Discovering Torah in Science: Rabbi Zamir Cohen’s Newest Book

When Rabbi Zamir Cohen first began working on his Torah-and-science booklet more than a decade ago, he never imagined it would become the foundation for a best-selling series. What began as a single volume grew into three full books, with a fourth on the way. The third installment, The Transformation 3, recently arrived in bookstores and Hidabroot shops, continuing his mission of showing how Torah and science are not at odds, but in harmony.

“It’s amazing we’ve come this far,” Rabbi Cohen says. “At first, I didn’t think there would be much more to say beyond the original booklet. But over time, new topics came to light, and new discoveries kept emergingת some from research I came across, and some from questions people asked me.”

This third book takes the connection between Torah and science to even deeper levels. Rabbi Cohen explores topics like quantum mechanics, parallel universes from a Kabbalistic perspective, the flow of future to present, and even the contraction of the moon. He also discusses more familiar topics like bee honey, rabbit digestion, honoring parents and longevity, and the sharpness of the Jewish mind.

He often worked on the book late at night, after giving lectures, when he could concentrate without distractions. “Some chapters were things I wanted to explore,” he says. “Others came from people asking questions. For example, many asked about whether rabbits and hyraxes really chew their cud, as described in the Torah. Some claimed science contradicts the Torah here. But once I looked deeply, I found it actually proves the Torah's accuracy.”

He explains that in ancient times, what we call “rabbits” today were referred to as “shafan”, which is actually the rock hyrax. Historical evidence, such as Roman coins from Spain showing hyraxes, supports this. “People confuse the names, but the traits match perfectly. This is a case where careful research confirmed the Torah’s truth,” he says.

Another interesting topic in the book is how bee honey is kosher, even though bees themselves are not. “It’s a good question, how can something from a non-kosher insect be kosher?” Rabbi Cohen explains. “But science has shown that bees store nectar in a second stomach where it turns into honey. There are no body parts involved in the process. This matches exactly what our sages said that honey doesn’t come from the bee’s body.”

One of the most fascinating chapters is about “Parallel Universes in Kabbalah.” Scientists today know that an electron can appear in two places at once. “It’s like saying someone is sitting on two chairs in two rooms at the same time, it sounds impossible. But in quantum physics, it’s real,” he explains. “From this, some scientists now believe that there may be entire universes that mirror ours.”

“But in Kabbalah, this has been known for centuries,” he continues. “The Zohar says that every action we do affects parallel spiritual worlds. Our world isn’t the only layer, there are many levels, like layers of an onion. What scientists are just discovering, our holy books have taught all along.”

He includes diagrams in the book showing these concepts, and even touches on topics like the Big Bang, the power of thought, and the famous Schrödinger’s cat paradox. “When you study Kabbalah, you see how these mysteries make sense. It’s truly eye-opening.”

Another surprising chapter is about how the future can affect the present, based on recent discoveries by physicist Professor Yakir Aharonov. “He showed that future events can influence what happens now. In Judaism, we already have this idea like when Esther became queen because Hashem was preparing the solution before the problem. These examples show that the future is connected to the present.”

Where does Rabbi Cohen get his science knowledge? “Whenever our sages mention something scientific, I look into it. For example, our sages say the moon used to shine like the sun, but it was made smaller. Hashem told it to ‘go make yourself smaller.’ Spiritually, this has deep meaning. But even scientifically, researchers now believe the moon was once a fiery star that cooled down. NASA even has illustrations showing this process. Our sages were ahead of their time.”

Why does he think people today are so interested in Torah and science?

“In our generation, science has become so advanced that people started to feel like they control the world. This led some to think religion is no longer needed. Also, because the Christian church once opposed science, a myth grew that science and religion are enemies. Sadly, this idea reached Jews too.”

“But in Judaism, there was never a conflict. Great rabbis like Maimonides always embraced science as a way to understand Hashem’s world. They called secular knowledge the ‘maidservants’ of Torah. And now, we are seeing science confirm what was already written in our holy books.”

Rabbi Zamir Cohen’s The Transformation 3 is more than just a book, it’s an invitation to see the beauty and truth of Torah in the wonders of creation. It’s a bridge for those who think with their minds, and long for something that speaks to their souls.