The Gemara focusses on how the sun begins to lose its power on the 15 of Av. (Bava Basra 121b) Interestingly, the Rashbam mentions that the nights begin to get longer on 15 Av, and since one isn't working at night this means that he has more time to delve into Torah study. The obvious question that one should ask is that the solstice occurs in Tammuz (hence the name Tekufas Tammuz) and it is on that day (usually June 21) that the nights start to get shorter. That is why Shakespeare called it a Midsummer Night's Dream since "midsummer" used to refer to the solstice and it is a short night with quick dreams (although now we call that the first day of summer). This is now 44 days after this point that the days have been getting noticeably shorter, what could the Rashbam mean?
Perhaps the answer lies in how the nights gets longer. In the beginning of summer when the solstice occurs, it is true that the nights get longer, but they begin their growth by first having a later daybreak time. If one looks at a zmanim chart he will see that in the beginning of summer nightfall stays relatively the same, it is daybreak that gets later and later. It is around 15 Av that nightfall begins to get earlier, as well.
Maybe the Rashbam is not assuming that the individual is going to rise from bed earlier than daybreak, rather, he assumes that the person will end his day in the fields at nightfall. If the person goes to sleep at the same time every night then he will have more time for learning once nightfall gets earlier. Thus, one of the defining features of 15 Av is that Torah study becomes easier without even having ot put in much extra effort. It is displaying a bracha how Hashem tries to make it easy, at times, for us to benefit from His holy Torah study.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
A Mistaken Translation? (Artscroll Kinos)
The Kinos read on Tisha B'Av are peppered with many astronomical allusions. Some outright such as the fifth Kinah, read at night, that goes through the mourning of the twelve zodiacal constellations and others that use terminology to emphasize a point but do not outright discuss the night sky. A basic knowledge of the celestial objects opens a new dimension to seeing some of the powerful symbolism found in these heart wrenching lamentations. Unfortunately, lack of such knowledge often leads to misinterpretation.
Last year I was using the Artscroll Kinos (copyright 1991) and I noticed what appears to me to be an example of a mistranslation of one such Kinah. Earlier this evening I was in shul davening Maariv and I noticed that they had come out with their new linear translation and I immediately opened to this Kinah to see if any changes were made. I found that changes were made, but it appears that the original intent of the author is still not being expressed by this translation.
The Kinah is number 37 (ציון קחי כל צרי גלעד) states:
"נראה בתמוז כסיל בך יעלה כי שאר כל החדשים לבד זה בחדריך"
The first translation was:
"The constellation Orion is visible everywhere [except in Israel] in the month of Tammuz, for it only ascends above you [Israel] during one of the other months [Sivan], while [in Tammuz] it remains concealed in your inner chambers."
The translator must have realized that he was butchering the original text. The actual Hebrew seems to be discussing how Orion is seen in Tammuz, presumably in Israel since that is the location of the rest of the items in the Kinah, and during the rest of the months it seems to be elsewhere. My guess is that the translator did some research and found that Orion is not visible in the Middle East during the summer month of Tammuz. Because he assumed the original text must make sense, he had to force this other interpretation into the words. Unfortunately, it does not seem to capture the true intent of the author. I am also not sure where the "everywhere" that Orion is visible in Tammuz is. The entire Middle East and a significant portion of the Northern Hemisphere, currently, do not see Orion during this month.
Since I did not purchase the new linear translation, I do not have it in front of me, but the new translation of the line went something like this:
"In Tammuz, Antares visibly rises in you for in all the other months it is in your chambers [Southern Hemisphere]."
You will notice that the new translator abandoned the conventional Orion as his translation for "כסיל" and instead picked the lesser translation, Antares. I suspect he did so partially for the reasons cited above. While the vast majority of Rishonim maintain that "כסיל" is the constellation Orion, the Ibn Ezra maintains that it is the bright red star Antares that is found in the constellation Scorpius. (Ibn Ezra Iyov 38:31) Although this is a very unconventional translation, there is reason to suspect that it is accurate as it has been suggested that the author of this Kinah may have been the Ibn Ezra himself. Kudos to the new translation, but unfortunately it still is hard to hear.
Antares is seen in Yerushalayim in Tammuz, but what does it mean that the other months Antares finds itself in the Southern Hemisphere? Antares is visible (at least at some time during the night) for eleven out of the twelve months of the year in Yerushalayim. Rashi even mentions this fact in Rosh Hashana (11b).
I would like to offer a simple and clear translation for this line. By doing so I think it also becomes apparent that the Ibn Ezra is not the author of this Kinah. Before I give the translation, let me give some background. The stars have slowly shifted from their positions that they were in at the time of Chazal and even from the time of the Rishonim (I am referring to their relative position). The phenomenon that causes this is referred to as the precession of the equinoxes. I believe the reason for the mistranslation is because the translators researched what the current sky looks like and not the ancient sky as it was in the times of the author!!!
In the time of Chazal, Orion was first visible during Tammuz. Prior to Tammuz its appearance in the sky was occurring in daytime and its stars were out shined by daylight. In the eleventh - thirteenth century, when the Kinah was written, Orion still first became visible during Tammuz albeit later in the month. Its visibility was just before sunrise and it therefore was seen at daybreak. The stars and constellations that rise with the Sun are considered to be coming to power. (Rashi Rosh Hashana 11b) Therefore, even though Orion is visible in many other months, it may be considered to be more powerful in Tammuz and in the rest of the months it may be considered to be less of a force. Nowadays, it takes until the middle of Av for it to become visible meaning that it is invisible during Tammuz. If the translator would have looked to the star visibility times as they were in the times of the original author, he could have taken a very simple translation:
"The visibility of Orion in Tammuz is seen rising in you, for in all other months other than this it is in your chambers (meaning not in a position of power)."
May Hashem cause that this Kinah will not be read and cried over this coming Tisha B'Av since hopefully we will be rejoicing after finding true salvation after close to two thousand years!
Last year I was using the Artscroll Kinos (copyright 1991) and I noticed what appears to me to be an example of a mistranslation of one such Kinah. Earlier this evening I was in shul davening Maariv and I noticed that they had come out with their new linear translation and I immediately opened to this Kinah to see if any changes were made. I found that changes were made, but it appears that the original intent of the author is still not being expressed by this translation.
The Kinah is number 37 (ציון קחי כל צרי גלעד) states:
"נראה בתמוז כסיל בך יעלה כי שאר כל החדשים לבד זה בחדריך"
The first translation was:
"The constellation Orion is visible everywhere [except in Israel] in the month of Tammuz, for it only ascends above you [Israel] during one of the other months [Sivan], while [in Tammuz] it remains concealed in your inner chambers."
The translator must have realized that he was butchering the original text. The actual Hebrew seems to be discussing how Orion is seen in Tammuz, presumably in Israel since that is the location of the rest of the items in the Kinah, and during the rest of the months it seems to be elsewhere. My guess is that the translator did some research and found that Orion is not visible in the Middle East during the summer month of Tammuz. Because he assumed the original text must make sense, he had to force this other interpretation into the words. Unfortunately, it does not seem to capture the true intent of the author. I am also not sure where the "everywhere" that Orion is visible in Tammuz is. The entire Middle East and a significant portion of the Northern Hemisphere, currently, do not see Orion during this month.
Since I did not purchase the new linear translation, I do not have it in front of me, but the new translation of the line went something like this:
"In Tammuz, Antares visibly rises in you for in all the other months it is in your chambers [Southern Hemisphere]."
You will notice that the new translator abandoned the conventional Orion as his translation for "כסיל" and instead picked the lesser translation, Antares. I suspect he did so partially for the reasons cited above. While the vast majority of Rishonim maintain that "כסיל" is the constellation Orion, the Ibn Ezra maintains that it is the bright red star Antares that is found in the constellation Scorpius. (Ibn Ezra Iyov 38:31) Although this is a very unconventional translation, there is reason to suspect that it is accurate as it has been suggested that the author of this Kinah may have been the Ibn Ezra himself. Kudos to the new translation, but unfortunately it still is hard to hear.
Antares is seen in Yerushalayim in Tammuz, but what does it mean that the other months Antares finds itself in the Southern Hemisphere? Antares is visible (at least at some time during the night) for eleven out of the twelve months of the year in Yerushalayim. Rashi even mentions this fact in Rosh Hashana (11b).
I would like to offer a simple and clear translation for this line. By doing so I think it also becomes apparent that the Ibn Ezra is not the author of this Kinah. Before I give the translation, let me give some background. The stars have slowly shifted from their positions that they were in at the time of Chazal and even from the time of the Rishonim (I am referring to their relative position). The phenomenon that causes this is referred to as the precession of the equinoxes. I believe the reason for the mistranslation is because the translators researched what the current sky looks like and not the ancient sky as it was in the times of the author!!!
In the time of Chazal, Orion was first visible during Tammuz. Prior to Tammuz its appearance in the sky was occurring in daytime and its stars were out shined by daylight. In the eleventh - thirteenth century, when the Kinah was written, Orion still first became visible during Tammuz albeit later in the month. Its visibility was just before sunrise and it therefore was seen at daybreak. The stars and constellations that rise with the Sun are considered to be coming to power. (Rashi Rosh Hashana 11b) Therefore, even though Orion is visible in many other months, it may be considered to be more powerful in Tammuz and in the rest of the months it may be considered to be less of a force. Nowadays, it takes until the middle of Av for it to become visible meaning that it is invisible during Tammuz. If the translator would have looked to the star visibility times as they were in the times of the original author, he could have taken a very simple translation:
"The visibility of Orion in Tammuz is seen rising in you, for in all other months other than this it is in your chambers (meaning not in a position of power)."
May Hashem cause that this Kinah will not be read and cried over this coming Tisha B'Av since hopefully we will be rejoicing after finding true salvation after close to two thousand years!
Spies in the Skies: Tisha B'Av
In this week's parsha we are taught that 12 spies were sent into Canaan. Unfortunately, when they returned, on the 9 of Av, they gave a dismal report laced with blasphemy. The people complained bitterly and they were sentenced to die in the Wilderness. Only their children would enter the Promised Land, and even they would have to wait forty years to do so. In addition, this day, Tisha B'Av, was designated for tragedy, something it has lived up to since this original verdict was decreed.
Interestingly, if one looks to the sky on many of the important events throughout biblical history, one sometimes finds rare astronomical happenings. Even more fascinating is that these occurrences often fit the historical moment based on the astrological framework set forth by the Ibn Ezra in his Reishis Chachma. In this instance, the moon was "touching" Saturn. Since the moon is significantly closer to our planet than Saturn, it sometimes appears to pass in front of this distant planet. Sometimes the entire planet is hidden behind the moon and sometimes it is only partially behind the moon. The latter gives the impression as if the two are touching. Both types of "conjunctions" are extremely rare.
On the night of the first Tisha B'Av the moon was partially blocking Saturn. This, says the Ibn Ezra, is an extremely ominous sign. (Reshis Chachma 7) Even more interesting is that the Ibn Ezra maintains that when Saturn is touching an illuminated side of the moon it is not as bad, but when it is touching a darker part it portends horrible consequences. (Ibid.) In the instance of the first Tisha B'Av it was touching a dark part.
I do not know if the following also plays a role in the astrological happenings, but I find it interesting that the moon is considered by Chazal to represent the Jewish nation, (Midrash Tehillim 22; also see Rabbeinu Bacheye Shemos 12:2) and Saturn is considered to be their astrological sign. (Reishis Chachma 4) This ominous sign so intertwined with the Jewish people happening on the most tragic day of the Jewish year cannot be mere coincidence. (The small dot to the left of the moon just below the illuminated part is Saturn. I left it encircled and marked by the program used to recreate the sky, Stellarium. I apologize if the recreation did not come out clearly).
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
The Lion of the Mikdash
We are now entering the month of Av, the month represented by Mazal Aryeh (Leo). This mazal is depicted as a lion. Unfortunately, in this month both batei mikdash were destroyed and we continue to mourn them. It is very interesting to see that one would have thought that the month symbolized by a regal creature, a lion, is currently seen as the month where we recognize that we have been exiled from our land and feel powerless.
Perhaps, if not for our sins, the nature of the month would truly represent malchus, royalty. Perhaps, it is specifically in this month that those aspiring for greatness are cast away if they do not live up to the high standard required to demonstrate such nobility. It is of note that the beis hamikdash is referred to as Ariel, meaning the lion of God. We are taught that the structure of the beis hamikdash also conjured up the image of a lion. Like a lion, it was wide and robust looking from the front and narrowed as it extended backwards.
Because we did not live up to the standard required to possess such a regal structure, it was taken from us. The lion of Ariel was taken in the month of Aryeh the mazal of the lion. May we soon merit to its rebuilding and true repentance for all our sins.
Perhaps, if not for our sins, the nature of the month would truly represent malchus, royalty. Perhaps, it is specifically in this month that those aspiring for greatness are cast away if they do not live up to the high standard required to demonstrate such nobility. It is of note that the beis hamikdash is referred to as Ariel, meaning the lion of God. We are taught that the structure of the beis hamikdash also conjured up the image of a lion. Like a lion, it was wide and robust looking from the front and narrowed as it extended backwards.
Because we did not live up to the standard required to possess such a regal structure, it was taken from us. The lion of Ariel was taken in the month of Aryeh the mazal of the lion. May we soon merit to its rebuilding and true repentance for all our sins.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Maaseh Hamerkava and Chukas
The day of this post is 5 Tammuz. The reason I point this out is because this was the date that Yechezkel Hanavi witnessed his fantastic vision of the maaseh hamerkavah. This vision was a display of the angelic procession that surrounds the heavenly throne. In this vision Yechezkel sees that the angels have four different faces: a lion, a man, an eagle, and an ox (this last face was later replaced with the face of a cherub). (See Yechezkel 1 and 10.)
In my book, The Secrets of the Stars, I detailed how these four faces are also reflected in the signs of the zodiac that represent the first month of each season. As the earth circles around the sun, the backdrop of stars that would be behind the sun (if its light wasn't outshining them during daytime) change. When the world was initially created, the grouping of stars that was behind the sun during the first month of spring was Taurus the Ox, that of summer was Leo the Lion, that of autumn was Scorpius the Scorpion, and that of winter of Aquarius the Water Carrier. (Due to a phenomenon called axial precession, this has changed and these signs no longer accompany the first months of these seasons.)
If you look carefully, you will see that three out of four are three of the four faces of Yechezkel's vision. Taurus, Leo, and Aquarius have the faces of an ox, lion, and human repsectively. The only one that appears to not represent one of these faces is Scorpius. Interestingly, Rabbeinu Bacheye points out that the face of an eagle is often times only hinted at and not expressed outright. In fact, when looking at the banners of the encampment of Klal Yisrael in the wilderness we find a similar representation. Each shevet had a flag and each grouping of three had a specific banner.
Rabbeinu Bacheye points out that the four major banners appeared to display the faces of the angels of Yechezkel. The camp of Ephrayim had an ox, Yehuda had a lion, Reuven had mandrakes whose root structure looks very human like, and Dan's camp had an eagle. Although the northern encampment of Dan flew under this banner, his personal flag was that of a snake. This is peculiar because the banners of the other three camps were identical to the personal flag of the leader of that camp. It would seem that, once again, the eagle is somehow not displayed fully, in this case being represented by a snake just as in the sky it was exchanged for a scorpion. I do feel the need to point out that in ancient Babylonian astrology, the sign of Scorpius was depicted as an eagle and currently the constellation next to it is Aquila the Eagle.
This week's parsha, Chukas, seems to have the four elements expressed in it, as well. We find the Water Carrier of Aquarius in Moshe who is the human the brings forth water. Unfortunately, it was done this time by hitting the rock in a fashion for which Moshe was punished, but nevertheless it is found in the parsha. We find our snakes (similar to the Scorpion of Scorpius, this association is expounded upon in greater detail throughout The Secrets of the Stars) when venemous snakes are sent to punish Klal Yisrael for complaining about the manna, and the ox can be seen in the beginning of the parsha in the discussion of the parah adumah, red heifer. The lion may not be seen in the parsha itself, but is clearly referenced as Chukas is always read in the first month of summer, Tammuz. (The earliest in the year that Chukas can be read is the first day of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz which, although is technically 30 Sivan, is certainly part of Tammuz as it is its Rosh Chodesh.) This is the month that was symbolized by Leo the Lion when the world was created. Chukas is also always the parsha either preceding 5 Tammuz or, as in this year, right afterwards as well.
This post is a very quick overview and, unfortunately, due to the brief nature of this site I am not really able to expound significantly on these topics as much as I would like. In The Secrets of the Stars I dedicated an entire chapter to Yechezkel's vision and also discuss its relevance to us.
In my book, The Secrets of the Stars, I detailed how these four faces are also reflected in the signs of the zodiac that represent the first month of each season. As the earth circles around the sun, the backdrop of stars that would be behind the sun (if its light wasn't outshining them during daytime) change. When the world was initially created, the grouping of stars that was behind the sun during the first month of spring was Taurus the Ox, that of summer was Leo the Lion, that of autumn was Scorpius the Scorpion, and that of winter of Aquarius the Water Carrier. (Due to a phenomenon called axial precession, this has changed and these signs no longer accompany the first months of these seasons.)
If you look carefully, you will see that three out of four are three of the four faces of Yechezkel's vision. Taurus, Leo, and Aquarius have the faces of an ox, lion, and human repsectively. The only one that appears to not represent one of these faces is Scorpius. Interestingly, Rabbeinu Bacheye points out that the face of an eagle is often times only hinted at and not expressed outright. In fact, when looking at the banners of the encampment of Klal Yisrael in the wilderness we find a similar representation. Each shevet had a flag and each grouping of three had a specific banner.
Rabbeinu Bacheye points out that the four major banners appeared to display the faces of the angels of Yechezkel. The camp of Ephrayim had an ox, Yehuda had a lion, Reuven had mandrakes whose root structure looks very human like, and Dan's camp had an eagle. Although the northern encampment of Dan flew under this banner, his personal flag was that of a snake. This is peculiar because the banners of the other three camps were identical to the personal flag of the leader of that camp. It would seem that, once again, the eagle is somehow not displayed fully, in this case being represented by a snake just as in the sky it was exchanged for a scorpion. I do feel the need to point out that in ancient Babylonian astrology, the sign of Scorpius was depicted as an eagle and currently the constellation next to it is Aquila the Eagle.
This week's parsha, Chukas, seems to have the four elements expressed in it, as well. We find the Water Carrier of Aquarius in Moshe who is the human the brings forth water. Unfortunately, it was done this time by hitting the rock in a fashion for which Moshe was punished, but nevertheless it is found in the parsha. We find our snakes (similar to the Scorpion of Scorpius, this association is expounded upon in greater detail throughout The Secrets of the Stars) when venemous snakes are sent to punish Klal Yisrael for complaining about the manna, and the ox can be seen in the beginning of the parsha in the discussion of the parah adumah, red heifer. The lion may not be seen in the parsha itself, but is clearly referenced as Chukas is always read in the first month of summer, Tammuz. (The earliest in the year that Chukas can be read is the first day of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz which, although is technically 30 Sivan, is certainly part of Tammuz as it is its Rosh Chodesh.) This is the month that was symbolized by Leo the Lion when the world was created. Chukas is also always the parsha either preceding 5 Tammuz or, as in this year, right afterwards as well.
This post is a very quick overview and, unfortunately, due to the brief nature of this site I am not really able to expound significantly on these topics as much as I would like. In The Secrets of the Stars I dedicated an entire chapter to Yechezkel's vision and also discuss its relevance to us.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Dark Sunrise
When confronting Korach, Moshe states, "Morning will happen and Hashem will make known those that are to Him, etc." A fairly obvious question is why the delay, why didn't Moshe just have the showdown right then and there? What was the necessity to delay until morning?
The Maharasha addresses this issue in his commentary to Nedarim 39b.The Gemara mentions that when Korach challenged Moshe's authority the sun and moon ascended to the loftier heavens to demand justice on behalf of Moshe. They gave Hashem an ultimatum, either He should do justice for ben-Amram (Moshe), or they would refuse to shine from this point on. Hashem shot arrows at them and forced them back to their regular jobs and stated, "Every day the pagans bow to you and you continue to shine without defending My honor, but for the honor of a human you stand up!"
The Maharsha states that Moshe wanted to reference this celestial confrontation when rebuking Korach. He, therefore, stated that tomorrow morning justice will occur. Not because the sun will not shine, as was the sun's intent; rather, because Hashem will very clearly display who He has chosen to perform His service and who He has not. The Maharsha continues to state that this may be partially alluded to in the Rashi's commentary to this verse.
One thing that I find interesting about this is that it would seem the Maharsha felt that the sun was telling Hashem that justice will have to be carried out for Moshe. Either the sun will do it by not shining, or Hashem will perform a different miracle. Since Moshe was familiar with the discussion, had Hashem told the sun that he could adjudicate, then Moshe would have referenced the lack of the sun's shining the following morning as a testament to Moshe's authenticity. If this is true then why did the moon join with the sun in making the ultimatum? The determining factor was the sun, not the moon. The answer is quite obvious, though. The moon does not produce its own light, rather, it reflects that of the sun. Thus, if the sun were to cease shining, the moon would inevitably follow suit.
I concede that the Maharsha's commentary does seem a bit hard to read into the wording of the Gemara. The sun and moon seem to both be demanding justice and declaring that they will go on strike if justice was not served. It does not seem that the sun was stating that he would provide justice should Hashem choose not to carry it out. Any suggestions or answers?
The Maharasha addresses this issue in his commentary to Nedarim 39b.The Gemara mentions that when Korach challenged Moshe's authority the sun and moon ascended to the loftier heavens to demand justice on behalf of Moshe. They gave Hashem an ultimatum, either He should do justice for ben-Amram (Moshe), or they would refuse to shine from this point on. Hashem shot arrows at them and forced them back to their regular jobs and stated, "Every day the pagans bow to you and you continue to shine without defending My honor, but for the honor of a human you stand up!"
The Maharsha states that Moshe wanted to reference this celestial confrontation when rebuking Korach. He, therefore, stated that tomorrow morning justice will occur. Not because the sun will not shine, as was the sun's intent; rather, because Hashem will very clearly display who He has chosen to perform His service and who He has not. The Maharsha continues to state that this may be partially alluded to in the Rashi's commentary to this verse.
One thing that I find interesting about this is that it would seem the Maharsha felt that the sun was telling Hashem that justice will have to be carried out for Moshe. Either the sun will do it by not shining, or Hashem will perform a different miracle. Since Moshe was familiar with the discussion, had Hashem told the sun that he could adjudicate, then Moshe would have referenced the lack of the sun's shining the following morning as a testament to Moshe's authenticity. If this is true then why did the moon join with the sun in making the ultimatum? The determining factor was the sun, not the moon. The answer is quite obvious, though. The moon does not produce its own light, rather, it reflects that of the sun. Thus, if the sun were to cease shining, the moon would inevitably follow suit.
I concede that the Maharsha's commentary does seem a bit hard to read into the wording of the Gemara. The sun and moon seem to both be demanding justice and declaring that they will go on strike if justice was not served. It does not seem that the sun was stating that he would provide justice should Hashem choose not to carry it out. Any suggestions or answers?
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
E=MC²?
Recently, important results were released from one of the foremost laboratories in the world, CERN. Neutrinos, a type of sub-atomic particle, do not travel faster than light. Now, you may be asking why this is news? According to Einstein's theories of relativity no particle can travel faster than light. The answer is that last September this same lab reported that they might have witnessed these particles traveling just slightly above the cosmic speed limit, the speed of light.
Now, it is of course true that general and special relativity are still just theories and there are a lot of questions that they cannot and do not answer. Scientists are still trying to resolve conflicts between these theories and the qualities observed in quantum mechanics. While both of these methods seem to have astoundingly accurate results in their respective areas of science (relativity in the macro and quantum mechanics in the micro), the two are essentially incompatible with each other. Nevertheless, these are the best theories out there now and within their respective fields have produced wondrous results. Things so basic to these theories, such as the assertion that no particle can travel faster than the speed of light, have been shown to hold up in many different experiments. Thus, if neutrinos were truly traveling faster then a significant portion of these sciences would need a complete overhaul! Alas, this was not the case. As Sergio Bertolucci presented in his results, it appears the results were erroneous due to a faulty element of the fiber-optic timing system.
I find one of the comments made by Bertolucci to be very telling. He mentioned that this final result was something that he had expected deep down even though many would have loved the excitement of having truly found these particles to be breaking the rules of science. To be part of a team that has discovered how relativity was not a sound theory would certainly have ensured these scientists a place in history. Science is replete with new discoveries rendering earlier ones obsolete. Whether they be that the earth is not flat to Einstein's theories replacing those of Newton, when massive discoveries are finally confirmed science generally abandons the old and begins to explore the new opportunities presented. Those who helped form these new opportunities are then immortalized. This is how the quest for objective truth perseveres.
One of the many flaws in this type of system is that when one thinks he has discovered something new it is not always so easy to give it up. How many times can a yeshiva student remember how he came up with a chiddush and although his chavrusah has adequately shown why this chiddush is wrong, the student just cannot let go. The discovery of objective truth is so powerful that its illusion is sometimes so tempting that one ends up net being able to let go. In the case with the neutrino we actually find scientists who appear to have acted with integrity and abandoned the previous findings when they could not be supported by further investigation.
This idea of bias is expressed very strongly in this week's parsha. The spies were unable to see the objective good of our beautiful land, Eretz Yisrael. Although Hashem had performed countless miracles and displayed that nothing stands in His way, the spies were unable to see past the enormous armies and fortified cities that they determined were impenetrable.
In our own lives we have so many biases that do not allow us to see things for what they truly are. Sometimes we are afraid of change, and other times we are driven by our personal desires. Regardless of the reason why, we often fall prey to seeing a very distorted view of reality. Klal Yisrael had been on the cusp of inheriting the Promised Land. However, one can only truly find his inheritance and place in this world if he is able to remove the "dusty glasses" that constantly cloud his vision.
Now, it is of course true that general and special relativity are still just theories and there are a lot of questions that they cannot and do not answer. Scientists are still trying to resolve conflicts between these theories and the qualities observed in quantum mechanics. While both of these methods seem to have astoundingly accurate results in their respective areas of science (relativity in the macro and quantum mechanics in the micro), the two are essentially incompatible with each other. Nevertheless, these are the best theories out there now and within their respective fields have produced wondrous results. Things so basic to these theories, such as the assertion that no particle can travel faster than the speed of light, have been shown to hold up in many different experiments. Thus, if neutrinos were truly traveling faster then a significant portion of these sciences would need a complete overhaul! Alas, this was not the case. As Sergio Bertolucci presented in his results, it appears the results were erroneous due to a faulty element of the fiber-optic timing system.
I find one of the comments made by Bertolucci to be very telling. He mentioned that this final result was something that he had expected deep down even though many would have loved the excitement of having truly found these particles to be breaking the rules of science. To be part of a team that has discovered how relativity was not a sound theory would certainly have ensured these scientists a place in history. Science is replete with new discoveries rendering earlier ones obsolete. Whether they be that the earth is not flat to Einstein's theories replacing those of Newton, when massive discoveries are finally confirmed science generally abandons the old and begins to explore the new opportunities presented. Those who helped form these new opportunities are then immortalized. This is how the quest for objective truth perseveres.
One of the many flaws in this type of system is that when one thinks he has discovered something new it is not always so easy to give it up. How many times can a yeshiva student remember how he came up with a chiddush and although his chavrusah has adequately shown why this chiddush is wrong, the student just cannot let go. The discovery of objective truth is so powerful that its illusion is sometimes so tempting that one ends up net being able to let go. In the case with the neutrino we actually find scientists who appear to have acted with integrity and abandoned the previous findings when they could not be supported by further investigation.
This idea of bias is expressed very strongly in this week's parsha. The spies were unable to see the objective good of our beautiful land, Eretz Yisrael. Although Hashem had performed countless miracles and displayed that nothing stands in His way, the spies were unable to see past the enormous armies and fortified cities that they determined were impenetrable.
In our own lives we have so many biases that do not allow us to see things for what they truly are. Sometimes we are afraid of change, and other times we are driven by our personal desires. Regardless of the reason why, we often fall prey to seeing a very distorted view of reality. Klal Yisrael had been on the cusp of inheriting the Promised Land. However, one can only truly find his inheritance and place in this world if he is able to remove the "dusty glasses" that constantly cloud his vision.
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