27 Aug Rosh Hashanah- Shofar- They Saw the Sounds (excerpt-see the sounds)

Excerpt from ‘Shofar; See the Sounds’
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax

‘…they saw the sounds of the shofar’ ;

A preliminary understanding of the physics of the shofar as it relates to sound and light using the principles of ‘the blue shift, harmonic overtone series and sympathetic vibrations’.
Inspired by the teachings of Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth 

It would seem paradoxical (and rightly so) for the Torah to say ‘ they saw the sounds’ , either as a statement referring to the shofar , or as similarly stated, when G-d spoke at the receiving of the Torah at Sinai , where again the Torah says, ‘they saw the sounds’. How is it possible to ‘see the sounds’? This article will try to explain what this means through the science of physics ;

‘they saw…’
To ‘see’,  relates to Wisdom (Chochma), and Awe (Yera).

It was through a discussion with a physicist R. A. Bernstien that the application of  physics principle known as the ‘the blue shift’ was brought to my attention as it relates to the sounding of the shofar. In brief, the ‘blue shift’ is a physical principle of light. The most intense light perceived as intense white light, is actually a blue (purplish) light. As the light travels through space, it eventually ends up  being red light, thus, the blue shifts to red. If you were to look at the continuum of light from ‘the side’, you would see every  every color in the spectrum as it shifts from the color blue to red (and vice versa). This phenomenon is likened to the Highest Light of G-d. From G-d’s Highest Light, light passes through the contraction (tsimtsum), which acts like a prism, and thus all the 10 colors of the spiritual spectrum are realized. In the Highest Light, or the ‘blue light’, is contained the spectrum of all colors , waves and frequencies of light.

 
To ‘see’, is the highest of physical senses and relates to Wisdom (Chochma).
As physics proves, light-colors have waves, or frequencies. This relates to the next idea of sound.

‘…the sounds’
To hear, relates to Binah (Understanding), representing the ability to establish and equilibrium/balance. Binah is also the source of  the (7) attributes (aka the emotive experiences) of the heart that corresponds to 7 colors seen as the 7 colors of the rainbow . When there becomes the interinclusion of Chochama-wisdom of the mind (and the 3 concealed colors), and Binah-wisdom of the heart is the experienc of Daat-knowledge (an experience of Yichud; unity or oneness). This forms the triad of Chochma-Binah-Daat also forming the name Chabad.  This is the phemonon  of synesthesia, the unification of the senses. This also explains the 10 Emanations of Light , aka the 10 Sefirot.

In the study of physics as it relates to music and sound, there is a phenomenon called the ‘harmonic overtone series’ fig1. If one were to strike a single string on a piano and you were to listen closely, you would discover the phenomenon of ‘sympathetic vibrations’. The striking of that single note will cause the other strings to vibrate. In fact, when we analyze the single note further, we can see the phenomenon of ‘the harmonic overtone series’. What we initially hear when a note is sounded acoustically, is the ‘Tonic’ note.  What we aren’t aware of are the many principles of vibrations at work that comprise that note eg  ‘C’.

The harmonic overtones series , is an ascending series of other notes which are activated simultaneously upon initial striking of a note with varying frequency that are resonating to give us the recognized (tonic) note of ‘C’ .The overtones of a note stealthily affect pitch and timbre of the ‘sound’ sometimes referred to as ‘coloring’  or characteristics of the note or instrument. This ascending series of notes of the harmonic overtone series continues to ascend in to the range of inaudible frequencies, but continue to have an effect on other notes (or frequencies). This can be scientifically measured. Most phenomenal is that each of the notes of the ‘overtone series’ has its own ‘overtone series’ which compounded produces an infinite series of notes or frequencies.

The resonations or frequencies of the higher notes of the series actually act to pulsate, or drive the frequencies of lower notes. This reveals an inter-inclusion or ‘oneness’ in the relationship of the frequencies themselves. We hear the shofar sounds the  ‘shevarim’- the 3-articulated blasts (notes) begin the ‘breaking down of our tshuvah’,  then we  hear and fulfill  the  halachic obligation to hear  the min. 9 teruah, the rapid staccato blasts (notes) ‘breaking down our tshuvah even more, we can then imagine that these articulated or staccato notes are progressively elevating the elongated sound of the ‘tokiah’ , enveloping  and pushing the sound  of all the smaller ‘pieces’ of our tshuvah higher, as one to Heaven.  Moreover, to add to this idea, when a note is more acutely articulated, especially in a wind instrument, the beginning of the note will have a natural tendency at the moment of articulation to sound (pitch) ‘sharp’, or in other words, very slightly and momentarily the note will be higher in pitch, therefore having again an ‘elevating’ effect on the notes of the harmonic overtone series and the series of notes to be played ( as we consider the driving-upward effect of frequencies/notes  of the shofar released into the world).

As we gather from the world of science the relationship between sound and light ,we can begin to more clearly have insight as to how ‘they saw the sounds of the shofar;

Light and color can be measured by wave or frequency. The ‘blue shift’ principle reveals, as the light travels away from its source, it changes from blue to red and all the colors of the spectrum can be found in between. Light is connected to sight, and Kabbalistically light and sight are associated with Wisdom (Chochma), and Awe (Yera) of G-d.

Sound and the harmonic overtones series reveals that there are also measurable frequency or wave patterns, although, in a more ‘physical’ or lower dimension than light. Kabbalistically, sound in relation to sight is of a lower level of senses (Kingdom and Lowliness-Humility vs Wisdom and Awe).

‘they saw the sounds of the shofar’ (…they heard the lightning)

What does it mean to say they heard the sounds of the shofar? From a state of Kingdom (Malchut) – Humility and Lowliness (Bitul), they were able to not only hear one single sound as a  note, but as the overtone series illustrates to us through its ‘infinite’ pattern, they were able to hear all the notes, all the frequencies and overtones…at one time.
Through the comparatively less elevated state of Kingdom and Humility-Lowliness, they were able to access lofty elevated state of Wisdom (Chochma) and Awe (Year). They were able to go beyond the more physically bounded ‘hearing’ of the frequencies, and ‘see’ the frequencies in the form of light. The inverse paradoxical effect takes place with ‘hearing the lightning’.

We live in a paradoxical world. But here, with the experience of the Shofar as it was at Sinai there is no paradox, but a true inter-inclusion… a Oneness.
They did not just hear the sound , they heard all the sounds of the universe.
They did not just see the color of light, they saw the entire spectrum of color and light….

‘…. they saw the sounds of the shofar’…meaning they simultaneously saw – and – heard all the sounds… and all the light of the universe through the experience of the shofar.

Shona Tova,
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling
lawrenceLax.com
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com

fig 1
Harmonic Overtone Series;

The primary sound is the first note shown here (the tonic) is the actual note sound we hear.  All the other notes you see are a product of the initial note sounded and are ‘concealed’ within that first (tonic) note sound. It is the harmonic overtones that give the sound its many characteristics as it resonates through the physical world. Each one of the notes that you see hear have their own harmonic overtones. The series thus repeats and we end up with what is close to an ‘infinite’  number of note sounds, all the note sounds,  to the degree that we can see that all sounds ie notes are a product of one single(infinite) sound or note.  The principles of sympathetic vibration apply. When we sound one note, we trigger the sounding of all notes.

The sound of a single sound of the blast of the shofar is thus all the sounds of the universe.

Shona Tova,
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax

Addictions and Counseling
lawrenceLax.com
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com