The Radiance of Uncertainty

Spectacular views of distant galaxies and Divine Decrees

The universe is vast. This image, provided by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, shows a section of its total view of the Virgo cluster, featuring two prominent spiral galaxies (lower right), three merging galaxies (upper right), as well as several groups of distant galaxies. Vera Rubin was a remarkable Jewish astronomer who paved the way for women in the field of astronomy. Spectacular views of distant galaxies, giant dust clouds and hurtling asteroids were revealed this week in the first images captured by a groundbreaking telescope that is embarking on a 10-year survey of the cosmos. Photograph: Vera C Rubin Observatory/AP

“Who is like the wise? Who knows the meaning of things? A man’s wisdom lights up his face…”— Kohelet 8:1

Rabbeinu Bachya explains that our Sages understand this verse as referring to God, the ultimate source of wisdom, who founded the world and revealed the Torah to Moses. “A man’s wisdom lights up his face” refers to the radiance of divine insight, especially through prophecy, where heavenly wisdom illuminates the human soul.

This verse also alludes to the more profound truth that much of God’s creation is beyond human comprehension. This idea is embedded in chukim, one of the three categories of mitzvot in the Torah. Chukim are divine decrees that defy rational explanation—commandments such as not mixing seeds, wearing garments of wool and linen together, mixing meat and milk (even though they come from the same animal), the sending of the scapegoat out on Yom Kippur, and the mysterious ritual of the red heifer. These mitzvot, says Rabbeinu Bachya, are meant to “completely baffle us.”

Life, the world, and the experience of being Jewish are all beyond full understanding. But rather than diminish their value, this mystery only increases my gratitude and awe.

I know some people for whom this unknowable element of Judaism becomes a stumbling block. They want to "understand" everything before they can participate fully.

But I often say that if we only engaged with processes we fully understood, we’d go hungry and die. None of us truly grasps the complex systems that produce our food. No scientist can create a vegetable from scratch, let alone a tree! Yet we eat. We live. We trust in the unknown.

Spiritually, we are called to cultivate that same trust and to recognize that the vast mystery of the world is not a threat but a blessing. We are not in control, and that is part of the beauty of living within the vitality of our world.

May we grow in wisdom. May God’s light shine upon you. And may we merit peace in the world, and the ultimate redemption speedily in our days.

Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos

Rabbi Yonah Bookstein