Let us examine the well-known principle of אֵין מוּקְדָּם וּמְאוּחָר בַּתּוֹרָה, that the Torah is not written in chronological order.  As many deep Jewish matters that we are first introduced to at a young age, we often accept them without thinking about their broader philosophical implications. 

The Gemara asks: If so, let the Torah write first that which occurred in the first month and then let it write that which occurred in the second month, as the portion of the Paschal lamb preceded the beginning of the book of Numbers chronologically. Rav Menashiya bar Taḥlifa said in the name of Rav: That is to say that there is no earlier and later, i.e., there is no absolute chronological order, in the Torah, as events that occurred later in time can appear earlier in the Torah.

וְנִיכְתּוֹב בְּרֵישָׁא דְּחֹדֶשׁ רִאשׁוֹן, וַהֲדַר נִיכְתּוֹב דְּחֹדֶשׁ שֵׁנִי. אָמַר רַב מְנַשְּׁיָא בַּר תַּחְלִיפָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת אֵין מוּקְדָּם וּמְאוּחָר בַּתּוֹרָה.

Rav Pappa said: This principle applies only when the Torah deals with two separate matters, but within one matter, that which is written earlier occurred earlier, and that which is written later occurred later; as, if you do not say so but you claim that there is no definite order within each matter, then the hermeneutic principle: When a generalization is followed by a detail the generalization refers only to that which is specified in the detail, is problematic. This principle is valid only if there is a definite order to the verses and words in each matter. If there is no definite order, perhaps it is actually a detail followed by a generalization, which is interpreted by means of an alternate hermeneutic principle with different results.

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא בִּתְרֵי עִנְיָינֵי, אֲבָל בְּחַד עִנְיָינָא, מַאי דְּמוּקְדָּם — מוּקְדָּם, וּמַאי דִּמְאוּחָר — מְאוּחָר. דְּאִי לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי, ״כְּלָל וּפְרָט — אֵין בַּכְּלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁבַּפְּרָט״, דִּילְמָא פְּרָט וּכְלָל הוּא!

There is a basic rule, that there is no post or prior in the Torah, i.e., there is no linear order in the Torah. However, the Talmud qualifies this 

רש״׳ שם

אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה - לא הקפידה תורה על סדר מוקדם ומאוחר ופרשיות דנאמרו תחלה הקדימו המאוחרות לה:

For a discussion of how universal this principle is, and to what degree it is limited see Ramban Numbers 16:1. 

Shalah (Shenei Luchot HaBerit Torah Shebikhtav, Chukat, Torah Ohr, 29) asks, how could a perfect Torah be written in a disorderly manner, is it not perfect? The answer of course, is that it is perfect. It is written seemingly out of order because of its qualities that we cannot fully grasp.

"תורת השם תמימה", "G–d's Torah is perfect," refers to the aspect of Torah we have previously called רשימו, a category of נשמה, actually "the soul of souls." This "soul" is absent in our lives, since we have explained that our souls are souls which have parted [temporarily] from the original all-embracing soul. Only in the future, will Torah be able to become manifest in that degree of perfection, תמימות. An example of the "perfection" that is lacking in Torah while we are here on earth is the תמימה aspect of the red heifer that the Torah prescribes, but that we cannot comply with because of the exalted and mystical nature of that legislation. Once that stage is reached, the משפטי ה' צדקו יחדו level, also the most profound aspects of the social legislation of Torah will become known, and we shall have attained that spiritual niveau. It sounds strange that Torah should have been presented in a sequence which requires much of it to be restudied as we reach higher intellectual and spiritual levels. When we examine Torah legislation there actually is no such thing as "earlier" and "later" in terms of time. We must not make the mistake of thinking that certain parts of Torah should have preceded other parts. In the highest realms, the hidden mystical domains, there is no such thing as "time," i.e. "before" and "after." 

תורת ה' תמימה כו'. תורת ה' תמימה מדבר בחלק רשימו בחינה הנקראת נשמה לנשמה הנעדרת עתה ונחסרת מאתנו בעוד בחיים חיותינו כמו פרה אדומה תמימ"ה, ולעתיד תתמם. וגם רומז תמימה על דרך (שמות כו, כד) יחדיו יהיו תמים. והנה רז"ל אמרו (פסחים ו, ב) אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה, וקשה איך לא תהיה תורה הקדושה מסודרת בסדר. אלא הכי פירושו, באמת אין מוקדם ומאוחר, ואל תטעה לומר שדבר זה צריך להיות מוקדם וזה מאוחר, זה אינו, כי באמת אין מוקדם כו', אלא בסוד הנעלם ברזי רזין יחדיו תמים ומסודר אף כי עיני בשר לנו לפי פשוטו, זה אינו אלא היא תמימה:

In psychology as in Ruchniyus, there is no time. Yesh Koneh Olamo B’sha’h achas - one can acquire his world (to come) in one moment, or never, or over years. So too with rapprochement in relationships. The lack of complete chronology in the Torah speaks to its layers of meaning and omnisignificant aspects. In love and other deep relationships we also can achieve timelessness.  One act of repair can counter years of misery.  Of course, Chas V’shalom the opposite is true as well; one act of betrayal can destroy years of trust

for Video Shiur click here to listen:  Psychology of the DAF Pesachim 6

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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