Review by Ellylion -- Mysteries Of the First Instant

[Ellylion]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Mysteries Of the First Instant" by Daniel Friedmann.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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How did it all begin? What preceded the very first moment of the birth of our known universe? What led to the existence of all beings? Mysteries Of the First Instant by Daniel Friedmann, the first book of the Origin series, tells us that the first three verses of the book of Genesis hold the answers if we read them carefully. And then great Isaac Luria, amazing Rashi, and heroic Tzemach Tzedek among many other seers and scholars of the past and present, including the author of this book, will give us important keys to understanding not only the Torah but even modern science.

The book consists of two parts. In the first part, the author has a conversation with his teenage nephew Seb, a smart and open-minded young man, who is always eager to learn more from his "uncle Dan." Seb represents us, the audience. The author talks with Seb about the mysteries of the universe, including the Big Bang theory, and compares them to the teachings of the Torah and the revelations of the Lurianic Kabbalah. For example, the author mentions that the enigmatic and harmonious concept of the ten sefirot can be compared to the Standard Model of particle physics. He also tries to explain why the particles of light don't experience time, from both scientific and religious points of view. The second part of the book provides us with a summary of all the discussed earlier questions.

I believe, it is worth mentioning that the book has an award-winning author with a scientific background. He also studies religious disciplines and thus can be considered an expert in both fields.

There are so many things to like about this book. First and foremost, it helps to understand modern science better. The author explains the complicated, at least to me, questions the easiest way possible. Speaking about the building blocks of our universe, he brings Lego as an example. Also, he tells very interesting and touching stories about the great religious figures of the past. It was so wonderful to learn that Isaac Luria, a pillar of the Kabbalistic studies, had a very gentle and delicate approach toward all living beings, including the smallest insects; a great teacher and prominent commentator of the Torah, Rashi, was very humble and always ready to help young students to understand the Torah better. But my most favorite aspect of this book was that the author changed the letter "h" to "k" in the name of God to spell it "Elokim" because he didn't want to mention it in vain.

Another very important aspect of this book is that science and religion don't contradict each other, as it clearly shows, at least, in my understanding. According to the mystical tradition, the world was created, using the letters, and these letters — 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet — can help us to understand the microscopic world of elementary particles better. Thus, both religious and mystical traditions should go hand in hand with science to solve the mysteries of the origin of the universe.

There was nothing to dislike about this book. It was professionally edited, so I gladly awarded it with 4 out of 4 stars. This book doesn't deserve any lower rating simply because of its educational values. The conversational writing style makes the reading of this book even more enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to those readers who are interested in the origin and development of the universe and the Big Bang theory in particular. It includes a large number of figures and a very informative glossary that explain all the questions the book raises. For those who study Jewish mysticism, the book can become a fascinating source of information. Teen readers like Seb can find many answers to scientific or religious questions there. I am more than sure that the book is suitable for readers of any religious background or non-believers - I have a Christian background but enjoyed it immensely. Also, if you ever felt that the physics of elementary particles or the quantum mechanics were too complicated for you to look deeper into them (like I always did), you should read this book.

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Mysteries Of the First Instant
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[Raluca_Mihaila]

I agree with you, this is a great work that can provoke us to ask new questions. I love books that stimulate the mind and the soul. Wonderful review!

[Rayah Raouf]

Wow. this is a very informative review. Personally, I am not a fan of reading non-fiction or religious texts, but you made this book sound interesting.

[Ellylion]

Wow. this is a very informative review. Personally, I am not a fan of reading non-fiction or religious texts, but you made this book sound interesting.

Thank you very much! It's a great book - quite unusual

[NetMassimo]

The problem with matching religious scriptures with scientific principles is that you have to interpret something that, in Judaism, was written millennia ago. Honestly, I'm always skeptical about such interpretations. Regardless, thank you for your great review!

[Ellylion]

The problem with matching religious scriptures with scientific principles is that you have to interpret something that, in Judaism, was written millennia ago. Honestly, I'm always skeptical about such interpretations. Regardless, thank you for your great review!

Thanks so much! By the way the author makes very bold predictions about possible future scientific discoveries

[kandscreeley]

It's interesting how the author has a conversation with his nephew as a way to give information. That's different and makes the book more conversational. Still, I don't think it's a book for me. Thanks.

[PeterRabitt20]

I heard of the mysticism of the 22 Hebrew letters, but never quite delved into it. This book might be a good start for me. Thank you for your review.

[Ellylion]

I agree with you, this is a great work that can provoke us to ask new questions. I love books that stimulate the mind and the soul. Wonderful review!

Thank you so much!

[Ellylion]

It's interesting how the author has a conversation with his nephew as a way to give information. That's different and makes the book more conversational. Still, I don't think it's a book for me. Thanks.

Thank you very much for your comments!

[Ellylion]

I heard of the mysticism of the 22 Hebrew letters, but never quite delved into it. This book might be a good start for me. Thank you for your review.

This book is a great start for sure because the author explains quite complicated topics the easiest way. If you are interested, you should definitely read it Thank you very much for your comments!

[Upeksha]

Sounds like a great book. I really like the way the author is giving out those educational information. I will be on the lookout for this book. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I am not very fond of the creationism based books. But I enjoyed your descriptive review. Thank you

[kdstrack]

I like the format of a discussion with his nephew, and I appreciate your comment about the author's explanations of physics and quantum mechanics. The author has wisely put these concepts in easy and understandable language. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Saint Bruno]

I wish to learn the author's views on this topic. But I think science and religion are parallel in terms of how the Universe began. Thanks for the insightful review and recommendation.