Dear all,
During our Akiba Israel trip, we had the opportunity to participate in an archeological dig in a cave at Beit Guvrin. We uncovered artifacts from over 2000 years ago, including pottery shards and animal bones. (I actually uncovered the jaw of a small goat or sheep, which was both fascinating and gross).
As we dug and sifted and separated and categorized, I reflected on our personal journeys.
What do we find when we take a moment in time to look inward, when we navigate the layers of experiences that form who we are? What do we find when we allow our souls to emerge from caverns of darkness to spaces of light? What do we find when we come out of hiding?
We are all sacred vessels. And even the broken shards of our lives (perhaps especially the broken shards) connect us with the Divine.
We handed over the artifacts we discovered to the archeologists. But we will carry the spiritual treasures we uncovered until eternity.
With love and shalom!
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
