In this episode, Rabbi Reinman points out that there is an area of the world that projects its power, hard and soft, to every corner of the globe and that world history takes place in this area.
Our study of world history and our search for the forces of destiny that shape its progress begin with two questions, or rather, a question and a riddle. The question is quite simple. Which period of history could be considered the best time ever in human experience? The second question is a riddle whose solution seems deceptively complicated but is quite simple as well.
The length of the Equator is 24,901 miles, so let us round it off and say that the Equator is 25,000 miles long. Measured in feet, considering that a mile is equivalent to 5,280 feet, the Equator is about 132,000,000 feet long. Let’s also assume for the purpose of this riddle that the surface of the earth all along the Equator is smooth, solid, and uniform with no mountains, valleys, or oceans. We take a rope that is exactly 25,000 miles long and draw it around the Equator so that its ends touch. It fits snugly and lies flat on the surface all the way around.
Now, we add to one end of the rope an additional piece that is 60 feet long, and we bring the new ends together. The rope now measures 132,000,060 feet. Assuming there is no gravity, the rope will float freely and uniformly off the surface around the Equator.
How far off the ground will the rope be at every point along the Equator as a result of the addition of 60 feet to its length? Take a few moments to consider this riddle, and if you cannot come up with a precise solution, take an intuitive guess.
The answer to the question and the solution to the riddle provides valuable insight into the study of world history, but before we can discuss them, we have to define the term world history.
What is the study of world history? It is certainly not the study of the local histories of every corner of the world. Rather, it is the study of the history of the world as a whole. It assumes that the world as a whole has a common origin and a common destiny, and it seeks to identify and trace the forces that drive it toward that destiny...

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