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If there is any real, solid explanation for our survival throughout centuries of persecution and exile, it is our unwavering commitment to living by the timeless principles outlined in our Holy Torah.

In this article, we will examine how the rules of the Torah—the foundational laws of Jewish tradition—can be viewed as the underlying principles behind modern science’s discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics. Put simply, the new science of quantum mechanics is helping us uncover what has been present for thousands of years in the Torah: the very blueprint of the universe.

My fascination with science, and quantum physics in particular, goes beyond the discoveries themselves. What excites me most is how, surprisingly, these scientific findings seem to confirm, help us better relate to, and even deepen our understanding of the concepts found in our Holy Torah.

This idea is not new. Maimonides, also known as Rambam, was deeply passionate about this connection. He placed it right at the beginning of his code of Jewish law, making it a basic principle of the Torah. He writes:

“And what is the way that will lead to the love of Him and the fear of Him? When a person contemplates His great and wondrous works and creatures and from them obtains a glimpse of His wisdom, which is incomparable and infinite, he will straightway love Him, praise Him, glorify Him, and long with an exceeding longing to know His great name; even as David said, ‘My soul thirsts for God, for the living God’ (Psalm 42:3).

“And when he ponders these matters, he will recoil frightened, and realize that he is a small creature, lowly and obscure, endowed with slight and slender intelligence, standing in the presence of Him who is perfect in knowledge. And so David said: ‘When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers–what is man that You are mindful of him?’ (Psalm 8:4-5).”

— Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei haTorah, 2:2.

Maimonides goes even further in his introduction to his famous book, the Guide for the Perplexed (Moreh Nevuchim). He says that studying the natural sciences—like physics—is a necessary first step before studying deeper, spiritual matters like metaphysics or understanding God. In other words, one of the best ways of better appreciating the Divine is through first understanding how the world works.

Let’s now look at one of the most fascinating discoveries in modern physics: quantum entanglement.

Quantum entanglement is a fundamental principle in quantum physics. It describes a situation where two or more particles become so closely linked that their states cannot be described separately, even if they are very far apart. Imagine two particles that are connected in such a way that what happens to one instantly affects the other, no matter how much distance is between them.

This is not just a theory—experiments have demonstrated that entangled particles indeed exhibit this behavior. Their properties, such as spin or polarization, remain connected, even if the particles are separated by light-years. Albert Einstein himself found this so strange that he called it “spooky action at a distance.”

Typically, in the world we see every day, things are only connected if they are close together or interacting directly. But quantum entanglement defies this classical idea. Entangled particles act as a single system, and their properties are interdependent. If you change one particle, the other responds instantly, as if they are still together.

However, in real life, this entanglement is very fragile. It only lasts if the particles are kept isolated from all other influences. As soon as the environment interacts with them, the entanglement breaks down—a process called “decoherence.” For example, in quantum computers, the tiny units of information (qubits) can lose their entanglement because of heat or electromagnetic noise. Only in very controlled situations—like a vacuum or shielded channels—can entanglement be preserved over long distances.

Now, let’s look at a fascinating example from the Torah, as explained by Maimonides in his Mishneh Torah. Here, we see that the Torah recognizes a kind of entanglement that can persist even in the real, everyday world, not just in the lab.

Maimonides writes:

“……When does the above apply (that the unsanctified water is protected from impurity when it is in a sealed container inside a house where there is a dead body)? When the owner (of the water) was pure. If, however, the owner contracted impurity, the water is disqualified, no matter where it is located!!!!

What is implied? If a person’s water was in a sealed container and he and it were both under the same shelter as a corpse, they are both impure.

If he is outside (so he is not under the same roof as the dead body) and water that is not sanctified is inside (under the same roof as the dead body), they are both pure!

If he is inside (so he becomes impure since he is in the same house under the same roof as a dead body) and the water is outside, just as he becomes impure, his water is also disqualified (while it is outside under the sky in a pure environment)!”

— Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Parah Adumah 14.4

In this law, we are looking at entanglement in action.

In simple terms, the law says that when the owner of the water becomes impure because he was inside the house with a dead body, the water that belongs to him (and is therefore attached to him legally) also becomes impure, even if the water is far away, sealed, and outside the house! The water is “entangled” with its owner, and their states remain linked, regardless of the physical distance or barriers between them.

This is a powerful idea. The Torah teaches that certain connections—such as the bond between a person and their possessions—can persist even in the real world, not just in isolated systems. Where science would suggest that outside influences should disrupt such links, the Torah goes further and states that these connections can persist.

Torah recognized the concept of entanglement and its effects long before modern science gave it a name. This is the reason why the Torah says, “Keep far not only from an evil person but from any of his possessions,” so that the negative energy does not influence you.

Conversely, stay connected to righteous and upright people, even if it’s only through their possessions, wherever they may be, to be influenced by their positive energy.

In future discussions, God willing, I hope to share more about my theory for a unified understanding of quantum and classical physics, inspired by the wisdom of the Torah. This may help us appreciate why entanglement can be experienced even on the classical level of the physical world.

For now, we can appreciate that the Torah’s teachings continue to shed new light on the mysteries of our universe, showing us that ancient wisdom and modern science are not as far apart as we once thought.

www.rabbishlomoezagui.com

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