An exploration in Hebraic Thought

Time in ancient times was thought to be the outermost condition of man's experience. Were born, we live, we die. We cannot escape the condition of time as long we exist. The ancient's corresponded this ontological principle of experience with the planet Saturn. A planet means "wandering star" i.e. a star which moves across the sidereal. Thus, according to the symbolical worldview of the ancient Philosophers, the planet Saturn was the physical manifestation of the principle of Time. Accordingly, the sun corresponded to the "life" principle, the moon to the subtle body principle, and so on. The very outer edge, the one that seems to "contain" us the most, is Saturn, the Roman god of Time, equivalent to the Greek god Cronus, who cuts off the phallus of his father Uranus.

The Greek concept of time depicted in Hesiods Theogony seems to convey a theology of time bringing an end to the primordial unity between Uranus (sky) and Gaia (earth). In terms of principles, they are Male and Female, whereas in this theology, they could refer to the concept of the physical (Gaia) and the intellectual (Uranus). Since Gaia gives birth to Uranus, the physical was apparently seen by the Greeks to be anterior to the intellectual. Time comes along and separates the eternity of the original unity, hence, he carries a scyth with him.

The Hebrew view of the time is essentially different from this perspective. The Jewish God, Yahweh (יהוה‎), called Adonai (lord) by religious Jews, commanded that the seventh day be called Holy. In Hebrew thought, the concept of the seven days is somewhat based on the pagan metaphysical viewpoint. As such, the concept of 7 is related to the 7 wandering stars. On each day God (Elohim) created, there was some ontological change of being. First a basic duality emerges, and so forth. On day 7, God rests. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for rest or cessation is Shabbath (שַׁבָּת). The Hebrew word for the planet Saturn is Shabbati (שבתי). This establishes the 7th day with Saturn, and so, with Time. The particular thing about the Jewish God is his involvement in Time, and in History. The entire Bible is based on the concept of a temporal development, from the beginning, to an eschatological end. It's in Genesis 2 where it says 4 These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven (אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם: בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם.) , here, the name Yahweh occurs. But whats conspicuous is it's combination with the word Elohim (God). In Genesis 1, only Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is mentioned. Elohim is from the Hebrew El, which means "power". It's ultimately derived from the Canaanite. Elohim therefore equaled "the powers of nature", or nature in it's totality. Attached to this name is the uniquely "tribal" God יְהוָה . This God makes things holy (And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it) while Elohim only sees the 'goodness' in it. Taken ontologically, this could be saying: the natural is good, but what's supernatural is holy. Elohim is the original condition, nature as it is, natural selection, the working out of impersonal laws and processes; but the uniquely human, the add-on to the backdrop of impersonal natural processes, happens within the dimension of time.

Ironically, it is the seventh day, Time, which is hallowed as a day of "rest". In other words, the theology the Hebrews appear to be suggesting is way in which people can "hallow' their lives within the context of time. Not only in time, but also in the sense of meaning which derives from our experiences within time. One's pursuits in life, ones social interests, concerns for others, all happen within the context of time: they derive their meaning and valuation from a knowledge that "time is precious". Viktor Frank once said "Some people say 'time is money', I say money is time", meaning, he would never give up his time for the pursuit of money. In the Hebrews world view, life was unique, it is existentially unusual: why are we here? Why were we born? How can I explain this vast world around me? and other people? My own self? And all of this around me seems to imply a Creator. There seems to be so much symbolic meaning to everything. Why??? The Hebrew answer posited an explanation for the human situation, and as such, was inherently existentialistic. It didn't think in terms of "processes" as Greek mythology (and most Pagan philosophies) did. Rather, life took on a relational significance, between man and God. An I-Thou relationship becomes superimposed on a I-It background. God becomes mans companion, as Enoch (7th generation from Adam) becomes with God in his 365th year.

Time is focus in Hebraic metaphysics and theology, and personal relations, experiences, and so, morality, are the foci of human living. This basic metaphysical deduction explains the whole emphasis in the Hebrew Bible on personal relations, exceptionality, particularity, and law. Each of these things pertain to the dimension of time and occur within the fabric of the multiplicity of diverse existence. The Talmud has an interesting comment to make on this: "When one saves one life, One saves the whole world". In short, each individual is a universe of meaning and value.

Interesting, there is an inherent paradox in this. A metaphysical impersonal backdrop always and continues to exist. Natural selection, as impressively explained by Darwin, is always at work killing off and advancing new species. Within one species, the weakest individuals are ruthlessly discarded, while those with more favorable characteristics are preserved and "selected".

To me, this whole process is contained in the Hebraic concept of אֱלֹהִים. Elohim commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Translated into a theological statement: Life's (natural and normal) conditions command us to sacrifice what we hold most precious (Isaac). What's most precious to us? What is most important to us? What do we give up to satisfy the pressures of life, if not our moral purity? וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר " And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said". Here, in verse 11 of this narrative, it is this name of God, Yahweh, which intervenes in favor of the humanity of Abraham's son Isaac. Abraham does not need to sacrifice his humanity in order to satisfy the needs of nature. Instead, Abraham "replaces" Isaac with a ram.

Replacement, superimposition, are a leitmotif of Hebrew thinking. It's the "second" not the first son, who is selected by God. Abel over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Ephraim over Manasseh, and the Hebrew Bible always make a special note of it. Pagan civilizations tended to advocate a nature first perspective. Thus, they were eternity focused, and so generally thought badly of time. This focus on eternity is itself an impersonal perspective, beyond all determined conditions created by "time". It therefore relies on a moral relativism. Conversely, the Hebrews always sought to usurp the "first born" perceptions which precede moral understanding. The Hebrews thought reason, moral understanding, and connecting with the divine within the context of time was what was intended: they were forward thinking, teleologically investigating the "why" of appearances, not just in nature, but also in man. Why are we so different from nature? Why does nature impersonally destroy the weakest within species, while man feels drawn to defend and help the weakest of his species? Why do we follow a different existential trajectory? Certainly these thoughts entered their minds. And given their teleological assumptions, it signified something central about man.

reply to post by dontreally


What a beautiful morning read! You write with knowledge and experience. Your enthusiasm and perception shine bright.

Your analysis of Hebraic thinking is spot on. You encapsulate the very essence here of why I live my life according to the principles of The Law and The Prophets.

In your words I see the illumination from The Elohim!

Big Respect to you Dontreally! Toda (thank you in Hebrew)!

Where does scripture state that He is the "Jewish God"? He is the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the God of Heaven and Earth. Judaism is not the religion of, or faith as expressed in the Hebrew or Christian scriptures. Judaism, known to the world today, is the religion and man-made dogma that Our Messiah condemned as hypocritical, law-nullifying and useless for all things because it made its converts twice the children of hell. Judaism, known to the world today, encapsulates all of the Babylonian mysticism and practices that the God of Israel condemned and forbid in what is known as the OT and which led so many of "Judah" astray.

Sorry, but I could not get past these repeated points in your thread.

reply to post by dontreally


I just wanted to add how disgusted I am at ATS posters this morning. This thread is by far the best written, best thought out and most intelligently expressed on ATS right now. How many people have commented???

Look at all that other rubbish people are into. They are so confused and mixed up in U.F.O s and doomsday!

That says a lot about where human intelligence is at these days!

Your thread gets my attention and the words expressed will continue to have an influence in the rest of my life as they added to my understanding. Thanks!

Originally posted by Revolution9
reply to post by dontreally

 

I just wanted to add how disgusted I am at ATS posters this morning. This thread is by far the best written, best thought out and most intelligently expressed on ATS right now. How many people have commented???

Look at all that other rubbish people are into. They are so confused and mixed up in U.F.O s and doomsday!

That says a lot about where human intelligence is at these days!

Your thread gets my attention and the words expressed will continue to have an influence in the rest of my life as they added to my understanding. Thanks!

You can study religious writing all you want to, but if you believe your opinions amount to the truth, then you will continue to live through the suffering of the disgust you feel.

People's and animals' nonconformance to your ideals is where all hate and anger come from. So why have ideals? Do you think your ideals are absolute?

Do you think right and wrong are anything but self proclaimed? Do you think ice is cold? Do you think lava is hot? What is ice to the fish who live in Antarctica and what is hot to the bacteria that live in volcanoes? What is murder to the black widow spider? What is death to the fruit fly that lives for only days? What is small? Are ants small? What about from the perspective of the flea? Don't you see? There is only one cause of suffering for humans. It is that they believe their perspective is absolute. They believe their opinions are truth.

The truth is, things can't be defined and the definition be true. Didn't the human being fall from grace and divinity when it learned the knowledge of good and evil and believed the lies of the deceiver and therefore, through that act rebelled against God?

So you say, "this is the best thread on ats". Do you still believe that, or can you now see that superiority is an illusion caused from the belief in ideals created from the subjective beliefs of good and evil? Or are you still disgusted?

interesting perspective. Nice read. Well presented.

The Cabala teaches that the universe existed before God, and that God was created by it. God then becomes a vessel /state of being and a way of understanding the universe. One learns to achieve oneness with God so as to understand the universe. Time then is also a subject of inquiry through God.

Also the subject of harmony and community cohesion, is where the concept of sin came from according to the Cabala. It teaches that what we do to each other effects God /heaven. That our pleasures and discomforts hurt or heal God /heaven, or at least our unity with him /it. That we are the ones who expelled God from Eden, not the other way around. We, by our actions separated ourselves from his nature and that we must return to prophecy, or the state of being prophets. That we must seek to be close to God, so as to be able to contemplate the universe. Time then under this concept is yet another part of the universe that we created by our being separate from God. A choice we made. So time is entirely our own fault, as is death and all the finite of our existence.


S&F man, thanks.