The Mishkan & the Cosmos

This week’s parasha, Terumah, begins the Torah’s long and detailed descriptions of the Mishkan, or Tabernacle. More than just a “mobile sanctuary”, the Mishkan was constructed as a microcosm of the entire universe. The Midrash points out how each of the Mishkan’s components corresponded to an act of Creation (Midrash Aggadah on Exodus 38):

First in Genesis was “Heaven and Earth”, and this was symbolized by the Two Tablets in the Ark of the Covenant contained within the Mishkan’s “Holy of Holies”. Of the Ten Commandments, the first half deal with mitzvot between man and God, while the second half are between man and fellow. (The fifth, honouring parents, is thought to be a bit of both.) So, we can see how one Tablet would correspond to “Heaven” and the other Tablet to “Earth”!

Next on the list is the Rakia, often poorly translated as “Firmament”. This was created on the Second Day to separate “between the waters” above and below, ie. between the Heavens and the Earth. The Midrash states that in the Mishkan it corresponded to the parokhet, the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Tabernacle. Interestingly, in describing the “Seven Heavens”, the Talmud (Chagigah 12b) teaches that the first and lowest of the Heavens—right beneath the Rakia—is called Vilon, literally meaning “curtain” in Latin (velum).

Illustration of the First Jerusalem Temple, with “Molten Sea” on the right.

On the Third Day, God “gathered the waters” to form the oceans, and this paralleled the Mishkan’s kior, the copper laver where the kohanim washed. Later, King Solomon built a much larger “Molten Sea” in front of Jerusalem’s Temple, supported by a dozen statues of oxen (the connection between this Molten Sea and mathematical pi was discussed previously here). Also on the Third Day, God formed the lands and made them flourish with grasses and plants. Similarly, the Mishkan had the Shulchan with ever-fresh loaves of bread.

On Day Four, God created the luminaries, of which there are seven visible to the naked eye: sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The Seven Luminaries play a big role in ancient texts, both Jewish and non-Jewish. In fact, in many cultures and languages, the seven days of the week are named after them. In English: Saturday, Sunday and Monday are named after Saturn, sun, and moon. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are named after the Norse gods Tiw, Woden (or Odin), Thor, and Frigg (or Frei), corresponding to Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus. The connection is easier to see in the French names for these days: mardi, mercredi, jeudi, and vendredi. The Midrash explains that in the Mishkan, the Seven Luminaries were represented by, of course, the luminous Menorah with its seven branches.

On the Fifth Day, God created winged animals, and corresponding to these are the Kruvim, the winged Cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant. The Midrash doesn’t say anything about fish, which were also created on the Fifth Day. Intriguingly, the Mishkan (and later Temple) had a variety of offerings including fruits, grains, and breads, birds and land animals—but no fish! However, the special blue tekhelet dye that was used in the Mishkan fabrics and priestly garments does come from sea snails, so perhaps we can add that to the list in the Midrash.

The main creation of Day Six was Adam. The Midrash says that God brought Adam into the Garden of Eden on that same day, leading the first human into that special holy place. Similarly, in the Mishkan we had Aharon serve as kohen gadol, representing Adam, and entering the Holy of Holies, the Mishkan’s special “Garden of Eden”. The Midrash adds that Aharon was greater than Adam, since Adam sinned in the Garden, but Aharon atoned for sin in the Holy of Holies. This further helps us understand the true role of the kohen: to restore some of the world’s lost holy light.

After Adam consumed of the Forbidden Fruit, God called out ayekah (איכה), “where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) As explored in the past, this word can be broken down into ayeh koh (איה כ״ה), “where is the 25?” The 25 alludes to the 25th word of the Torah which is ohr, “light”. So, God was really asking “Where is the light of Creation?” for Adam and Eve caused that light to be lost. All of Israel is called to be a light unto the nations, and restore that light to the world. Within Israel, the kohanim in particular had to take the lead. And they would bless the people of Israel to help them accomplish this task, as the Torah states: koh tevarkhu et bnei Israel (Numbers 6:23). In fact, the kohen himself is a koh-en, a bringer of that hidden light. The Midrash actually goes on to say that, really, all of Israel are likened to kohanim, and will all become kohanim in the future, as it is written, “You shall all be called ‘priests of God’ [kohanei Hashem], and ‘servants of God’ shall be said of you; you shall enjoy the wealth of nations and revel in their honour.” (Isaiah 61:6)

And Hashem promises many more rewards: in the merit of the parokhet that the Israelites made corresponding to the Rakia, God promises to make us all glow like the Heavens, as it says, “And the wise ones shall glow like the glow [zohar] of the Rakia…” (Daniel 12:3) In the merit of the Shulchan, God promises to bless the land and its fruits (Leviticus 26:4). In the merit of the Menorah, God promises to bring upon us the light of the Shekhinah, and magnify the light of the luminaries, as it says in Isaiah 30:26 that “the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold…” Finally, in the merit of the Cherubs that correspond to the flying creatures, God will end the exile and fly us all back to Israel “like doves to their cotes” (Isaiah 60:8). This would have been very hard to imagine for most of history, until recent decades, as we can now literally fly to the Holy Land!

Thankfully, we have already seen these promises begin to be fulfilled right before our eyes. We are nearing the finish line, and we will soon see the return of Hashem’s Sanctuary, together with all of its holy vessels and the Ark of the Covenant, in an everlasting edifice, at its rightful place in the Holy Land.

The Tribes of Issachar & Zevulun

What do we know about the mysterious ancient Israelite tribes of Issachar and Zevulun? What is Zevulun’s connection to the Seven Heavens, and what exactly happens in each of those realms? What is the identity of the ‘hilazon’ that was used to make the holy blue dye techelet, and how did Zevulun produce it? How do we properly understand the famous teaching of Zevulun financing the scholarship of Issachar? Plus, eye-opening stories from my recent trip to Israel. 

For the class on the Tribe of Ephraim, see here.
See also ‘The Secret Power of Tzitzit’ and ‘Why Physical Labour is a Spiritual Necessity’ in Volume Two of Garments of Light, available here.

The Kabbalah of Neurotransmitters

With gratitude to my dear friend Rabbi Yehoshua Gerzi, who first suggested the idea. 

The centrepiece of this week’s parasha, Yitro, is the Ten Commandments relayed at Mount Sinai. As is well-known, all “tens” in the Torah are connected and parallel each other, starting with the Ten Utterances of Creation and the Ten Sefirot, the ten trials of Abraham, the Ten Plagues, and the Ten Commandments. Similarly, there are patterns of ten all over science and nature. Our entire mathematical system is built upon a base-10 system of digits. The human body has ten senses. Relatedly, we find that the human brain relies primarily on a set of ten neurotransmitters (out of a total of about forty altogether). This is particularly relevant to this week’s parasha, where the Sinai Revelation is described as something akin to a synesthetic and psychedelic experience. What are the brain’s major neurotransmitters, and what is their spiritual root in the Sefirot?

The most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain, by far, is glutamate. Glutamate is a small molecule closely related to the the amino acid glutamic acid, and made from the similar amino acid glutamine. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter whose job is to turn things “on”. It is vital for learning, memory, and the formation of new synapses between brain cells. It is also used to make a different neurotransmitter which has the exact opposite role, to turn things “off”: GABA. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It is also important for brain development, and is involved in regulating moods, and blood sugar, too (directly affecting insulin-producing cells in the pancreas). Alcohol’s effect on the brain is caused by increasing levels of GABA, resulting in an inhibitory effect.

In terms of Sefirot, it is quite clear that glutamate and GABA parallel Chessed and Gevurah, “positive” and “negative” energies that balance each other out and are both vital for healthy functioning. Recall that Chessed is often referred to as Gedulah, “largeness”, fitting for glutamate which is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the body. Meanwhile, mystical texts parallel red wine (and, by extension, all alcohol) to the realm of Gevurah, further solidying the connection to GABA.

It is worth noting that glutamate activates the tongue’s “savoury” (or umami) taste receptors. This is why monosodium glutamate, infamously known as MSG, is added to many foods and snacks. Some have argued that since glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter, too much MSG consumption can result in “excitotoxicity” in the brain, possibly damaging brain cells or interfering with brain development. This is why people often look for MSG on labels to avoid them, so food producers use alternate names to avoid detection, including “flavour enhancer 621” or even just “yeast extract” or “autolyzed yeast”.

At the neuromuscular junction, the axon (top) releases acetylcholine, which then binds acetylcholine (ACh) receptors on the muscle, ultimately triggering a contraction.

The next major neurotransmitter is acetylcholine. It is involved in excitation, learning, and memory, as well, but has many more roles all over the body. Perhaps most importantly, acetylcholine is the chemical that transforms the brain’s electrical signals into muscle contractions. At every neuromuscular junction between nerves and skeletal muscles is acetylcholine. It is vital for the heart, too, and regulates heart rate and blood pressure. Acetylcholine is precisely the central Sefirah of Tiferet, the only one that intertwines with all other Sefirot, sending energy in all directions, and serving as the “heart” of the Sefirot.

The next two Sefirot, Netzach and Hod, always come in a pair, their literal names meaning “victory” and “glory”. They are compared to the “legs”, and are sources of strength, elevation, and prophecy. Of course, they neatly parallel the twin pair of epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine, the main neurotransmitters in the body’s sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response. These neurotransmitters turn up one’s heart rate, breath rate, stress levels, alertness, attention, and focus. No victory or glory was ever achieved in battle (or at a sports game) without a steady flow of adrenaline in the participants. Medically, epinephrine is most commonly used to stop allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and heart attacks, making it a key life-saver (another point for Netzach). Meanwhile, many medications for ADHD and depression upregulate the body’s norepinephrine levels.

We then get to Yesod, the domain of pleasure and intimacy. This corresponds to endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and pleasure-producers. Release of endorphins from the pituitary gland is the primary cause of sexual pleasure. (The pituitary gland also releases hormones that control the reproductive system and production of both male and female gametes.) The term “endorphin” comes from endogenous morphine, and many drugs and painkillers are actually endorphin mimics. In fact, these are some of the most addictive drugs—including opioids, which are tragically resulting in the deaths of countless people. It is fairly well-known that Kabbalistic texts pinpoint life’s most difficult test to be in the realm of Yesod, and the final tikkun of the pre-Mashiach generation is specifically about rectifying Yesod—which certainly explains the world we see around us today, on many levels.

Finally, we come to Malkhut at the base of the Sefirot, where the final reward lies after the test of Yesod is passed. This is the place of the reward hormone dopamine. Like other neurotransmitters, dopamine plays an important role in learning, memory, and concentration. However, its most famous role is to produce a sense of reward and positivity. Most recreational drugs (including nicotine, cannabis, cocaine, meth, and heroine) mimic dopamine or increase the amount of dopamine in the brain. It is interesting that in mystical texts Malkhut is always described as being “empty”, often devoid of its own energy, and is also called shiflut, “lowliness”. This might explain why people who are in such a state of lowliness or emptiness tend to abuse dopamine-type drugs.

The amino acid phenylalanine (top left) is used to produce a number of important neurotransmitters including dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.

Now we come to the upper three Sefirot, the Mochin, most closely associated with the brain itself. The motherly Binah, also called Ima, neatly corresponds to the neurotransmitter and hormone oxytocin. Recall that it is oxytocin that causes contractions during childbirth, and is involved with production of breastmilk afterwards. Oxytocin plays a huge role (in men and women) in love and emotional attachment, trust and social bonding, sexual arousal, and even anger management.

On the other side is Chokhmah, the fatherly Abba. This corresponds well with a molecule that until recently was thought to be only a hormone, but is now recognized as an important neurotransmitter, too: histamine. Histamine is made directly from the amino acid histidine, and is popularly known for its role in the immune system and allergic responses. It was once thought that histamine is only made in the immune system and by immune cells. We now know it is produced by the brain as well, and is primarily involved with alertness (hence antihistamines causing drowsiness). More recently, it was found to play a key role in male arousal and erectile function. It also plays a protective role for neurons, and may be involved in forgetting unnecessary things (another stereotypical male trait).

At last, we get to the highest Sefirah of Keter, the root of willpower, ratzon. This is undoubtedly the all-important serotonin, deeply involved in our own human willpower. Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, and has countless functions in the brain and body. It plays key roles in the digestive system and circulatory system, serves as a growth factor for some cells and organs, and regulates bone mass. (Note that Keter is often referred to as the “skull”.) Its best-known role is in mood regulation, and a lack of serotonin (or rapid reuptake of it) causes depression and a lack of willpower. Many antidepressants target serotonin and serotonin-related receptors and channels, as do many antipsychotics and antimigraine drugs. Interestingly, psychedelic drugs like DMT, psilocybin, LSD, and peyote (mescaline) are also serotonin mimics. And this brings us to the hidden Sefirah of Da’at:

Da’at is thought of as the inner “realization” of Keter, the application of the initial will. It lies directly beneath Keter, between Chokhmah and Binah, usually concealed on a diagram of the Sefirot. It is sometimes described as the “integration” of knowledge. Da’at is intricately tied to Keter, so we should expect it to have its own related set of neurotransmitters. First is melatonin, the sleep hormone. Like serotonin (which also plays a small role in sleep), melatonin is made from tryptophan and has a very similar structure. Sleep is absolutely vital, shutting down our consciousness to allow the brain to reorganize and clean itself up. Like Da’at, sleep allows for “integration” of knowledge. Spiritually, our holy texts teach that most of the soul ascends to higher worlds during sleep, hence the body’s “dead-like” state. And this is what allows some of our dreams to be prophetic, as the wandering soul may pick up and retain higher knowledge from Above.

Scientifically, dreaming is very poorly understood and is still mostly a mystery. No one knows the biological reason for dreaming, but we do know it is essential, and going without dreaming (and the corresponding REM sleep) could be fatal. Incredibly, the Talmud (Berakhot 55a) knew this long ago, pointing out that the Hebrew word for “dream”, chalom, shares a root with “health” and “healing”, hachlamah. Based on Isaiah 38:16, the Talmud points out that dreaming keeps a person alive!

On the neurotransmitter level, dreaming has been linked to another tryptophan-derived molecule closely related to melatonin, popularly called DMT (dimethyltryptamine). DMT is famous for its hallucinogenic and psychedelic properties, and as the active ingredient in Ayahuasca. It can be highly transformative and therapeutic for many people. DMT is found in various plants (including those mentioned in the Torah, as described in a previous essay here.) And it is believed that tiny amounts of DMT may even be naturally produced by our brains, in the same pineal gland that makes melatonin. It may be involved in our own dreams, possibly including prophetic ones.

The pineal gland—often called the “third eye”—sits at the base of the brain, just as Da’at sits at the base of the Mochin, the literal “brain” of the Sefirot. The pineal gland actually contains photoreceptors like our eyes do, and in birds, for example, it sits at the top of the brain and picks up light signals to help birds navigate as they fly. This “third eye” pineal gland has been linked to the head tefillin worn between the eyes (as well as wearing a kippah, as explored in the past here). Amazingly, the Zohar taught centuries ago that the reason the head tefillin is split into four compartments (while the arm tefillin has just one) is both because it corresponds to the four light receptors in the eyes (the Zohar seems to have incredibly known about rods and cones!) as well as the four aspects of the Mochin! (Ie. Keter, Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at. See Zohar III, 292b-293b, Idra Zuta.)

To complete the discussion, there is one more minor neurotransmitter that needs to be mentioned in the concealed “Da’at” category: adenosine. Adenosine is better known for its role as one of the four letters that make up our genetic alphabet (the adenine “A” of ACTG). But it happens to play a critical role in sleep and wakefulness, too. In fact, caffeine is an adenosine mimic, and specifically blocks adenosine receptors to prevent sleepiness! Lastly, while we can group adenosine, melatonin, and DMT together in the “Da’at” category, there is an alternative: In deeper mystical texts, two additional aspects of Keter are mentioned: Ta’anug, “pleasure”, and Emunah, “faith”. So, one might also align sleepy adenosine with Ta’anug (sleep being particularly associated with “pleasure” and oneg Shabbat), and spiritually uplifting DMT with Emunah.

To summarize: