The Eternal Creator as the Life of the Universe
If there are any doubts that the prophecy in the Book of Daniel is not concerning the end of times but concerning Antiochus IV Epiphanes (c. 215 BCE–164 BCE), the last Chapter 12, wherein the end of the world is described, shreds them all. In this introduction to our survey, we would like to touch upon on a phrase in the Book of Daniel that much has been overlooked in the traditional commentaries, considering its unique standing in the verse.
There are two general stages of the world in time: “This world” – Olam HaZeh, which endure its sixth millennium and “the coming world” – Olam HaBah. Between them is the era of Mashiach, the seventh millennium, the transitional stage from this world to the coming world. During this stage, the world ceases to exist in its present form and changes over in a state of rest for one thousand years. Until the coming of the seventh millennium there will be a transient period of three and half years, as it is stated in the Book of Daniel,
And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, and he held up his right hand and his left hand to the heavens and swore by the Life of the universe that it shall be for a time, times, and a half … (Dan 12:7)
Much has been written concerning the prophecy of the three and a half years in Daniel but little about the phrase that precedes it: in Hebrew ha’olam bechei בְּחֵי הָעוֹלָם. Although most commentators have already treated this prophecy exhaustively, there is some room left for our comments.
The source of existence
All translations read this phrase either as “He who lives forever” or “the Ever-living One, and these are all legitimate translations. But we took the liberty to use in this study Rambam’s translation of בְּחֵי הָעוֹלָם who renders it into “by the life of the universe”. We believe that this literal translation expresses more fully (humanly speaking) the Eternal Creator who is the living force and source of the existence of the universe. In the words of Maimonides (the Rambam), the greatest scholar of the Middle Ages who codified Jewish law in the Talmud:
“There also exists in the Universe a certain force which controls the whole, which sets in motion the chief and principal parts, and gives them the motive power for governing the rest. Without that force, the existence of this sphere, with its principal and secondary parts, would be impossible. It is the source of the existence of the Universe in all its parts. That force is God: blessed be His name! It is on account of this force that man is called microcosm: for he likewise possesses a certain principle which governs all the forces of the body, and on account of this comparison God is called “the Life of the Universe”; comp. “and he swore by the Life of the Universe” (Dan. 12:7)”. Guide for the perplexed, Part 1
Why did Daniel use the words he used to refer to the Eternal Elohim as “the Life of the universe”? Maimonides hints at the answer by saying that the force that controls all forces is “the source of the existence of the Universe”, and “that force is God”. The Eternal Elohim has already been called in Genesis by four titles, as we read:
Borei (Creator): “God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1),
Oseh (Maker): “In the day that God made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4),
Koneih (Possessor): “Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19), and
El[ohim] (Supreme One): “The God of heaven and the God of the earth” (Genesis 24:3).
But now in Daniel 12, He is also called “The Life of the universe”, for He indeed is the source of the existence of everything visible and invisible.
The universe as spacetime continuum
The concepts of “where” and “when” are used interchangeably in the Hebrew Scripture by the same word, as though time and space are bound together in a single space-time continuum. This unity of space and time is expressed by the Hebrew word עוֹלָם olam. Its most common application is “eternity”, as a concept of time, and the most common translation is “forever”, and in combination with va’ed, it means “forever and ever”. The phrase le’olam va’ed, literally means, “to the world and until” and figuratively “for eternity and perpetuity”. In the words of Mosheh,
Remember the days of old (olam). Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father and let him show you, your elders, and let them say to you. (Deu 32:7)
With this appeal to the children of Israel, expressed in the phrase “Remember the days of old (Hebrew, olam)”, it appears that Mosheh tells them to study history of the nation beginning with Adam, Noach, and the patriarchs Avraham, Yitschak, and Ya’akov. The Hebrew word עוֹלָם olam is rendered in all translations of Deuteronomy 32 as “old” referring to the past, i.e., to the history of Israel like “looking back at the past”. While in this case olam indeed implies past-tense connotation, it may refer also to the future. In such cases, it is best translated as “eternity”, “forever”, or “always” thus connoting infinity. There are many examples in the Hebrew Scripture with this meaning. So, how do we understand olam? Does it refer to past or future? When referring to time, the concept of olam does not mean “past” or “future”. Rather, olam is the totality of time; olam is eternity, time out of mind (past or future).
The Greek translation of the Hebrew עוֹלָם olam, is kosmos, which means “universe” or “space”. We can cite several examples where the Hebrew word olam is used in its literal meaning unaltered in the translations. But here it suffices to read from Isaiah 64, wherein we read,
Since the beginning of the world (olam), they have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any deity* besides You, … (Isa 64:4) *elohim
But how does olam combine the concepts of time and space?
The Hebrew word עוֹלָם olam comes from the verb עָלַם alam. Alam is a primitive root with the meaning of to veil from sight, that is, to conceal (literally or figuratively), like looking beyond the horizon or far beyond understanding. As one does not see beyond the horizon, nor does he see where the horizon is, he does not know when the sun will rise. Hence, the concepts of “where” and “when”, and “space” and “time” are bound together in a single space-time continuum called olam, “universe”, and this is our choice of translation. If, on the other hand, the reader prefers the translation in Daniel 12:7, “He who lives forever”, there is no objection, since both renderings are much in harmony with the context and with the truth that the Creator is the One who lives forever. There is no injustice done to the context, if we agree or disagree with it. Our arguments are that (1) “by the Life of the universe” is a literal translation, and (2) in the Hebrew phrase bechei ha’olam, which the great Maimonides translates as “by the Life of the universe”, is of two nouns, as it is in this English translation. Besides, if the phrase in question had been written ha’chai le’olam הַחַי לְעֹלָם the traditional translation “he who lives forever” would have been correct, but it is written bechei ha’olam בְּחֵי הָעוֹלָם. Therefore, the correctness of this view is placed beyond doubt by what we intend to explain below.
The Cause of all causes
Before everything began with the first words of the Scripture, there was astonishing emptiness and darkness. By His supreme will, the Eternal wanted to create the world, but there was no “place” in which to create it, since there was nothing but Him; He was alone in Endlessness. This being before Genesis 1:1 began.
It all began with the words the Eternal Elohim uttered in the Beginning,
“Light shall exist”, and light existed. (Gen 1:3)
That was one of the ten utterances with which the Eternal created the universe. That directive included a reference to light which at that time was still invisible. The light that was called into existence on the first day of creation was the primeval or primordial light; it existed from the beginning; in the earliest stage of the creation. In Hebrew, this light is known as Or Ein Sof, “Light of The Infinite One”. There is one infinite Creator, the beginning and the cause of all causes and the Maker of all. His existence is absolute existence, and without Him nothing really exists. Before the creation there was only Him and nothing else until He wanted to create.
Reality is not all that is seen. In the beginning, there was only the Eternal existing in absolute Singularity. Nothing else existed, and nothing else could exist without compromising His singularity and outside of His singularity. He (Ein Sof) is the absolute existence, and nothing and no one can exist outside of Him. But, in order to create the world, the Creator had to “contract” His absolute existence to make space for creation to exist within Himself. Because He is limitless, He limited Himself to make space for His creation. Prior to that there was only the Infiniteness, which in Hebrew is called Ein Sof, “the Infinite One”. The Or Ein Sof is not the Eternal Himself, only His infinite revelation of Himself clothed in the primordial light. YHVH Himself is the Essence. The primordial light burst, and the creation of the universe began.
You are clothed in glory and majesty, covered with light as with a garment, spread the heavens like a curtain, (Psa 104:2)
The psalmist states that Ein Sof clothed Himself with light like with a garment. The expression “covered with light” refers to the Creator wrapping Himself, as it were in a garment of light. But it can also refer to the explanation that He clothed the world with light, and spread it out like a curtain. Rabbi Eliezer the Great says something extraordinary:
“From where were the heavens created? He took part of the light of His garment, stretched it like a cloth, and thus the heavens were extending continually, as it is said: “He covers Himself with light as with a garment, He stretches the heavens like a curtain” (Psalm 104:2).
The Infinite One took part of the light of His garment, stretched it out like a curtain, and the universe began to extend continually. The infinite light that radiates from the Eternal splits into a spectrum of emanations or radiances. These emanations are analogous to how a prism splits white light into a spectrum of rainbow. When the infinite light of the Creator started spreading, and the world began to exist, it (the infinite light) became primordial light, for it had its existence from the beginning. The primordial light is the light which the Creator commanded to exist: “Light shall exist!”, and the light existed. Day One was the only day on which Elohim created something: the primordial light. From that day one He made everything from it. As the primordial light was extending like a curtain, the Creator commanded it to start condensing in order to form into matter. Rabbi Rahumai said: “Illumination preceded the world, since it is written (Psalm 97:2), “Cloud and gloom surround Him”, as it is written in Genesis 1:3, “And Elohim said, “Light shall be!”. Thus, the galaxies, stars, and nebulas came into existence. And since then, the creative force of the Creator (Ruach Elohim) constantly and ceaselessly is being involved in recreating and reanimating created beings from nothing, so that nothing can exist outside of Him. Thus, all created things receive “new” life from the supernal flow of the life-force from Him. Therefore, we speak of the Creator as their Source, Cause of all causes: the Life of the universe.
Let the reader not hope that we can explain everything, for that is hard and extensive labor, and indeed, absolutely impossible for the finite beings to comprehend the Infinite One. Yet, we attempted to touch upon some concepts, which we used in this survey, in our series of articles “The Origin”.
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May we merit seeing the coming of our Mashiach speedily in our days!
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