I was really fascinated by the characterization of seeds as G-d’s microchips. The seed as an information and mechanical source for plant development is, George Ball described, a true wonder of nature. I would even go so far as to endorse Mr. Ball’s notion of “G-d’s microchip” as opposed to the WSJ’s headline of “nature’s” microchip.

This special power of the seed is captured in Jewish teachings, as well. The concept of the seed and its growth into a plant is often used in Jewish mystical teachings as a reflection of spiritual growth. The kaballah and Chasidic teachings speak of a “power of growth” within the seed in terms of driving the growth from the seed to a fully grown plant, or tree, or grain. A parallel vegetative power from the environment makes that growth possible in terms of providing nourishment from the air, earth, water and energy.

These two powers – from the seed and ground – exist in a symbiotic relationship and are linked in an essential way to produce the plant. It seems the “microchip” is the source of information and mechanics to effect the growth so that a bean seed when planted becomes a bean, an acorn becomes an oak tree, and a grain seed becomes wheat or barley. The earth’s vegetative power actualizes its potential by making possible the growth of the seed that was planted.

The vegetative power enables the tiny, dormant seed to produce bounteous growth, beautiful flowers, and delicious fruit for us to enjoy. This growth brought about by the pairing of vegetative power in the seed and environment powers serves as a metaphor for spiritual growth within the soul powers. The human body contains the information and mechanics to promote physical growth. The intellect and emotions and those we interact with act as powers behind that growth to influence our spiritual development. Like the amazing power hidden in the seed, our soul powers are allowed to develop in a way that provides beauty and love to those around us.

Archaeology Dictionary: Leslie Alvin White

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(1900–75) [Bi]

American anthropologist well known for promoting evolutionary thinking in archaeology and anthropology. He viewed culture as a system and saw the development of societies as being related to the need to capture ever greater amounts of energy in order to sustain themselves. In this, White ignored the influence of environment and one culture on another, emphasizing instead the long-term nature of cultural development and the fact that if human groups did not stay ahead they were subsumed by other groups. As a result his perception of cultural change was materialistic and rather deterministic, but it was an approach that contributed much to the development of processual archaeology. White published two important general accounts of his work: in 1949 as The science of culture: a study of man and civilization (New York: Strand), and in 1959 as The evolution of culture (New York: McGraw-Hill).

[Obit. American Anthropologist, 78 (1976), 612–29]