Parashat Pekudei 5785 – 03/29/2025 – Parashat haChodesh
Beginning with Bereishit 5781 (17 October 2020) we embarked on a new format. We will be considering Rambam’s (Maimonides’) great philosophical work Moreh Nevukim (Guide for the Perplexed) in the light of the knowledge of Vedic Science as expounded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The individual essays will therefore not necessarily have anything to do with the weekly Torah portion, although certainly there will be plenty of references to the Torah, the rest of the Bible, and to the Rabbinic literature. For Bereishit we described the project. The next four parshiyyot, Noach through Chayei Sarah, laid out a foundational understanding of Vedic Science, to the degree I am capable of doing so. Beginning with Toledot we started examining Moreh Nevukim.
Shemot 38:21-40:38
Before moving on I’d like to make one more point about eternity. We said that eternity is not just a long time, it is beyond time. Time is something which comes out of eternity, out of the constant, infinite dynamism of the transcendent. Everything that happens in time is a pattern of fluctuations of the eternal Being. Now these fluctuations of the transcendent are going on constantly. If we think of time as a line, and eternity as an infinite line, then at every point of that line is filled with the fluctuations of that which is beyond the line. I am writing this at 4:50 PM, CDT, but that is the reality of only one branch of the infinite number of patterns that all exist simultaneously, as it were, within the infinite. Even the notion of simultaneity is a bit suspect here, because the infinite is beyond time and space. It is only because our perception is localized by our lack of connection to Pure Consciousness that we see the universe as having been created 14 billion years ago out of a singularity of space-time, and that creation evolving along with everything in it, including us – that is, the limited self that is small and finite.
I found a related passage in a book called Depths of Majesty by R. Moshe Eisemann. He is discussing the passage commanding us to guard the Passover matzot so they don’t become leavened (chametz). Now the word matzot can also be read mitzvot (a Torah scroll has no vowels, so alternate readings are possible – there is a standard, accepted reading, but alternates can be used homiletically), and the verse then tells us that we should guard the mitzvot so that they don’t become leavened, or soured. We should perform the mitzvot right away. Here is R. Eisemann’s take:
The answer is that in prohibiting chametz, the Torah did not only forbid the leavened product. It forbade as well the delay that causes the leavening. Because Klal Yisroel’s [RAR: The community of Israel] bread did not have time to rise, neither is our bread to be afforded that time. Why back then, did they not have time? Because Hakadosh Baruch Hu [RAR: The Holy One, Blessed be He], the Melech Malchei Hamelachim [RAR: The King of Kings], revealed Himself to them and redeemed them – and when Hakadosh Baruch Hu acts, there is no delay! He acts swiftly and with tremendous power, such that there is no delay at all!
So it is with all matters pertaining to the seichel [RAR: Intelligence]. They brook no delay because they are not bound by time; they come from a place above the creation that is time. Therefore our mitzvot, which are spiritual matters, must be done right away; they cannot be constrained by time in any way. Time is a physical creation, and mitzvot are not physical!
This is yet another lesson of Pesach we must take with us. Pesach says to us, “Kinderlach! [RAR: My children!] You do not belong to this world! You are the children of Yaakov Avinu, who traded in his Olam Hazeh [RAR: This (material) world.] for Olam Haba [RAR: The world to come (spiritual existence)]! Olam Hazeh directs you to ‘take your time and enjoy,’ but you have nothing to do with such a motto; as b’nei Olam Haba [RAR: spiritual people], you must deal with timelessness! Rise above time and do what must be done with as much speed as you can!”
Time is transient. “In its own good time” is an English idiom. What does ‘its own good time” mean? It is the murmuring of Olam Hazeh, which whispers to us to enjoy ourselves: “Take it easy; and take it slow; savor the moment, enjoy the vacation. Relish in the delights I proffer to you. Don’t look at the clock.’ This is a sales pitch that is not for us. We have no time for such inanities. Of course, if you give the dough some time, it will rise up to become fluffy and nice, tasting far better than stiff hard matzah. But we are in the presence of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and in His presence, taste has no significance at all! When the Ribono Shel Olam [RAR: Master of the universe] is there, you do not have time to luxuriate!
Passover is actually in a couple of weeks and we will be asking ourselves why we eat matzah for 8 days. The answer is generally that when the Jews left Egypt they left in a great hurry and their bread didn’t have time to rise. In this perspective what actually happened is the Jews transcended time altogether when Gd revealed Himself to them. Gd is of course eternal, and as we have seen, that means beyond time altogether. Revelation of Gd includes being transported to a state of consciousness where we are living eternity in every moment. The mitzvot of the Seder are meant to recreate the experience of liberation – not just from Egypt, but from the constraints of space and time themselves. In other words, the Seder’s purpose is to give us a vision of Unity Consciousness!
This discussion of eternity could go on forever, so I’d like to cap it off at this point by observing that the basis of creation, pure Being, is beyond time and space, which themselves are part of creation. Time and space are part of the virtual internal dynamics at this fundamental level of existence. These dynamics of course don’t take place within time, nor are they static. The notions of static / dynamic themselves presuppose the existence of time of course, but our language is all we have to describe what’s going on, inadequate as those descriptions may be, until such time as we are living the reality that all this is taking place within our own consciousness, and can only be understood on that level. In the meantime, the way I try to reconcile this idea of an eternal level of life that transcends time and yet creates time from within itself, is to visualize many universes – each a complex and rich pattern of vibration of this pure existence, and each having its own time, space, objects, interactions and nature. Is this like the multiverse idea that has been floating around physics for some time – probably that idea has influenced my thinking, but at the moment, from my waking state of awareness, it’s the best I can do.
Next week, Gd willing, we’ll begin the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) and a new topic from Rambam.
Chazak! Chazak! V’Nitchazek!
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Commentary by Steve Sufian
Parashat Pekudei
(from the archives)
“Pekudei” means “amounts of.” Aaron’s son, Ithamar, kept track of the half-shekels that were donated and those who Gd has filled with wisdom use them to create the parts of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle; they bring them to Moses who assembles them into a Whole: Gd’s Presence fills the Tabernacle.
We may have a vision of the Whole that allows us to create each part according to the plan, human or divine. But to assemble the parts into a whole, a Whole, we must have harmony with ourselves and our Self, with our surroundings, with Gd, so that we assemble from a level of Wholeness.
“Moses” is a quality of Wholeness, connectedness, that is within each of us, within everybody.
Through our innocence, our faith, our service this level of Wholeness becomes more and more functional in our lives; we gain the Support of Nature, of Gd, to complete our tasks in a way that is lasting. Our personalities, bodies, homes become Tabernacles, Temples within which Gd’s Presence is experienced as the Eternal Reality.
How fortunate we are, to be innocent, to trust, to serve and to be Blessed and Blessed so that Gd’s Presence becomes more and more visible and soon! fully visible to all of us, to everyone!
How fortunate we are!
Baruch HaShem