Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Hide & Seek - Not Just for Kids
Concealment for the sake of Revelation

Biblical Hebrew, the language created by G-d, tells us much about its Creator. Most Hebrew words derive from a 3-letter "root". Let's look at a few.

Take the root for "world", עולם. It means "to conceal", as in Melachim B, 4, 27 - " … and G-d concealed it from me and did not tell me". This root, conjugated in another way, means "to disappear", also a concealment.

It doesn't take much reflection to realize that G-d wants for us to search and reveal His Presence in this world - the best we can.

How does G-d hide? He makes it look as if the world runs on its own, as if a flawless, eternal engine runs the world. G-d hides behind the veil of Nature. The root of "Nature", טבע, means "to submerge", as in, Shmot 15, 4: "Pharoah's chariots and … his very best officers were submerged in the Red Sea". The word itself implies Nature is but a facade that covers the hidden, controlling power.

Another conjugation of טבע yields "a ring" (טבעת), as in a wedding ring. Its meaning is similar to submerge, in the following way. Draw a circle on a paper, to form a ring. Imagine how - if you were living as a dot on that paper's two-dimensional surface, and you were "outside" the ring, you'd not be able to see "inside" the ring, because the ring in effect is the defined boundary. Similarly, all dots living outside the circle are kept from seeing inside of the ring.

Let's take the dot parable one step further. To enable the dot living outside the ring to see the goings on inside the ring, we could "create" for the dots an extra dimension to live in; Instead of allowing it only a two-dimensional living space, let's allow it to live in 3-dimensional space. Now the dot can simply be "lifted" a little off the paper, and presto, it will immediately be able to see beyond the boundary of the ring that until now had blocked its "sight".

Similarly it will be for us, humans, living presently within the confines of a 4-dimensional space/time framework. Sometime during the Messianic era we too will be "lifted" out of our present 4-dimensional confines to be able to "see" well beyond what we see today. We'll have more dimensions within which to explore and be enlightened. Just as sure as the dot could see so much more once it was lifted off its 2-dimensional world, we too will see much more when we're lifted beyond the Natural world.

Another telling word is "exile", גולה, the present era devoid of the Temple of G-d situated in Jerusalem, the 2nd of which was destroyed some 2,000 years ago. The 3rd Temple will be built soon during the Messianic era. The root word for exile means "to reveal". That is to say, it's destined to reveal. And what will be revealed? The word for "redemption" is גאולה, the same word as "exile", only with the addition of the letter א inserted into it. For that's when the revelation of G-d will happen, when the uplifting of our senses will enable us to see beyond its present confines. The "supernatural" of today will become the "natural" of tomorrow.

What has been concealed will in the very near future be revealed. But for now, as long as we're under the guidelines and control of Nature, we are still expected to play the game G-d has set up for us in exile, "Hide and Seek" - He hides and we need seek Him out.

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