Mishnah, Tehillim, G?D?, and Our NOW

Teachers: Teaching – Real Teaching – is a very (Very) VERY hard job! Of course you must know the material (and much more) before teaching it; plus you should have reviewed and (at least) considered various ‘commentaries’ (for Sifrei Kodesh) and alternate ‘textbooks’ (for other subjects) in preparation for ordinary questions that may arise → even if you have taught this ‘stuff’ countless times. Also, while simultaneously monitoring the attention, aptitude, and progress of every student (in the Always diverse class), you essentially try to be teaching more than ‘just’ the material. 

For example, when you are giving extra time for ‘forgetful’ students to fill in some concept-flawed gaps, you might be sharing ‘very difficult’ (diversionary elective) topics with the brightest students in the class -and- if they seem to understand, then (in-all-fairness) you are forced move on to the next topic; while – for ‘ordinary’ topics – sometimes you find yourself focusing on two or three students (who characterize the middle of the class) -and- if they seem to understand, then you just proceed to the next topic (perhaps before some of those ‘forgetful’ students have caught up). 

Occasionally, there is a very cynical teacher (not you – I hope) who only tries to teach the few students (exhibiting personalities) he/she identifies with (leaving those ‘forgetful’ to fall deeper-and-deeper into a bottomless understanding abyss); and this teacher really needs some awe-inspired (fire-and-brimstone) motivational ‘sensitivity’ therapy. 

Now, for every teacher, here is my perspective (as a student -alternately- as  teacher) for your esteemed consideration.

Way back in my very earliest ‘student’ years, I was in a monotonous ‘Hebrew School’ class of mixed background kids; some growing up in homes enlightened (or restricted) by ‘Torah’ & Mitzvot, and others having only the most minimal post-modern Jewish experiences (if any). Early, in the second grade, our Rebbe (whose name I have forgotten – Sigh) used the word ‘Torah’ in various ways; sometimes indicating Torat Moshe, other times Tanakh, in another context – for ‘The Halacha’, etc. Finally, some sincere (albeit woefully confused) student asked him “What is Torah?” -and- I will never forget his answer! 

His (respectfully G?D? Neutral) answer: “Torah teaches you things that you would not otherwise know.” (In retrospect, he conveyed to each student – among this Mixed Multitude – a nevertheless factual aspect.) 

⇒ Note: My using a euphemistic G?D? ‘word’ is referencing numerous Potential-Reader ‘Orientations’: (A) a pseudo-facile linguist representation (conveying ‘ineffable’ over ALL conceivable aspects); (B) a profound reflexive contemplation (relevant to the unique YOU of this instant now); (C) a degree of exceedingly higher complexity – intractable to separation of variables (wherein All believe causality operates – however unprovable this shall remain -and- wherein there are many curious entropy exceptions); (D) substantially equivalent to the (undefined) colloquial example ‘consciousness’ (apparently ‘Primarily’ localized in the brain); and/or (E) The Deity (also known as: The Creator) → THUS, herein (Functionally → Concurrently → Implicitly) G?D? Centric for some –yet– G?D? Neutral for others.

Kindly, Stop HERE -and- 

EITHER select which of these

G?D? ‘word’ description(s) 

is/are most comfortable for You, 

and/OR pause (more silently) 

to contemplate One

more suitable for 

Your NOW.

Strangely enough, likewise striving to address Your diverse G?D? ‘preferences’ (as did my second grade Rebbe), I hope the following (at least) reaches some similar collectively authentic threshold… Accordingly, our journey begins by Sharing a Discussion of CONTEXT – Comparing two standard Nation-of-Israel curriculum texts (which WE have inherited) to prepare Our approach for arriving at ONE pedagogical item (Halacha); regardless of any instant quasi-theological ‘bias’ YOU currently subscribe to.

Standard Post-Primordial Curriculum Texts

(Mishnah & Tehillim)

Pirkei Avot 5.20 ‘teaches’ …Age 10-15 is (certainly not too young) to learn Mishnah ⇒ ALL of it. Sixty-something Mishnah tractates, to be covered over five years (being sixty-something months – on Our calendar); which means ‘sequentially’ learning one tractate each month. Thus, the long tractates are read with minimal commentary and/or cursory discussion during their month -and- the short tractates are studied, discussed, and ‘deeply’ analyzed over their month.

Q: ‘deeply’??? → A: According to each 10-15 year old’s appreciation of detail and of ambiguity (and according to their collective discussions!) – during these first Mishnah Experience exposures…

OUR tasks: as Teachers (of Every ‘subject’) is to help ALL of our students to build their Conceptual Intelligence –and– as Mentors (of some of their ‘values’) is to try helping each of our students to refine their Ethical Character. To accomplish this – at this stage of their Education: the only ‘tools’ we have are ourselves (our speech, our actions, our sensitivities, our maturity, and our awareness) –and– the examples we provide – both the ancient less-familiar examples -and- those we ‘responsibly’ adopt to be More instantly-familiar, relevant, interesting, and challenging. SO –either– leaving Halacha aside (for every reader – so inclined) –or– perhaps (for myself -and- some few others) as explicitly ‘defined’ in https://www.derondareview.org/TorahTechnology.pdf: Behold

 …for us today, Mishnah is an Amazing pedagogically-ordered ‘encyclopedia’ for learning ‘Structures of Thinking’ → Where, what were once (albeit No Longer) familiar examples, awaken students of ‘normal’ cognitive capacity ⇒ to Visualize different ideational strategies: for Deconstructing & Reconstructing logical ‘fuzzy-boundary’ conditions in isolated systems -AND- to Consider Status Assignments (The Halacha) according to deterministic or statistically-defined tertiary variable(s) and/or perturbations → applied to each respective exemplary case. 

(Pause – Read Again; then – Continue) 

Similarly, from a much earlier epoch, we have Tehillim, an inspiring pedagogically-ordered ‘encyclopedia’ for encountering ‘Emotional Orientation’ examples; the study of which (internalized – as Psycho-Drama scenario templates) awakens students of ‘normal’ emotional capacity – to reflexively experience their own lives -AND- to be more sensitive & aware – Empathizing with the struggles, mundane moments, and celebrations of others (as themselves).

 Compiled approximately in the middle of our (most recent) ongoing collective multi-millenia intellectual/cultural progression, The Mishnah, as a national curriculum supplement to Tanakh, originally appears as a perfected anthology of master-teacher notebooks; where, of its sixty something tractates, basically only one (Avot) has any substantial ‘theological’ orientation (suggestions) whatsoever. While ‘Religious’ people (of all faiths -or- of none) consider The Mishnah to be a G?D? Centric document, their perception overtly ignores its overwhelming pedagogical aspects. 

By comparison – albeit from Our even earlier (most recent) Ancient past, Tehillim, a likewise perfected anthology (attributed to ten contributors), includes at least one G?D? ‘word’ in most of the 150 entries; substantially by reason that expressing emotions (even in context) includes aspects which are ineffable – thus use of The G?D? ‘word’ therein is respectful of the reader. Some other Tehillim entries insert the SeLaH ‘word’ as an instruction to the reader → to pause there – – – until the prior elaboration is felt (thus avoiding use of the G?D? ‘word’) – and only then – as their feelings slowly reach ineffable – – – to continue; while a few exceptional entries ‘appreciate’ how sincere Psycho-Drama participating readers will arrive at their own ineffable (without need to include G?D? -or- SeLaH ‘words’). For example, the very last entry (#150) does not invoke either word; since it transforms The Enlightened Reader to such heights (of ‘cosmic’ celebration) that the reader innately (reflexively) invokes both words therein -and- thereafter.

Shockingly, Mishnah was a paradigm-shifting Halacha-resolving game-changer; by innovatively (via the authority of Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi) quoting a plurality of opinions – including (what ‘eventually’ came to be appreciated as) the preferred practice, de facto acceptable practice(s), and logically sound suggestions (by awesome ethically-eminent scholars) which were quoted & rejected. Likewise, Tehillim was an instant revolutionary society-awakening game-changer; by innovatively (via the authority of Duvid HaMelech) introducing emotional perspectives as acceptable topics for public expression & discussion – Breaking a longstanding social Taboo -and- being the first such item of public-literature to do so (in the Ancient Middle-East). 

However, there are deep problems in the study of: Mishnah which are much more pronounced in Tehillim, which in turn are still further almost-intractable for Tanakh; thus especially-illusory for Torat Moshe (whose First Date of Publication – at Matan Torah – was in the Late Bronze Age). While each of these texts are accessible to us (in their actual native language form!) – when we transpose them into terms of contemporary relevance (freely -or- substantially based upon a Long Chain of interpretive sources → who each invoked a transform upon then antecedent transforms), their interpretations (and more so – every translations – into any other language) introduce severe limitations upon authentic (original intended) understanding & appreciation. 

In Zangwill’s long introduction to his translation of ibn Gabirol’s (merely one thousand year old) Hebrew Poem Keter Malchut, he breaks down the various dilemmas & choices required (such as between meaning and style); which in turn (at best) only then allow portraying one aspect of the original text. More specifically, in ~3500 year old Biblical Hebrew’s Torat Moshe, there is a large set of two letter (or two letter plus prefix) words used [such as Eth, Min, Gam, Ahf, Ahz, etc.] that are unique Logical Operators (untranslatable); since they suggest (to the reader) various implied considerations – as described in ‘The 32 Middot’ of Rebbi Eliezer b’Rebbi Yosi ha’Gelili (using what might be The ‘clearest’ examples).

Frequently used (during the thousand subsequent years) in Tanakh → Our appreciation of such linguistic Logical Operator word-particles requires but one example. The two letter ‘Eth’ word is considered (by modern translators) to indicate a grammatical relationship between a subject and its object; in a normal subject, predicate, object sentence -or- in embedded phrase(s). However, in Biblical text, ‘Eth’ means ‘for example’ → where the reader of sufficient life experience (maturity) – if he should pause to contemplate – WILL recognise that there is at least one more example (to be found). Sometimes the reader can extrapolate an  extra-textural example from the context; and other times, only if transformed (in the reader’s mind) via some similar-to-visualize: intimate, agnostic, or abhorrent ‘Logic Topology’ parallel. After each ‘Eth’ word, the Biblical Text gives an example – potentially accessible to every reader; even the five year old who is seeing (or hearing) this a Torat Moshe text for the first time. 

The familiar phrase: < וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְ▯וָ▯ אֱלֹ▯יךָ <> “And You (singular) shall Love (Eth) Your (you-Singular) G?D?” > {alternately ‘Neutral’ ⇒ “And You (singular) shall Love (Eth) Reflexive ▯Complexity ▯Consciousness (of) Your (you-Singular) ▯Nature”} (which – via either exemplary quasi-translation) seems to imply More than only what is personal to You (in Each NOW) – since Only Loving Yours is one symptom of mental instability, Only Loving Someone else’s is another type of mental imbalance, and Neither Loving Yours Nor Someone else’s is an even more severe emotional ‘problem’. Your ‘Someone’ could be Singular (your Father, your Mother, your teacher, any of Our Patriarchs and/or Matriarchs, etc.) -or- could be Plural (your Family, your Community, your ‘tribe’, your Nation, etc.) -or- could be Abstract  (‘The Creator’ – Blessed be His Name – of Everyone & Everything, etc.) → NONE of which violate the mono-theistic G?D? concept, since each vantage-combination implicity is a different mentally healthy synonymous perception (according to the “to Live by Them” – The Mitzvot – principle).

Attention: Unlike young people learning Torat Moshe, Older Adults (who diligently engage in their weekly efforts of Annual reading-cycle ‘Review’) begin to accumulate lots (and lots) of ‘I Don’t Knows’ while trying to solve most of the word-particle ‘Riddles’ → and feel an Awesome sense of Amazement whenever even one of these appears to have a ‘reasonable’ solution; or even ‘just’ hints at some unexpected (never before contemplated by the reader) explicit life-relevant implication; however – Do Not imagine that even the Greatest of Commentators will ‘spoil’ Your Adventure of Discovering (Opening – more than a handful of) these Surprise (not exactly -or- not necessarily → psycho-spiritual) Gifts for You.  

Thankfully, these unique Logical Operator word-particles are sparingly used in Mishnah (apparently? – as simple logical connectors), thus a translation of Mishnah – except for embedded quotes from Tanakh – is substantially accessible to modern readers (IF they can transform themselves into the life-centric technological milu of those times). Nevertheless, one must be sensitive to changes occuring in ordinary speech (over these most recent three-or-four–And–more millennia) regarding how one tries to explain delicate intimate (Taboo) topics (to only be taught to two -or- to one; OR annotated using terms like ‘Sod’ – meaning: hidden or ‘camouflaged’ – not ‘secret’ nor especially esoteric; etc.), and to ‘sliding’ historical & scholarly standards of polite ‘cultural’ expression. 

(Almost – still – Not Yet)

Our NOW

Every Teacher, of a class (or of an individual) – from K-12 thru PhD, is teaching by using ‘simple’ examples, why they form a group of similar functions (transformations or metaphors), and how one might exemplify & generalize these; to be able to apply them to future situations. Recursively: THAT is the structure of Education. Thus, One of the essential quandaries for teachers centers upon the choosing of appropriate examples for their students; and There’s The Rub. There are always some students who first encounter their cognitive ‘glass ceiling’ contemplating an example. Should they then become the teachers of a next generation (having never tunneled through their barrier), then they seek to find relevant examples to help teach their students That Example (which they still have trouble grasping) as if it is the concept, per se, to be understood. 

Thus occurs (and widens) a schism of conceptualization versus  literalization → such as the division between (concept progressing) Prushim and (example bound literalist) Tzedukim (who BOTH had a living Mesoret back to Matan Torah), which in turn led to a dispersion of imaginary ‘authoritative’ alternatives – until ‘eventually’ refocused into the formalism of The Mishnah (– as-noted-above – ‘Most Curiously’ was historically innovative – in organization – BY including Multiple Opinions with delicate ‘structural’ indications regarding their >preferred< respective authoritative-resolutions).

Today, our plurality of life-advocating opinions, models, theories, and beliefs – sort of resembles the cacophonous situation in the spiritually/intellectually tumultuous few centuries before The Mishnah. However, unlike Our emerging dispersion epoch (before And after the ruination of Beit HaMikdash ‘the second’), we are again capable – albeit not obliged – of seeing reJEW-veneration; such as by an emerging formation of an Intra-National forum of our OUR Ethical-BEST & Intellectual-BRIGHTEST; (imitating a recombinant national ‘miracle’ – as was embodied by The Mishnah). 

However politically incorrect (it feels – to me), in the case of our (literary) intellectual history, this may partially explain (a subsequent-&-ongoing ‘compromise’ position between Perushim & Tzedukim) why the extra-logical 32 Middot of Rebbi Eliezer were relegated for application to Agudata – while the (very condensed version) 13 Middot of Rebbi Yishmael were accepted for application to Halacha. Perhaps, if we transition our focus from Talmud Bavli to Talmud Yerushalami, then some parts of this ‘plurality of conceptualization’ will dissolve? 

(Coming much closer To)

Our NOW

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן חִסְמָא אוֹמֵר

קִנִּין וּפִתְחֵי נִדָּה – הֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת

תְּקוּפוֹת וְגִימַטְרִיאוֹת – פַּרְפְּרָאוֹת לַחָכְמָה

   Most translate this – Pirkei Avot 3:18 – (quite minimally) – to be: 

“Rabbi Eliezer ben Chisma says:

     [the laws of] Kinin (bird offerings)

     and the onset of Niddah (menstruation),

     these [and those] are the body of The Laws;

          Astronomical (solar/lunar calendar) calculations

          and Gematria (letter/number) calculations

          are the condiments (sweet after-meal desserts) 

               to Wisdom.”

-HOWEVER- appreciating The Mishnah as a Master Teaching Textbook – where examples are provided to bring the student to build (and then) apply the pedagogically composite concept – here is an updated ‘translation’:

“Rabbi Eliezer ben Chisma says: 

     [tractate] Kinin 

(portrays a set of strict either-or status assignments – using the example of ‘bird offerings’ – wherein normal Halachic Logic simplifications like ‘distinctive markings’ or ‘statistical nullification’ are disallowed -and- wherein logical ‘quantum’ entanglement is surprisingly included!)

     and the beginnings of [tractate? -or- event?] Niddah

(portrays exemplary status determination conditions for declaring the onset of menstruation – thus in contrast to tractate Kinim – including normal Halachic Logic complexities like ‘distinctive markings’ and ‘statistical nullification’),

     these [together] are the body of The Laws 

(The logic of Halacha reasoning use to ‘decide’ status assignment)

          [-AND-] Astronomical calculations

(for ‘Best Life Practices Advice’ regarding our ‘current epoch’ Solar-Lunar Calendar – for agriculture -and- given our dependence upon Nature, for all of our other ‘current epoch’ Life events ⇒ thus an Example of what TODAY is ‘Natural Science’ – and more-specifically the reproducible technology derived from Our Current knowledge of ‘Natural Science’)

          and Gematria 

(portrays numerical calculations by substitution of numbers for letters, and then – by transforming the numerical sum of these ‘letters’ – arrives at other locations in the text having unexpected context implications -and/or- arrives at interesting or inspiring ‘conclusions’ ⇒ Thus, an Example of what TODAY is ‘Information Science’ – such as our using analog to digital transforms: in the many ‘layers’ of electronic communication protocols, in algorithms & data-structures, in sparse data compression, in signal processing, in encryption, bidirectionally between text and speech, in ‘Artificial General Intelligence’, etc.) 

          are the condiments

(NOT sweet after-meal Desert → Rather this choice of word is directly analogous to the use of that same word to portray a proper diet of EATING Bread – which was yeasted from Nutritionally Complete species of whole grain – with a ‘condiment’ – such as salt or any tasty Dip — plus water – or any appropriate drink” – This ‘menu’ constitutes what-was-once a Healthy Meal) 

               to Wisdom.” 

(OUR most-fundamental ‘Best Life Practices Advice’ Education Curriculum → everything one can enjoy & appreciate knowing – when applying these two forms of Halachic Logic to the reproducible Technologies derived from Natural Science and Information Science) 

Details in “Kinim for Adults: Reflections” https://dafyomi.co.il/members/shiurim/?meseches=Kinim 

By ‘practical’ Analogy, the regular study of Tractate Kinim is like the Matzah that we should have (had) available at Every Meal (see: prior Blog entry “Not Four Questions”) – since it ‘Sharpens The Mind’ to reason using Digital (Black & White) Logic -and- Quantum (entanglement) Logic; while the ‘otherwise’ regular study of (Colorful to Visualize) Tractate Niddah ‘type’ (boundary region – ‘expansion’ Resolving) Logic is like ALL of the ‘properly yeasted’ Nutritionally Complete ‘whole grain’ Breads that we find So Exceedingly satisfying & tasty ⇒ accompanied by (dipped into) a modest Natural (science) Bountiful Harvested & Prepared portion (of roots, herbs, vegetables, seeds, altruistically de-livened food-chain up-scaling animals, and/or fruits & nuts) -and- some exemplary Torah (information) Ideation(s) ‘to drink’! 

Today, in the Worlds of ‘so called’ Religious Studies -AND- ‘so called’ Secular Studies – Our elementary educational concentration Should Be teaching ‘Digital, Quantum, and Analog’ LOGICal thinking – using examples from the ‘Reproducible Laws’ (not theories, nor imaginary projections, nor psychological speculations, nor reflexive ‘ethical’ filterings, etc.) of Natural Science -and- Information Science; using whatever contemporary examples are more accessible to young minds than the Mishnah’s examples ⇒ while continuing To Include the Mishnah’s examples! [B”H: That i may merit to post another Blog entry with a few such examples.] Nevertheless, for advanced older students – beyond the formative years of basic study skills -and- fundamental aspects of knowledge (internal, proximate, familial, domestic, etc.), We ‘appreciate’ the study of these (imaginary – albeit possibly – real) systems; as models, thought experiments, hypothetical perturbations, quasi-recursive inductions, topologies, and beliefs → SINCE their ‘interesting’ truth or falsehood ‘currently’ remains indeterminate.

Applying this updated ‘transformation’ to Our earlier social divergence into Perushim & Tzedukim → Today: we are sort of Divided into: ⇒ those Life-smart but Technology-ignorant of us – who are living on (prison punishment analogous) nutritionally defective conceptual-diet Meals of (stale or freshly baked) Bread & (tap, bottled, or sparkling) Water -and- ⇒ those Technology-smart but Life-ignorant of us – who are living on ‘Organic’ (gluten intolerance analogous) nutritionally-defective conceptual-diet Snacks of (toxic-spiced or sugary-synthetic) Dips & (power, diet, or alcoholic) Drinks → which seems to be increasingly relying upon Deceptive ‘Consumer Friendly’ artificial flavorings, chemical leavening agents, and ‘blatantly false’ colorants. Recall: Spices were The micro-dose Pharmaceuticals of All earlier generations; so Why would anyone today use them as macro-quantity ‘ingredients’ – and then wonder why they keep experiencing ‘weird’ Drug Overdose symptoms?

(being guided by A Great Master to)

Our NOW

In most any Mishnah, it was NOT immediately obvious what opinion was to be preferred. Apparently, Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi ‘crafted’ this NEW style to facilitate the various divergent fragmented paths, thereafter (navigated by Authentic Judaism) and eventually merging into a more unified Diversity-of-Practices; which in-some-ways is quite similar to the situation our current NOW. Accordingly, this essay is NOT advocating (what has come to be called) Pluralism → Rather, perhaps our intention is to ‘dissolving’ illusory Religious-Secular distinctions. This essay is part of a discussion regarding ‘social’ Educational-Processes necessary for ‘adiabatically’ arriving at an appreciation of preferred ‘Best Life Practices Advice’ (critical details in the ‘Torah Technology’ link), acceptable de facto choices, and collective rejection of logical (albeit dysfunctional – often inconsistent) alternatives.

Compared to our circumstances (and those portrayed in Tehillim), All Prior Generations were relying upon cumulative wisdom for contemplating how to ‘Live by Them’ (how to converge Halacha, risk avoidance, and survivability) during numerous episodes of material scarcity (of food, clothing, and shelter), and various anti-intellectual sub-autonomy ‘experiences’; and thus what to do, what not to do, what to think, and how to engage with those who adversarially ‘think’ (-or- think ‘that they’ think) otherwise. 

The current circumstances (both Global and Local) more often than not – exhibit tremendous material abundance (of food, clothing, and shelter) when compared to all prior general-population conditions retained in human memory & contemplation; and therewith – NOW are emerging UNIQUE personal & social problems – requiring Gradual (autonomous – asynchronous) reconsideration of prior (however appropriate) leniency practices -and- of prior (however inspiring) stringencies practices → while retaining these in our collective memory, study, and living trans-generational transmissions. When it is said “We stand on the shoulders of Giants” – it means that we have a richer appreciation of choices to evaluate & compare – when actively navigating our paths within the ‘Best Life Practices Advice’ limits, without crashing through sustainability ‘guardrails’ → albeit taking the recommended detours around accidents, road repairs, rock falls, washouts, and NEW ongoing constructions of Bridges & Tunnels; AND seasonally stopping at scenic views, thus renewing our embodied Living Memories!

Our NOW

Finally, it is necessary here (for this now) to distinguish between ‘Amim’ (Nations) and ‘Goyim’ (Peoples). 

Amim are indigenous nations who have strived to preserve their own primordial memories, and to be respectful of knowledge, wisdom, and sustainability; thus they welcome intellectual, cultural, and ‘mystical’ sharing-exchanges with the scholars of other Amim (including with Am Yisroel). 

By contrast, Goyim, having lost their own primordial memories, hate all indigenous nations; seeking to colonize them, to exploit them, and to exterminate them. 

Goyim imagine how they are superior to ALL Amim; and ‘simplistically’ have defined ALL Amim as primitive, savage, uncivilized, etc. Thus, according to the psycho-stigmatism of Goyim, The Indigenous Nation of Israel is the most problematic of ALL Amim, since we are neither primitive, nor savage, nor ‘uncivilized’. Accordingly, we are never listed among ‘their’ anthropological catalogs of Aboriginals, First Nations, etc. Thus, please (Please) PLEASE remember the critical distinction is that Goyim hate The Jews → while Amim venerate The Jews as being A Light unto The Nations; by keeping OUR primordial memories ALIVE, returning to OUR indigenous lands, and redeeming OUR ancestral language ⇒ ALL other surviving ‘Nations’ love us, respect us -and- have a passionate desire to follow OUR very-singular Example; which is A Concept! 

Postscript

Consistent with whatever Your G?D? ‘word’ orientation is → …many years after my second grade Rebbe’s (respectfully G?D? Neutral) definition of ‘Torah’ ⇒ from Prof. Joseph D. Levinson A”H – May His Memory be for A Blessing! → I received a more ‘personally resonant’ answer – based upon His deciphering the word ‘Torah’; using the Fabre d’Olivet (1815) Hebrew-to-French dictionary of single-letters and letter-pairs. 

Dr. Levinson briefly explained: Not so long after (Hebrew Language Scholar) Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion (energy) emerged, Europe’s first Industrial Revolutionaries were convinced that Physics would answer ALL questions. Then – it began to become apparent how higher complexity problems: Consciousness (Mind), Life, and Time – were beyond the capacity of Physics to explain; THUS (modern) Meta-Physics emerged. 

Likewise (for some ‘moments’ – before Our Ancient Exodus), Egypt was ‘mono-theistic’ to one ‘god’ – RAh (The Sun), which was appreciated as The source of ALL Energy, THUS ‘The Universal Cause’ of everything – inanimate AND living. However, since meta-sentient consciousness (Mind) is somehow much more complex than spurious anti-entropy physiology (Life) or even knowledge-advancing history (Time), the ‘meso-discipline’ focus of ‘TōRAh’ emanated ⇒ to Discuss & Answer OUR practical, clinical, profound, and intimate Questions! 

Now: (yes – now) While sincerely appreciating that Each & Every Nation (Amim) is respectfully ‘chosen’ to embody their-own different Worthy aspects of Self Esteem (⇒ if they come to respect & follow The Most Basic Seven ‘Original’ Intra-National Laws), Hereinafter → Recognise: Inclusive of our LONG prior Poly-Epoch ‘oral’ history, knowledge, wisdom, and sanctity – from Matan Torah (first date of ‘publication’), OUR ‘chosen’ Judaism is (also) a literacy-centric ‘Civilization of Ideation’ → ‘inadvertently’ striving (by design?) to rarefy G?D? Centric (and/or G?D? Neutral!) ‘Best Life Practices Advice’ (Halacha) regarding Mind, Life, Time, and G?D?