become a thousand and the smallest one a strong nation'. The 'least one' and the 'smallest one' are referring to [an aspect of the global messianic process]. Now, it is known that the extreme threshold level of this process is achieved through the 'arousal from below' in [the power of] one thousand minus one, that is [the formula of], '999 in the Yesod' [Yesod = technical term in the Kabbalah for conduit or channel and the spiritual root for the process of reproduction.] 'The least one shall become a thousand', means when the messianic will reach through its activity a degree just up until the conclusion of the one thousand - then, I the Lord, even in its due time, will accelerate it. The intention is similar to the verse (Deut. 32-35), 'The things that come upon them make haste' according to the explanation of our Master.[2]
"Many times I saw our Master pacing back and forth in his study and speaking in an awesome stormy spirit saying, 'Master of the Universe, do you not have a middle path between 'in its due time' and 'I will accelerate it?!' We are relying with all of our strength upon the plain and literal meaning in the words of your promise, 'I, the Lord, will accelerate it in its due time'".
It is difficult to understand what the Gaon of Vilna could be referring to when he pleads before the Master of the Universe that He fulfill the literal meaning of the scriptural prophesy by revealing a "middle path". There appears to be only two avenues through which the final stage of global evolution - the Messianic Era - can occur:
If on one hand, teshuva - global repentance - will not occur and the present human condition will continue in the natural process as it has for the past millennia, then this is the path of “B'etah” - the End in its own due time.
If on the other hand, however, the whole world “sees the light” then this will trigger an immediate redemption and the natural process will have been "jumped" forward to the End. This is the path of “Acheeshena” - accelerating the End before its time.
Thus, the Messianic Era - signaling the End of Time - can only come in its due time or be humanly triggered to appear before its due time. It is either this or that. There doesn't appear to be any room for a third alternative.
Further, the same section of Talmud continues with a similar dialectic and responds to it also in a homiletic fashion understanding the apparent contradiction as referring to two distinct modes of action:
Alexandri said: 'R. Yehoshua opposed two verses against each other. It is written (Daniel 7-13), 'And behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven,' whilst [elsewhere] it is written (Zachariah 9-7), ''[Behold, your king comes unto you...] lowly, and riding upon a donkey.' [There is no contradiction] if they are worthy, [he will come] with the clouds of heaven (i.e., miraculously swift), if not, then [he will come] lowly and riding upon a donkey."
Once again, the only apparent two alternatives for the messianic arrival are either that of the natural path (riding on a donkey) or that of the supra-natural path (riding on the clouds). What then, is the third path to which the Gaon of Vilna refers? Is there a process that is both natural and supra-natural? Can an event be hastened to arrive at its due time? Can a birth arrive before its time on its due date?!
According to the teachings of esoteric Judaism all knowledge, both spiritual and material wisdom, originally coexisted in a seamless unity within a higher dimension. Together these two modes of wisdom compromised a larger, all encompassing Universal Torah (Torah meaning "Teachings"). A collapse, however, ensued in which the database of all knowledge split itself into "spiritual" and "material" planes of existence. Thus, we have the basis for the historical conflict between "religion" and "science". Yet, any given mystical truth can only be one side of a puzzle piece, the other side of which is technological and vice-versa. Thus, the material world is also a mode of spirituality, only externalized and concretized. The ultimate truth is not revealed through the supra-natural alone nor is it only discovered through scientific development. The Teachings of the Universal Torah contains both truths, yet is more than both. These two forms of wisdom are destined to reunite with each other and it is their prophetic rendezvous that is stimulating an ever-accelerating worldwide paradigm shift in consciousness.
The two aspects of the messianic process – spiritual and technological -- are two sides of one cosmic coin. The material events ("riding upon a donkey") are another mode of the selfsame spiritual reality ("riding upon the clouds"). It is the supra-natural force that aids every act of "arousal from below" performed through the natural and technological process.
In other words, any human pursuit involved with discovery and application of scientific knowledge, although it appears on the surface as part of a natural, "man made" process, it is, in truth, being directed by a supra-natural, provincial force. From the ultimate perspective there is only one source of providence, yet, when it is revealed in our present reality we find it clothed in the guise of human struggle and the laws of "nature". That which is aided and directed by the collective force and consciousness is just the natural and earthly counterpart to the supra-natural and heavenly aspect and vice versa.
The Union of Technology and Spirit
"And the word of the Lord came to me saying, 'and you, son of man, take one branch,...: then take another branch,...: and join them one to the other to make one stick; and they shall become one in your hand. '...and they shall be one in My hand" (Yehezkiel 37-15-20)
The entire redemption is dependent upon the unification of these two branches of reality. These two forces which will initially 'become one in your hand', i.e. the interaction between technology and spirit, e.g. the Internet and Torah, afterwards 'they shall be one in my hand' - the Hand of God, i.e. through the supra-natural path 'upon the clouds of heaven'"
Although the two modes are two branches of one root they appear to function in distinct and even opposing paths, as we have seen from the midrashic (homiletic) explanation of the Talmud itself. According to a deeper truth hidden in the plain meaning of the verses there is, however, a manner in which the two can synergistically interact with each other in a unique union. Each will maintain its distinct mode of function yet combine with the other to produce something more than both - an amazing third path. This is achieved by stimulating the "heavenly" supra-natural force from "below" which in turn will reciprocally "artificially" stimulate the natural process to quicken and speed up its otherwise natural and gradual rate of accretion. The third path to which the Gaon of Vilna refers is the phenomenon of artificially accelerated global evolution. In this process so much momentum is reached that all reality and consciousness is literally stimulated to "jump" into a higher dimension while simultaneously triggering that higher dimensionality to receive us into its midst. Since the beginning of the 19th century the divine process is "artificially" stimulating the natural growth rate of planetary transformation through scientific "discovery" and applied technology in order to accelerate the "arousal from below" which, upon picking up breathtaking speeds, will then furiously trigger the climatic "jump" both from "below" and from "above" simultaneously - the coming of messianic world consciousness.
The third path to universal redemption has revealed an entirely new middle state of possible reality that is not simply natural -- "in its due time" -- nor is it simply supra-natural and miraculously hastened before its time. Rather, it is an extreme qualitative increase in "the supra-natural force that aids every act performed via the 'arousal from below' through the natural occurring process." The supra-natural is already completely clothed in the guise of nature (in this case science) and animates it. Only now the higher and "other wordily" supra-natural force unites with the “very worldly” and accelerates it to "miraculously" develop at ever increasing speeds in order to, in turn, prematurely stimulate its own "heavens" and "hasten" its climatic arrival in its "due time". The fact that an escalated arrival of the "due time" (B'etah) can, in theory, be triggered before its natural "due date" is not any infringement upon the natural laws to which it is bound since it is still following a precise, step by step sequence of events and stages that produce, through strict causality, its ultimate conclusion. Only the progress of its sequence of stages has been "artificially" accelerated. The natural growth process continues, but as with the addition of fertilizer together with the enhancing of the natural growing conditions the fruition can be achieved at a much quicker rate.
The new middle contains both distinct paths and yet, is more than both at the same time. Amazingly, however, the third path is as distinct in its nature from either one of the two other paths as each of the two paths are distinct from each other! This is the power of the synergistic union between the earthly and the heavenly. This is the power of the spirituality of ancient religious truth synthesized with the "hard reality" of evolving scientific discovery.
Both modes of existence continue to evolve at accelerating speeds - the Kabbalah via its revelations from above and science via its discovery from below. Yet, the ever-extending branches of scientific exploration are but a map, mirroring, in the finite mode, the infinite territory of Divinity itself - the concealed fruit of the self-same tree. The two run side by side, but as two co-existing yet non-touching worlds they have yet to share true intimate knowledge of each other. Can the end arrive before its time? This is the work that lies before us and this is the Kabbalah Koan of the Accelerated End of Time.
[1] In Torah cosmology pshat and sod – the narrative reading and the mystical level – are not opposites. True sod is simply looking at the pshat from the inside out -- the soul marveling at its own body. True pshat is simply looking at the sod from the outside in -- the body marveling at its own soul. The deepest sod is when it is isomorphic with its pshat, like a hand in a form-fitting glove. This is an application of the Mobius strip model -- two surfaces of a "single sided" Torah (see my chapter on the Mobius strip).
[2] The GRA’s commentary Aderet Eliyahu on the Chumash.
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