Dear all,
As Maya and Eli gazed into the pond, two turtles popped their heads out and gazed right back at them. It was a precious moment in time, and I thought deeply about the two worlds coming together – words that generally live above and beneath a surface.
Judaism so often seems to emphasize similar opposites:
Kosher/ Traif (not-kosher).
Male/ Female
Holy/ Ordinary
Shabbat/ Rest of the Week
But in truth, the emphasis isn’t really about the separation. It’s about the points of contact.
When does Shabbat begin? On Friday evening when the sun hasn’t quite set. It’s not dark. It’s not light. It’s in-between. And the magic of in-between is incredible.
The same goes for all these other examples above.
We have a lot to learn about the awe of in-between. If we can work to create connections rather than divisions, if we can strive to cross the surfaces that separate us, if we can reach out to find unity in our very complicated time …. Then we will allow heaven and earth to kiss.
Maya and Eli waived good-bye as the turtles swam beneath the surface. My kids can’t wait to see them again, crossing the boundary beneath these two worlds.
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
