Dr. Higgs and Rabbi Luria Celebrate the Discovery of a Boson like Particle

The discovery of a boson like particle is evidence for Higgs’ mathematical theory that energy becomes matter due to a field that provides resistance to some massless particles; thus giving them the mass that allows them to bind together and form most sub-atomic particles, atoms and molecules, stars, planets, animals, primates and human beings rather than whizzing around the universe at the speed of light. This produced the physically differentiated universe we live in.

So at first there was nothing: no energy or matter, no change or time, no life, no love, no evolution, no light or darkness, no relationships; no feelings, no thoughts nothing as all: except the One of potentials; and then in a split microsecond the potentials for a whole universe existed. At the beginning of the creation of our universe there were zero atoms of matter; only subatomic particles of quark/gluons that turned into protons and neutrons in the first micro-fraction of a second, long before becoming atoms (tohu and vohu).

Rabbi Luria’s theory is that the energy of God’s explosive radiation of creation, when confined in material containers (vessels) shattered the vessels and produced the spiritually and morally differentiated and disharmonious fractured universe we live in. Choice and growth, repentance and atonement, charity, kindness and love are the reasons for creation. God self-limited in Tsimtsum, a contraction in the Divine attributes, in order to create an imperfect universe; that would have creatures evolved in the Divine image that could grow morally and spiritually by fixing imperfections. Only when the perfection shatters can everything else begin to materialize and energize; and that was the first event that abled everything in the universe to exist.

How do these two theories that seem so far apart in space and time (Luria died in Safad, Israel on July 25, 1572) come together? They both start from the same observation. We live in an imperfect universe. But our universe exists only because of its imperfections. In fact, when people say “nothing is perfect,” they are literally correct. Nothingness–and only nothingness—or as Luria calls God; the Ayn Sof, the Limitless One, is perfect. Everything else is not.

Consider the pre-creation and instant of creation universe: a state of pure, formless, undifferentiated, vacuum energy: featureless, uniform, pure. As K. C. Cole says: Perfection can actually be well-defined in physics by the idea of “perfect symmetry.” It means that no matter how you try to change something, it doesn’t make a difference. Look left, right, up or down, on a large scale or small, move fast or slow; it doesn’t make a difference. This is the perfect nothing that existed when only God existed: a peaceful, unchanging, total unity: with no direction, no flaws—no growth, no piece of it different from the rest.

“We have, in our minds, a tendency to accept symmetry as some kind of perfection,” wrote the late Nobel Laureate physicist Richard Feynman. But our universe is far from this perfect state of unity: Forces are different from particles; electrons are different from quarks; gravity is different from electricity, matter is different from antimatter, and each human being differs greatly and unpredictably from every other.

What shattered this primordial perfection? The Higgs field did it. The field theorized by Peter Higgs literally took this formless perfection and froze structure into it, the way freezing imparts crystalline structure to amorphous water. Water is perfectly symmetrical, but ice is not. Moving up is not the same as moving sideways. Freezing destroys the sameness.

Physicist Leon Lederman compares the way the Higgs operates to the biblical story of Babel. The citizens of the city of Babel, all spoke one language with few words, until God differentiated their speech. Like God, says Lederman, the Higgs differentiated the perfect sameness, confusing everyone (physicists included).This idea has wide-ranging implications. Normally, the Higgs is invoked only to explain how particles have different masses i.e. why a quark is heavier than an electron..

Cole thinks the Higgs’ field influence could reach much further. Something like the Higgs field, but not exactly the Higgs field itself, may be behind many other unexplained “broken symmetries” in the universe as well. For example, why is electricity so different from gravity? Why is our universe made of matter but not antimatter–even though the two should be created in precisely equal amounts? In Lurianic terms: Why do pious people sometimes sin? Why do some bad people repent when others do not? Why do good intentions not always lead to good results? Why does true love fail so often?

Rabbi Luria says that the primordial shattering of the vessels left sparks of holiness embedded in all the material fragments (called husks) and that the purpose of all human beings, especially Jews, is to repair and mend the broken vessels, and help restore the wholeness and holiness of existence. Thus, the Higgs field is only a latter natural development of the Divine collapse of symmetry that led to the Big Bang, which created the universe. Feynman wondered why the universe we live in was so obviously askew. “No one has any idea why,” he wrote. Perhaps, he speculated, “total perfection would have been unacceptable to God who made the laws only nearly symmetrical so that we should not be jealous of his perfection.”

If Dr. Feynman only knew Rabbi Luria he would have known that jealousy is not the issue. Choice and growth, repentance and atonement, charity and love are the reasons for creation. God had to undergo Tsimtsum, a contraction in the Devine attributes, in order to create an imperfect universe; that would have creatures created in the Devine image that could grow morally and spiritually by fixing imperfections. Only when the perfection shatters can everything else be born.

The great Canadian Jewish folk-singer Lenard Cohen wrote a song based on a 13th century book of Kabbalah titled Zohar; of a dialogue between 2 rabbis who are both idealists; but one sees the oil lamp half empty, and the other sees it half full.

It does not make any difference to the lamp if it is half full or half empty; but it makes all the difference to us in this world. Think carefully and decide which way you want to see life’s light.

Rabbi Isaac said, “The primordial light created by God was hidden away until the world will be fragrant, and in total harmony. Until that world arrives, God’s light is stored and hidden away.” Rabbi Judah responded: “If the light were completely hidden, the world could not exist for even a moment!

“Rather, it is hidden and sown like a seed that every year sprouts seeds and fruits whereby the world is sustained. Every single day, a ray of that light shines into the world, keeping everything alive. With that ray [of light and hope] God feeds the whole world. (Zohar 1:31b– 32a)

The birds they sing, at the break of day
Start again, I heard them say.
Don’t dwell on what has passed away
Or what is yet to be.

Yes, the wars, they will be fought again
The holy dove she will be caught again
Bought, and sold, and bought again
The dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.

We asked for signs. The signs were sent
The birth betrayed. The marriage spent
Yeah, the widowhood of every government
Signs for all to see.
I can’t run no more, with that lawless crowd
While the killers in high places say their prayers out loud
But they’ve summoned, they’ve summoned up a thundercloud
They’re going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.

You can add up the parts; you won’t have the sum
You can strike up the march, there is no drum
Every heart, every heart to love will come
But like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.  (Lenard Cohen)