Gravity Waves and the Glory of Gd

"The glory of HaShem appeared to all the people" (Leviticus 9:23) 2 Adar 19, 5774/February 20, 2014 The world was abuzz this week with good tidings: "A team of American scientists, led by astronomer John M. Kovac, said that it had found conclusive evidence for the existence of gravitational waves — gigantic ripples in the fabric of space-time that are caused by the sudden movement of large masses [...] And this, according to Israeli Professor Nathan Aviezer of Bar-Ilan University, "makes it clear that the universe had a definite starting point — a creation — as described in the Book of Genesis [...] To deny this now is to deny scientific fact.” (as reported in The Times of Israel) In short, the scientific world has discovered its "Let there be light"moment, and this is truly very joyful news. Whether or not it was G-dwho instigated the big bang of creation or it was some pre-creational nameless bureaucrat who let creation slip out of the bag is an argument that can continue to occupy the great thinkers of the world, but as of now, scientists seem to agree, we have tangible proof of "Let there be light." One thing that certainly can't be argued is G-d's apparently eternal sense of exquisite timing. No sooner had we rolled up our scrolls of Megillat Esther, whose every word pulsates with evidence, not only of G-d'shidden presence behind the scenes of our everyday mundane lives, but also His intimate involvement in every moment of our lives and our history, then the high priests of scientific reason and empirical proof for all phenomena raised their glasses and, in effect, toasted the G-d of creation. But the cosmic smile lighting up the face of G-d's presence in our world is even greater. The "Let there be light" revelation of the American scientists occurred in the very same week that we are reading parashat Shmini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47) in our synagogues on Shabbat. For parashat Shmini, which deals with the actual inauguration of the desert Tabernacle, after all the weeks and month of preparation, contains its own "Let there be light" moment: "And Moshe and Aharon went into the Tent of Meeting. Then they came out and blessed the people, and the glory of HaShem appeared to all the people. And fire went forth from before HaShem and consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar, and all the people saw, sang praises, and fell upon their faces." (ibid 9:23-24) What our blessed scientists found irrefutable evidence of, "a concentrated ball of light [which] 'exploded' into something bigger when it was only about a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth (10 to the minus 35) of a second old," the entire nation of Israel witnessed with their entire beings and in full glory on that eighth day of Tabernacle activity, which was, in fact, the first day of the month of Nisan. There is something profoundly rewarding about witnessing our modern day physicists, who are truly men and women of integrity and vision, singing full-throated praise of G-d's unprecedented achievement in pulling off the big bang, similar, no doubt, to the praises sung by Israel, when they witnessed G-d's glory, as quoted above. But the truth be told, as incredibly impressive as G-d's "Let there be light" big bang creatio ex nihilo achievement is, the ability of the nation of Israel, fresh out of Egyptian servitude and finding themselves in a harsh desert environment, and employing their own hands and hearts and making use of commonly found materials, to create a Tabernacle - a vessel - that can receive and provide rest for that same supernal light of G-d's creative "Let there be light" impulse, is much, much more impressive. What our scientists have discovered an echo of, "a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth... of a second" in time, Israel, via the Tabernacle, and later the Holy Temple, was able to "capture" for all the world to benefit by, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The first day of the month of Nisan, that moment in space and time when the light of creation first entered and illuminated the Tabernacle in the desert, occurs this year on April 1st. And as every year, on the first day ofNisan, that "gravitational wave," known otherwise as the Presence of G-d, will be pulsating particularly powerfully in our universe. It is for this reason that for the past five years the Temple Institute has been hosting our Annual International Temple Mount Awareness Day Online Event. (Note: This year's event will be broadcast on Sunday, March 28, to facilitate greater participation.) Just as our scientists, we feel that the incontrovertible proof of the presence of G-d in our world, as is provided by the Holy Temple, is reason for celebration. We too can point to the coordinates where this breathtaking event will next occur: On the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the moment we make it happen. INTERNATIONAL TEMPLE MOUNT AWARENESS DAYTHE TEMPLE INSTITUTE'S 5TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL TEMPLE MOUNT AWARENESS DAY: Save The Date! Sunday March 30th (Adar Ii 28) The Most Exciting Temple Broadcast Of The Year!. Sunday, March 30th, (Adar II 28), the Temple Institute will be hosting its 5th Annual International Temple Mount Awareness Day broadcast. The four hour live stream video broadcast will begin at 5:00 PM Israel time, (10:00 AM Eastern time), and will be rebroadcast for a second showing after a brief interlude. These two broadcasts will give everyone an opportunity to see the entire program, at a convenient time. During both broadcasts, viewers will be able to communicate directly with Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven throughout the live streaming webcast, via our chat-room. Help sponsor this exciting event!. Click here for complete details and a preview of our guests.