By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
The Chovos HaL’vavos in his Shaar HaBechina emphasizes that knowledge and appreciation of the wonders of the world can inform and enhance our Emunah and Bitachon. The brain stands as a testament to Hashem’s infinite wisdom, a masterpiece of efficiency designed to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world. As Dovid HaMelech says in Tehillim (139:14), “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.”
Despite decades of scientific inquiry, the mystery of how the brain achieves this remarkable efficiency has remained concealed from human understanding until now. Just as every aspect of creation demonstrates Hashem’s precise planning, researchers discovered that the brain operates with extraordinary precision: each neuron devotes exactly 40-50% of its effort to individual tasks, with the remainder dedicated to coordinated teamwork.
Perhaps most awe-inspiring is that researchers (who published their findings in the Oct. 30th, 2024 edition of Cell) found this same organizational structure across five different species – from the humble fruit fly to complex monkeys. This discovery resolves a long-standing machlokes in the scientific world about whether neurons function as individual specialists or team players. The answer reveals Hashem’s infinite wisdom: they do both, in perfect harmony.
Through modern technology called “calcium imaging” – researchers can now observe thousands of neurons simultaneously, watching as they light up in patterns that reveal Hashem’s intricate design.
The research revealed that brain activity follows a fractal hierarchy – a pattern where each part mirrors the whole, demonstrating the unity in Hashem’s creation. This remarkable design allows for both individual excellence and perfect cooperation. Perhaps we can say that this may be the pshat in the pasuk – reflecting the verse in Tehillim (104:24): “How manifold are Your works, Hashem! In wisdom You have made them all; the fact that they are all in harmony.
Through computational simulations, researchers confirmed that this hierarchical structure optimizes information flow across the brain. Whether navigating unfamiliar terrain or responding to sudden threats, the brain processes and acts on new information with remarkable speed – a testament to the perfection of Hashem’s design.
The discovery that this neural organization spans across species of creation suggests that researchers have uncovered one of Hashem’s fundamental principles of design.
THE UNIVERSAL LAW OF HASHEM’S CREATION
These findings point to something even more profound: the simple rule of balancing individual focus with scalable teamwork appears to be one of Hashem’s universal principles of creation. When elements are organized into tiered networks, resources can be shared efficiently, and the system becomes robust against disruptions – kulam b’chochma asisa.
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One Response
Doctors love to say that everyones body works differently, im happy that we are starting to see actual proof that everyones body works the same way just things like size, strength and ingredients may be different.