of nodes and parallel universes

[a re-post]

Both thoughts I am going to present are just imaginations, fantasies. They have nothing to do with anything I have learned anywhere (although they were inspired by some Chassidus and somewhat by Alan Lightman's Einstein's Dreams). Nor do I necessarily think that's how things are.

* * *

Imagine the five-dimensional space of the Universe as a system of nodes. A system of connected worlds that looks like a subway, through which your personal universe is going through. Most of the time it's a straight line, as far as you're concerned. But sometimes the train comes to a fork. At this junction, you have an ability to make a decision; you have freedom of will. Whatever decision you make will decide what the universe be like. If you decide to put the pencil on the desk, it will be the universe with the pencil lying on the desk. If you throw it into the trash bin, it will be a completely different universe.

And then the train keeps rolling.

By making decisions, you create the worlds; or, rather, you bring out of oblivion of potential one particular world that does exist in reality. Of all the different nodes connected to your current node, one particular node lights up; the rest stay gray. So far so good.

Now, imagine that G-d knows all the possible paths, all the possible nodes, all existing in potential, in parallel, in the gray dreamy sea of possibility.

Imagine that the network of the nodes is constructed in such a way that a certain number of key nodes necessarily exist; you must pass through them, whatever your journey to that station was.

Now comes the tricky bit. Imagine that for G-d, it does not make a difference which of they gray nodes became silvery lit up, and which remained gray. To Him, the sea of nodes never changes and stays the same. To you, the universe in which you live is the reality, and what could've been is a dream. But to Him all the possible universes are an ever-existing reality. And He knows them all equally.

And no decision of yours ever makes a change in that Knowledge.

* * *

This part is not related to the first part, above.

Imagine the same kind of network, except each node is not dependent on decisions you made, but is in fact a different reality. In this reality, the used car you're planning to take a look at turns out to be nice, and cheap, and in good condition, and just for you. And in this reality, this car turns out to be a piece of junk, and you've just wasted your time and money on the subway.

Now, imagine that based on the decisions you make in your life, G-d pushes you into one reality or the other. It's not always visible; it's not always evident, and it's not always linear. But sometimes it is. And because of that little piece of loshon horah that you decided to say you were directed into the universe where that first date went horribly, and both of you decided to walk away. While in the parallel universe, the parallel you (who kept his mouth shut) has a relatively good time, goes on with the shidduch, marries and lives happily ever after.

Or not.

Imagine your life, yourself as a little car, being bounced from one silver dot on the map to another. The different universes, different parallel worlds that you visit. Sometimes due to your decisions, sometimes not. With endless sea of gray dotes stretching out to eternity all around you.