Soul, Space, Time

The ancient Book of Formation teaches that there is more to the universe than time and space. There is a soul.

Whatever is found in the universe’s soul is found somewhere in its space. And whatever is found in space, is found in time.

In the soul of the universe there is a consciousness from which all consciousness extends.

In space, there is the Land of Israel, a space from which all space is nurtured.

In time, there is Rosh Hashanah, a time from which all time is renewed.

It is not just a starting point, but a head, a new beginning of time, when a new consciousness enters our universe.

As the head governs the body, so all that will transpire in the coming year is first conceived in these two days.

G-d's Lawyers

By Tzvi Freeman

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

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20 Comments

Eden September 30, 2024

❤️🐦 Reply

David Harold Chester Petach Tikva, Israel September 19, 2022

Our Torah does not explain how about these 3 features, time, space and consciousness came into being. Were they simply "just there" of were they created and if so on which day?

The story of creation seems to be incomplete. Is it for us to learn and understand about the time and place where G-d first dwelt, considering that His space/time must have come from somewhere or something? Perhaps from another universe? Reply

Mayer Korchin Cleveland, Ohio September 16, 2022

This is very interesting, because science does not recognize the soul! Reply

Avishai Barbourville, KY September 16, 2022

Awareness is Soul. For the Creator it is Universal. Consciousness is human knowledge, therefore limited, and also limits our awareness because we identify with it as human ego.

The Creator projects what we think of as thought, which is Mind. Divine Thought “contains” or IS Everything. Creator is AWARE of All Mind, which is what you refer to as the Soul of the Universe.
You also call it “the Land of Israel”. Time only exists due to the Creator putting into the universe items like stars, planets, moons, etc. which move in various ways or processes relative to each other, and which can be measured by us in ways that establish for us a sense of location, seasons, age etc.

Consciousness is merely our conceptual knowledge of what we are aware “of” and which is very limited in each species and individual. What we are aware “of” is merely our sensory report, what we feel, see, hear, smell and taste. If we release our dependency on knowledge, we increasingly become aware of Mind. Reply

Monica Stockholm September 16, 2022

Hello from Sweden and thank You. I’ve been in touch with Her, the creator/they/them/ whatever. Hopefully You understand.
They gave me informatiotion from different places and in different languages, wich I all understood.
Information that saved my life.
But now i feel abandoned.
Please, who can help me? Reply

Avishai Barbourville, KY September 18, 2022

in response to Monica:

Response to Monica.
Back in approximately 1974 or 1975, I no longer remember the exact date, but I was riding high, receiving energy and insights like crazy....like water from a shower. But one day some earnest person was having trouble praying, and for some dumb reason I asked inside, why can I do this and he can't? Well, my experience was like someone shut off the shower of holiness. I panicked, said no, no I didn't mean it...to no avail. It took me years to realize what I had done, the flaring up of my ego.
Ego, blessing or curse depending. It could take a long time to understand what happened, but The Creator is still there, you just can't hear it for now. The thing we all must learn is that the Creator does everything. We do nothing. In your case, you were blessed, strongly, your life saved. . But now you must learn. Like children are taught by parents, Reply

Dinah Ganor September 22, 2020

Dear Rabbi
Does that mean, that all beginnigs done by believers during Rosh HaShanah are involved in God's Matrix for the coming year?
Or does God create this matrix for the world, without take account the humans beginnings? Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman September 22, 2020

in response to Dinah Ganor:

There is no objective world. A world requires the subjective experience of its observer. So the notion of creating a world oblivious to the human consciousness within it is an absurdity. Reply

Norton Mezvinsky New York September 23, 2019

Soul, Space, Time Rabbi Tzvi Freeman: Underatanding that you have limited space for your regular Chabad.Org columns, I nevertheless think you need to explain more fully what you mean in your following statement: "In space, there is the land of Israel, a space from which all space is nurtured." Does this statement refer to the present state of Israel? How can this statement be reconciled with the strong, anti-Zionist arguments of the fourth, fifth and sixth Lubavitcher Rebbes and historically many other Orthodox rabbis and commentators? Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman September 23, 2019

in response to Norton Mezvinsky:

This anti-Zionism has been misinterpreted. The Land of Israel is just as central to Jewish belief as the People of Israel and the Torah of Israel. The tzadikim of previous generations that you mention certainly loved the land and praised it greatly. For that very reason, they opposed the modern Zionist movement, as they perceived it as little more than European nationalism in a thin guise of tradition, and therefore actually a hazard to the land and our beliefs.

This is well-articulated in clear and simple terms in this account: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's View on Zionism--1947. Reply

Norton Mezvinsky New York September 23, 2019

in response to Rabbi Tzvi Freeman:

In response to Tzvi Freeman: As I am sure you are aware, the short talk by Rabbi Posner on the Lubavitcher Rebbe's view on Zionism-1947, does not adequately answer the two questions I posed in my previous response. Your additional coment likewise does not answer correctly my two questions. The 1997, lengthy article in Chabad.Org, titled "Eyes Upon the Land," based upon the Rebbe's statements and later published by Sichos, somewhat more attempts to answers the questions I put to you but nevertheless is more than problematic in many ways.I discuss this in an article I wrote, which was published in the scholarly journal, Religious Studies and Theology. I suggest that you read Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro's 1380 page book, The Empty Wagon (2018), which is the definitive, study to-date of Orthodox Judaism's view of Zionism and the present state of Israel. Norton Mezvinsky Reply

Anonymous NJ August 28, 2013

Start at the very beginning Very intimidating, terrifying, really, to consider that your actions on Rosh Hashanah set in motion your entire year. Really? What can we do differently so we aren't doomed to a year exactly like the one before and the one before that?
This sounds so childish next to others' spiritual questioning, as if you could answer with a magazine cover line: "The 14 surprising ways to ensure a sweet year" or "The five worst things to do on the holiday."
But childish or not, I'm serious... and clueless. My family dips organic apples into organic honey and enjoys a meal together. No one understands why I attend those "long, boring" services. I've begun to ask myself the same question. And yet, I will be there. Reply

Brenda Toronto, Canada August 28, 2013

Journey Through Time & Space to Reach our Soul Kabbalists tell us:
SPACE is how far a place we are from G_d's quality - altruistic

TIME is the change we feel as we correct our egoistic quality to draw nearer to match G_d's quality.
The start of each new change is the 'New Year'. We scrutinize the new level of reforming our egoistic intentions to others.

Through many changes in 'TIME' & 'SPACE' we finally reach our destination - adhesion with the quality of G_d. We created by our participation One Soul: we are all in the same G_dly place with the Light of G_d connecting us in harmony. Reply

Anonymous Forest Hills, NY/USA September 25, 2011

Soul, Space, Time Soul- if possible would you tell me or refer me to other articles the difference between soul and spirit- or in your Judaism they are the same.
Space- I read this daily dose late in the day because I went away the whole weekend to attend services related to Rosh Ha Shanah. We gathered early because the ministers themselves go to Israel during the High Holy Days. And also at sundown on Wednesday strong chance many of us can not participate.
Time- I absolutely use Scripture to explain to my friends regarding the feasts, especially Leviticus 23. I have certain understanding on my own. But my friends just get very confused between religious and civil calendar, can not comprehend why it is called by rabbis and people the head of the year. Why not Pesach or Passover? Reply

David Harold Chester Petach Tikva, Israel September 16, 2022

in response to Anonymous:

Spirit is the motivation which enables us to perform acts of value and truth, whilst the soul is something we don't have much to do with directly, but knowledeg of its existance gives us great comfort in times of distress.

I am still a bit mystified how on Yom HaKippyr we can afflict it by fasting, as prescribed in the Torah? Do we have some means of communication with this soul on that time that is not practical for other things? -what other methods are available? Reply

Anonymous River falls, Al 36476 USA September 25, 2011

Great message Rabbi
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading your messages! You all way send me the one I need to learn! Please send a message on our holiday coming. Soon will need help to do it right! Reply

Ted Lions Head, Canada September 25, 2011

Soul It would seem you are way out in left field on this subject. You are told in Genesis that man is a living soul AND it also refers to the animal kingdom--only! Reply

Richard Jaffeson Silver Spring, MD September 6, 2009

Soul without Time or Form He is the only One continuous all encompassing Cosmic Soul
without time or form to which we all return when this journey
is completed. Everything else which we comprehend is temporary. Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman September 6, 2009

for Michal Yes, the consciousness of which we are speaking is G-d's consciousness. Reply

Michal September 6, 2009

Soul of the Universe ...from which all conscious life extends...
...does consciousness not extend from G-d, who is the creator and sustainer of everything? The universe is His creation too. From Israel, the whole world is nurtured. But space??? For me all creation (incl. Universe) and therefore space too - is nurtured by G-d..
Even Rosh Hashana is not fixed in a way that Hashem would not be able to change during the year, what He decides. If not, then why should we pray at all?
The stuff with the Universe sounds much more sophisticated,
but I am capable of the simplicity only, and I feel nearer to the truth/Emet/G-d.
Sorry. Reply

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