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Jul 15, 2025, 8:54 PM

The spiritual and scientific truth of a connected universe

Hashem Echad, God’s Unity in the Quantum Field Throughout history, humanity has sought the fundamental principle that unites the universe's diversity. Philosophers, mystics, and scientists alike have wondered whether a single source or substance underlies all existence. In recent decades,...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jul 13, 2025, 2:49 PM

Standing on Stage – kan, duchan, bimah, basis

When I was a kid, we used to refer to the Kohanim engaged in Birkat Kohanim as going up “to duchan” or “duchening.” Because of that usage, I always thought that duchan was a verb in Yiddish that referred to the act of “blessing”...

Jul 7, 2025, 10:22 PM

Between Wave and Particle: The Quantum Mysticism of Trust, Faith, and Reality.

The dual nature of light—both wave and particle—serves as a powerful metaphor for the mysterious and shifting boundaries of reality itself. In quantum physics, experiments have shown that even after light is measured as a particle, it can still...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jul 6, 2025, 5:29 AM

Take a Licking – Synonyms lekikah and lechicha

When the Moabites led by Balak turned to their mortal enemies the Midianites to ally with them against the impending threat of the Israelites, the Moabites said to the Midianite elders, “Now the congregation will lick away all...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jun 29, 2025, 2:16 AM

Public Displays – rabim, parhessya, pirsum, pumbi

In Parashat Chukat, the Torah records a very public affair wherein Moses spoke and/or acted improperly at the Waters of Merivah, leading Hashem to say, “Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jun 22, 2025, 11:07 AM

The Unbelievers – minnim, apikorsim, & kofrim

The Hebrew language has no shortage of colorful insults and epithets that can be hurled at Jewish heretics and other disbelievers. In this essay, we explore some of those words used in reference to such people — like min, apikores,...

Michel M.J. Shore

Jun 18, 2025, 11:24 PM

Talmud in Verse – Tractate Shevuoth

Talmud in Verse – Tractate Shevuoth (for the Daf cycle of this Talmud Tractate) To take an oath in vain is forbidden By the Ten Commandments, as we are created In the image of God to bring dignity To our earthly presence as...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jun 15, 2025, 2:20 PM

Of Miracles and Poles – Neis, Badd, Shapud, Toren

Before the Jews entered the Holy Land, they demanded of Moses to send a group of spies to it scout out that and uncover its weaknesses. In that unfortunate incident, the spies ended up returning to the Jewish People...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jun 8, 2025, 2:10 PM

Terumah + Tenufah = Back-and-forth + Up-and-down

A few weeks ago, I received an inquiry from my friend and noted author Rabbi Shmuel Botnick (whose eloquent words grace Mishpacha Magazine week by week). My esteemed interlocuter wanted to know about the difference between the words terumah and tenufah. Both of these...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Jun 1, 2025, 7:09 PM

Healing the Sullied – Hebrew Synonyms for ‘dirty’

The Talmud (Shabbat 146a, Yevamot 103b, Avodah Zarah 26b) relates that when the Jews stood upon Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, something miraculous and extraordinary happened: All the Jews were cured of the zuhamah that had infected mankind ever since the primordial snake injected Eve...

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