Are All Men Created Equal?

From the best biology we know: the acquisition of traits (phenotype) is both a product of nature (genotype) and nurture.   Is it racist to say that we should not expect a cat to do calculus?  Is it racist to say a mouse may never be able to write a book?  These are rhetorical questions, but as a bottom line I would say it is good to not expect complete uniformity of ability in all of Hashem’s created beings, which of course does not dictate license for bigotry.

G-d does not harbor excess in His creation.  When something exists, it is supposed to be that way because Hashem has ordained for it to be as such.  Thus, it is such that while I won’t deny anyone, even a different species of animal or a computer (maybe someday), proper education if aptitude is demonstrated, there does come a time when we should realize that it is cruel to hold onto expectations that the problem of dumbness be alleviated merely by endless hard work.  Rather, we should give credit and encouragement where it is due.

Should we expect a human to run as fast as a cheetah?  Should we expect humans to regularly give birth to as many offspring as mice?  Some of our greatest strengths may be in our inherent differences because created species, nations, and beings are not meant to be completely alike.

The Genesis of New Matter and/or Space through Tzimtzum

Imagine a day where we could literally create more space, enlarging our planet so that food shortages and overpopulation are no longer a threat. How, I don't know; but it happened in the creation of the cosmos, and it continues to happen. The universe is expanding. What if we could control how it expands?

How did the matter of the cosmos first arise? This disproves the Law of Conservation of Mass. It must have arisen through the creation of new space, energy, and/or matter. My thinking is that if it arose once, then it should be possible to accomplish the expansion of new space and/or matter again, especially through the actions of humans if we get smart about it.

According to Lurianic Kabbalah, the first hint on how we can accomplish the genesis of new space occurs is in the Book of Genesis. In the Creation Week, G-d tells us that He causes the genesis of creation with “tzimtzum.” Tzimtzum is the Hebrew word for expansion, contraction, and/or separation, which may be how we can expand the universe. What works for Hashem also works for us: But only if we use the holy language. Any scientist seeking understanding should look to the creation account in Genesis. I would say it should be thought of as an inspired "How to" manual.

Predicting Recessions via the Sabbatical Year (Updated)

Please visit the newest revision of this blog post here:
http://tinyurl.com/oku2l94 

Original post in red.

More Financial Instability for 2015 Predicted Via the Last 7 Sabbatical Years
This is an update of an earlier blog.
In Judaism, the number 7 is very important. The Menorah in Torah has 7 candles. There are 7 days to each week, with Shabbat on the 7th day. The Sabbatical year, which for Jews occurs 1 in every 7 years, has often been a difficult year for financial markets. The financial difficulties the USA has been through show this trend to be true counting 7 Sabbaticals in a row; 2015, 2008, 2001, 1994, 1987, 1980, 1973.

In the Bible, the command to release debts in the seventh year is in Deuteronomy 15:2.

For Orthodox Jews, this is the year 5775. It is also a Sabbatical year, where according to the Bible at the end of this year debts are to be forgiven. That is 5775 / 7 = 825, meaning this is the 825th Sabbatical year since the beginning of creation. Also, please take note; the Hebrew calendar does not begin January 1st. The Hebrew year begins with Rosh Hashanah.

2015 is already following the Sabbatical year pattern financial difficulties. It is already my first example, and since August of 2014 the market has shown increased instability, where September was the time of Rosh Hashanah, the date of the Jewish New Year’s 5775 beginning.

This does not mean that Jews are to blame for anything. The Sabbatical is Gd’s way. Gd is sovereign. It is up to us to figure how to rule this world. This just happens to be the way Gd makes us work.

Let me illustrate: it is now 2015 according to the Gregorian calendar, a Sabbatical year, the 825th Sabbatical, and financial markets are already showing signs of correction. The pattern is as such, by subtracting 7 years from 2015, as the Sabbatical occurs every 7 years; we end up with the last financial crisis, the Great Recession of 2008.
2015 - 7 = 2008, the 824th Sabbatical and a year of recession.

A 3rd example of this market recession pattern is the “Early 2000s recession” that lasted from March 2001–Nov 2001.
2008 – 7 = 2001, the 823rd Sabbatical year, and a year of recession.

A 4th example of financial difficulty similar to this pattern was a bond market selloff of 1994.
2001 - 7 = 1994, the 822nd Sabbatical year, where there was a bond market selloff.

A 5th example is Black Monday (1987), where there was a historical stock market crash in the year 1987.
1994 - 7 = 1987, the 821st Sabbatical year, and a period of market instability

A 6th example is the “1980 recession” that lasted from Jan–July 1980.
1987 - 7 = 1980, the 820th Sabbatical year, and a year of recession.

A 7th example is the “1973–75 recession” that lasted from Nov 1973 – Mar 1975.

1980 – 7 = 1973 yet another number divisible by 7 that follows the pattern of Sabbatical years.

In Judaism, the number 7 is very important.  The Menorah in Torah has 7 candles.  There are 7 days to each week, with Shabbat on the 7^th day.  The Sabbatical year, which for Jews occurs 1 in every 7 years, has often been a difficult year for financial markets.  In the Bible, the command to release debts in the seventh year is in Deuteronomy (15:2).

For Orthodox Jews, this is the year 5775, and since it is a Sabbatical year, at the end of this year debts are to be forgiven.  That is 5775 / 7 = 825, meaning this is the 825th Sabbatical year since the beginning of creation.  Huh? Maybe there is something to these ancient teachings.  Also, please take note; the Hebrew calendar does not begin January 1^st.  The Hebrew year begins with Rosh Hashanah.

This does not mean that Jews are to blame for anything.  The Sabbatical is Gd’s.  Gd is sovereign.  This just happens to be the way Gd makes things work.

Let me illustrate: it is now 2015 according to the Gregorian Calendar, a Sabbatical year, and financial markets are already showing signs of correction.  It does appear that this year will follow the established pattern.  The pattern is as such, by subtracting 7 years from 2015, as the Sabbatical occurs every 7 years, we up with the last financial crisis, the Great Recession of 2008.  Thus, 2015 - 7 = 2008, a year of recession.

A 3^rd example of this market recession pattern is the “Early 2000s recession” that lasted from March 2001–Nov 2001.  2008 – 7 = 2001, a year of recession.

A 4^th example is the “1980 recession” that lasted from Jan–July 1980.  2001 - ( 7 * 3 ) = 1980, a year of recession.  Thus, it is not only on Sabbatical years that recessions can occur, and more importantly the Sabbatical year does not mandate recession.

A 5^th example is the “1973–75 recession” that lasted from Nov 1973 – Mar 1975.  1980 – 7 = 1973 yet another number divisible by 7 that follows the pattern of Sabbatical years.