Fifth Reading: The Almond’s Alacrity
SCIENCE IN THE TORAH
In parashat Korach, nature miraculously demonstrates that Aaron the High Priest’s was selected by God to serve in the holy sanctuary. Twelve staffs were placed in the Tent of Meeting before the Ark of the Covenant, and the next day, it was Aaron’s staff that had miraculously sprouted: it had produced blossoms, brought forth buds, and borne ripe almonds. The sages note that the three stages mentioned—from budding to fruit—normally take 21 days, whereas here the entire process took only a single night. Additionally, the almond tree is the quickest to mature among all fruit trees. Given its particularly short growth period (from blossom to fruit), we can infer that its selection as the tree into which Aaron’s staff transformed symbolizes the priests’ characteristic of being swift (and diligent) in their service.
The fact that the entire natural process of Aaron’s staff’s fruit production occurred, combined with the almond’s inherent rapid maturation, reveals an element of a miracle within nature, rather than a complete overriding of nature. Chassidic teachings explain that there is an advantage in miracles that are clothed within nature itself over those that completely disrupt the natural order.
We will soon return to the sages’ statement describing the growth period of the almond. But first, let us briefly address the question: how is it possible to unify Torah and science?
THE SCIENCE IN TORAH WITH THE TORAH IN SCIENCE
On the surface, Torah and science each deal with different realms of reality. Torah, which means “instruction,” aims to guide and shape human life, while science (despite the achievements of technology) is descriptive, focusing on observation and documentation of nature. How, then, is it possible to unite such disparate fields?
From the definitions provided by the inner dimension of Torah, we can say that the unification of Torah and science is akin to the union between man and woman, male and female. Torah, in a relative sense, is masculine, while science, in a relative sense, is feminine. To achieve a meaningful and lasting union, each must find his counterpart within itself. The male must find the female within him, and the female must find the male within her. This phenomenon, where each partner contains an element that reflects the other, is called “inter-inclusion” (התכללות). The integration of any two matters begins with connecting these intermediate parts: the female aspect within the male and the male aspect within the female.
When we apply all this to the relationship between Torah and science, we arrive at the following structure:
- Torah (masculine)
- Torah in Torah
- Science in Torah
- Unification starts here
- Science (feminine)
- Torah in science
- Science in science
THE ALMOND AND THE HEN
What then is the Torah within science? From the verse “He teaches us from the beasts of the earth and makes us wise from the birds of the heavens,” the sages learned that “If the Torah had not been given, we would have learned modesty from the cat, not to steal from the ant, fidelity from the dove, and proper conduct from the rooster.” This teaching reveals that there is a dimension of Torah instruction to be found in nature. Conversely, there are many examples in the Torah of statements about nature.
One surprising example deals with the gestation periods of animals compared to the ripening times of fruits, beginning with the almond in our parashah about which the rabbis taught: “A hen for 21 days, and corresponding to it in a tree is the almond. A dog for 50 days, and corresponding to it among trees is the fig. A cat for 52 days, and corresponding to it among the trees is the mulberry....” The basis of the comparison between animals and plants is quantitative—the number of days each one’s process of gestation/bearing fruit takes. The definition of living beings and plants (as opposed to inanimate objects) is their ability to reproduce. It can certainly be said that the time of reproduction expresses the purpose of each species of plant and animal. In this context, the hen and the almond—i.e., the almond tree—correspond to one another.
Such a comparison does not mean much to the modern scientist, and you will not hear it taught in university. However, here the Torah (that is, the science within the Torah) directs our investigation of nature. If we are wise, we will find in the Torah new directions for research that we did not know before, and in this way, the Torah can enrich science (and indeed, as far as we know, such a quantitative comparison between botany and zoology has never been researched).
THE FORM OF THE FRUIT
It should be noted that the connection between the hen and the almond is also reflected in the shape of their fruits. The egg and the almond are similar in that one side is round and conical (according to the sages) and one side is sharp and conical, a shape that is a sign of purity for an egg. This is indeed a relatively rare shape for an egg, and if the sages define it as a sign of purity, there must be something common to all kosher birds that causes their eggs to take this shape. Additionally, there is a connection to the shape of the almond, and new research possibilities open before us.
