There are moments when science, religion and spirituality come together. There aren’t as many as there should be because everyone has his own entrenched beliefs. Nevertheless, this is one of those precious moments of harmony, when we can all be in awe, when we can all see and understand that the primordial underlying structure of the physical universe, that the Bible, which is the essence of religion, and that the structure of the spiritual world are all the same, and that this is in no way random.
As we explain in much greater depth in There’s Nothing Random About the Universe, the primordial mathematical constant that controls the natural shaping of spirals, from the stars in our galaxy, to the petals on our flowers, to the shape of our seashells and our Trees, and to the growth of our populations is called Phi. Phi is a specially balanced proportion that extends between the two parts of a segmented whole and then to the whole itself (ie the short length is to the longer one as the longer one is to the entire length). Nature naturally follows this proportion at all turns, and when art or architecture does too it gives us a beautiful sense of harmony, balance, and well-being. But Phi is not only integral to the existence of the universe but to the design of the Torah as well, as we’ll show below. Moreover, as is covered extensively in There’s Nothing Random About the Universe it is uniquely connected to the number and thus the year 5778 as well.
There are 5 Books in the Torah, all of varying length, number of chapters, words, letters, verses, etc. and it was written down by hand thousands of years ago, before anyone had ever heard of primordial mathematical constants, or calculators. So it is amazing that the Torah is actually divided into specific segments using the Phi proportion with the first chapter of Numbers (Bamidbar) being the dividing point in terms of letters, of words, and also of verses that splits the Torah into two harmonic portions.
(Genesis + Exodus + Leviticus)/ (Numbers + Deuteronomy) =
1.61803399 letters, or words, or verses
(Numbers + Deuteronomy)/(Genesis + Exodus + Leviticus) = .61803399 letters, or words, or verses
Also, as illustrated in The Genesis Prayer, while the collective number of words, letters, and verses in the entire Torah = 390,625 = exactly 58, they too as a whole connect with Phi in that:
(Words, Letters, and Verses in the Entire Torah)/(106 x (square root 1 + the square root of 2))
Moreover, as is also illustrated in The Genesis Prayer:
The Words, Letters, Verses, Columns and Rows in the Torah = 248000 x 1.61803399
With 248 being the numerical value of Abraham and also of Mercy (Rachem)
We’ve proven repeatedly in The Genesis Prayer, in There’s Nothing Random in the Universe and in our articles the purposeful interweaving of Pi (3.1415926358…) in the construction of the Torah. Now we see that the primordial mathematical constant Phi (1.61803399) was likewise programmed in.
This is beautiful and awe inspiring for bring science and religion together, but what the Torah is really illustrating for us is the secret proportions of the Tree-of-Life or spiritual structure of the universe. It’s common knowledge amongst the sages and tzaddikim that Genesis represents Keter; Exodus, Chochma; Leviticus, Binah; Numbers, Zeir Anpin; and Deuteronomy represents Malchut, our world.
So transferring the Torah proportions to the 5 main sefirot (dimensions) gives us Keter, Chochma and Binah collectively being Phi (1.618033) times larger than the seven lower sefirot (dimensions) comprised of the 6 bundled into Zeir Anpin and Malchut. In other words the topmost 3 sefirot (dimensions) represent 61.80 % of the Tree-of-Life (the greater universe) and the bottom 7 sefirot represents 38.2%.
Traditionally, the tree-of-life is depicted like this:
B – Ch
G – Ch
H – N
But if you picture the proportions we’ve gleaned from the Torah, then you will see a thick tall trunk topped with a heavy wide and pointed triangular mushroom top:
G – Ch
H – N
Now You Know Why it’s called a Tree!
There are 5 Books of Moses which we now know to be divided precise into the Phi proportion in terms of Books (3 and 2), and letter, and words, and verses, but what is significant about this is that Phi (1.618033887.,.) is based on the number 5, actually the square root of the number 5. It is exactly (1 + √5)/2 if you must know. We’ve discussed the sefirot that each of the books connect with, so we know that the 5th Book, the one that repeats the Torah’s story again from Moses’ point of view, is connected to Malchut, and we’ve seen in previous articles how numerous very specific prophecies about the last exile and the end-of-days is clearly spelled out in this 5th and final Book.
We know the Torah is exceedingly redundant (probably because we’re exceedingly thick-headed) and fractal in nature in its structure patterns and coding, so it’s not surprising to find that the 5th Book (Deuteronomy/Devarim) has 34 chapters, with 34 being the 10th Fibonacci number starting from zero. Fibonnaci numbers (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55…) are a very famous sequence formed by adding together the two prior numbers, the ratio between which approximates Phi (1.6180…). As there are 10 sefirot (dimensions) the number 10 also represents Malchut, representing an ending of sorts.
Using this as a clue, it’s further insightful that the 5th Torah portion of the 5th Book (Deuteronomy/Devarim), parsha Shoftim, begins at Devarim 16:18.
Given this, and exploiting one of the basic and most unique properties of Phi, we find that the square root of 1.618033.. is 6.18033.., or (Phi –1) and Phi2 is 2.618033.., or (Phi + 1), so examining the 3 corresponding verses in Devarim, we find a concealed Torah
message about the end-of-days, which is really the dawning of the age of the Tree-of-Life. Devarim 6:18 corresponds the square root of Phi; Devarim 16:18
corresponds to Phi; and Devarim 26:18 corresponds to Phi2.
Devarim 6:18 “Do what is upright and good in God’s eyes, so that He will be good to you. You will then come and occupy the good land that God promised your fathers.”
Devarim 16:18 Appoint yourselves judges and police for your tribes in all your settlements that God your Lord is giving you, and make sure that they administer honest judgment for the people.”
Devarim 26:18 “God has similarly declared allegiance to you today, making you His special nation as He promised you. If you keep all His commandments, He will make you the highest of all nations He brought into existence…”
In short, “Do what is right, police yourselves, and God with elevate you to the Tree-of-Life state of reality.” The Arizal and other tzaddikim and sages have explained that we are our own police and judges and that we need to guard the gates of our souls, our senses and our consciousness. Moreover, the Zohar explains that as we judge others so we will be judged, so we must zealously guard our thoughts. And the word “people” in Devarim 16:18 refers not our own people, but to all other people in the 70 nations, for we are responsible for their well-being. Our thoughts and actions affect them.
We’re being told to take responsibility for our actions and thoughts and once we truly do, we’ll realize that we’re the only ones standing in our own way from receiving the final redemption.
At the first word of Devarim 16:18, where the portion of Shoftim begins, we find the 358th Shin-Mem (ShM) letter combination in the Book of Devarim. The combination spells the word Shem, as in the “Name” of G-d. There is an abnormal preponderance of words with this combination in the previous portion, Reah, meaning “to see,” but the 358th one at the word Shoftim (Judges) alludes to Moshiach, also of numerical value 358, and also containing the same letter combination, yet in reverse (MShYCh). The spiritual explanation is that by honest judging, the Torah is speaking about judging with Mashiach consciousness, that of thinking with and through the heart. Also, that from these actions will come Moshiach.
The Shin-Mem (ShM) letter combination has a numerical value of 340, significantly, 10 times the value 34, the 10th Fibonacci number and final chapter in the Torah, and also 18 (Chai, life,) less than 358, Moshiach.
We’re in final part of the month of Elul, the month of preparation for Rosh Hashanah, when we should be doing Tshuvah. Literally translated as repentance, it is deep self- examination and a going back in time to undo all the negativity that we’ve created. The Torah shows us the way. The numbers above are all intellectual, but the path traced is spiritual. To travel back in time we must enter through our hearts and follow our actions and their results backwards along the universal harmonic path delineated by the Phi spiral until we get to their sources, whether in our childhood or in previous lifetimes, begging forgiveness and increasing our appreciate of Hashem and our understanding of our place in His universe as we go.
Thus it’s no coincidence that the Baal Shem Tov came out to the world in Elul, in the 6th Month on the 18th day of Elul (6/18), which split the month into the Phi proportion. It was likewise no coincidence that Rabbi Shimon’s hillulah is on the 18th of Iyar (the 33rd day of the Omer), which also split Iyar into those same proportions, both dates reminiscent of .618033.. and both Tzaddiks of blessed memory adding so much understanding to our world.
Phi18 = 5778, the year 2018 CE, a scant 8 years from this Rosh Hashanah. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions and thus become part of the harmony of our universe, instead of being chaotic blights upon it. Let’s not fight this spiraling ride we’re on, but ride with it, as time spirals ever tighter to 5778, and let’s ride it as our consciousness expands and spirals upward and outward into the broad branches of the upper Tree-of-Life, the reality beyond the illusions.
Now, if it occurred to you to ask why the 187 chapters of the Torah weren’t also divided into the Phi proportion, when that would seem like an easier calculation that keeping track of hundreds of thousands of letters, know this: 187/phi = 115.57236.. and 115.57236 jubilee years (Biblical 50 year interval) = 5778.618. Go Figure!
So where was the split at Numbers 1:1, in terms of chapters? There are 70 chapters in the last two Books, so 117/187 = .625 and 625 is the square root of 390,625, the collective number of words, letters, and verses in the Torah. It’s also exactly 5/8 as in the exactly 58 total words, letters, and verses in the Torah.
Rosh Hashanah is nearly upon us. It is truly a time of awe.
Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tova