The survival of the Jewish people throughout history, says Eduard Shyfrin, founder of the Kabbalah of Information theory and author of articles on the Kabbalah page of The Jerusalem Post website, is based on what he calls The Logic of the Impossible. Speaking with the Magazine, Shyfrin, who resides in Europe, explained his point of view on the subject and how it connects to current issues around the world.
What is The Logic of the Impossible?
The Logic of the Impossible is how the Jewish people have lived since the time of our forefather Abraham. There are many examples. The Exodus from Egypt was impossible but became possible. Mordecai and Esther’s victory over Haman and the entire story of Purim was impossible but became possible. The defeat of the Syrian Greeks, the best military machine in the world, by poorly trained and badly armed Jewish troops under the leadership of Judah Maccabee was impossible but became possible. The survival of the Jewish nation during 2,000 years of exile was impossible but became possible.
The return of the Jewish people to Israel over the last 120 years was impossible, but we are back home. We survived among great nations despite being outnumbered, unarmed, and persecuted – because we have a much more powerful weapon than anything made of matter: the Jewish spirit of the Torah.I am positive that victory over the forces of sheer evil, which seems impossible to our enemies, is possible.
What are your thoughts about the current situation in Israel?
I am not a politician, and what I am going to say is my personal opinion. The wars in Ukraine and Israel are the coordinated attack of the dictatorships on the free world. Neither President [Vladimir] Putin nor any of the officials of the Russian Federation have condemned Hamas. The message is clear. The Middle East has been torn by sectarian violence between Shi’ites and Sunnis – Syria, Yemen, Lebanon – fueled and financed by Iran. Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East and, at the same time, the only country that stands in the way of Iranian dominance. The Arab leaders must understand this. For Iran, its goal to destroy Israel is only an intermediate stage. Iran’s final goal is dominance over the entire Middle East.
What do you think about the two-state solution that has been proposed?
It is always win-win to talk about two states for the Jews and the Palestinians, but we need to bear in mind what King Solomon said: ‘There is a time and a season for everything.’ Any attempt to implement a good theoretical idea at the wrong time and without the necessary preconditions can produce the opposite result. One example is the implementation of the ideas of Karl Marx in Russia. In 1917, Russia transitioned from a state of ‘private property’ to a state of no private property.’ The transition was bloody and destructive, leading to civil war and eventually to Stalin’s repressions. At the beginning of the 1990s, Russia made an opposite transition of a criminal character. The nation’s wealth was concentrated in a handful of individuals and clans. That is definitely not what was conceived by Marx.
I believe that coexistence and cooperation between Jews and Palestinians is possible only if Iran becomes a democratic and civilized state.
The Middle East is rich in energy, the labor is relatively cheap, and Israel is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. All these factors constitute the basis for the meteoric economic growth of the region. But violence and terrorism, incited and financed by Iran, create instability and distract investments. The Arab people must realize that the only obstacle to peace and prosperity in the Middle East is Iran.Today, some people say that Hamas was provoked into attacking Israel. In my view, that’s a grave mistake. All dictatorships are predatory by definition. The notion of ‘provocation’ and the notion of predator’ are incompatible. It’s in the nature of the predator to kill its prey.
Tell us about your research.
I published my first book on the Kabbalah of Information, titled From Infinity to Man, in 2018. Since then, I have published more than 50 articles on my page on The Jerusalem Post website. Currently, I have an additional five articles in the pipeline about the Kabbalah of Information and quantum physics. The plan is to compile the articles into the new book, which will be called The Relativity of Death.
You are an active supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia. Many people are afraid of expressing their opinions in public. What led to your taking a public position on the issue?
Many people say, ‘We are small. We cannot change anything.’ That is not true. I believe that the fundamental laws of physics can be applied to the functioning of society. In my article ‘Aggression against Ukraine and Theory of Chaos,’ published in The Jerusalem Post, I put forward the idea that the Theory of Chaos describes the changes in society. The minuscule action of one individual can radically change the course of events.
But there is more to it than that. In the 4th century BCE, the philosopher Eubulides formulated the famous ‘sorites paradox’ [If a heap is reduced by a single grain at a time, at what exact point does it cease to be considered a heap?]. The simple meaning is that one grain of sand doesn’t make a heap, and two grains of sand don’t make a heap. The addition of one grain of sand doesn’t make a heap. There are many other examples in physics and genetics. The basic question is How many grains of sand make a heap? The analogy is clear. The actions of one individual may make a difference. But when the number of individuals taking action reaches a certain critical value, the changes are fundamental.
I was born in Ukraine and spent a significant part of my life there. I don’t want to live in a world governed by dictators. I condemn the barbaric aggression of Russia against Ukraine, and I have made my small contribution. Immediately after the war began, I wrote a letter of protest to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in London, and I have published several articles against the aggression. I give donations directly and in cooperation with World Jewish Relief, a UK charity.
Is it dangerous to go against Russia? Are you worried?
Yes. I have received threats, and my children have received threats. I was approached by criminals sent from Russia. There was extortion, which has been confirmed by physical evidence. I filed complaints with the police forces of the United Kingdom, France, and Monaco. A few days ago, I learned from the Russian mass media that I am wanted by the Russian Federation. It was anticipated. Stalin’s practices have returned to Russia.
A former employee of mine who was prosecuted for theft, and currently lives in Slovakia as a political refugee, sent a report about me to the Russian Federation about my support of Ukraine. The director of one of his companies in Cyprus filed a false complaint with the Russian police. I was not notified and was not represented by a lawyer.
What are your concluding words?
I want to remind the ‘bad guys’ about the fate of the original ‘bad guy’ – the biblical Pharaoh of Egypt. Since that time, we have had different pharaohs in every generation, but all of them without exception shared the fate of the first one.