Last night I got an automated call from the Sudbury Emergency Management System telling me that due to a low water table there is an immediate water ban during daytime hours. I hardly ever water my lawn and garden unless the kids are really determined to turn on the hose, which they always seem to want to do, so the ban is not going to impact me too much. However, while we are on that topic let me tell you another frustration I have with my garden.
You see there is one area of our front lawn which we try to beautify by planting perennials, shrubs, flowers along with a healthy dose of mulch. When I first put out the mulch this year and planted the flowers it looked so good and beautiful, but now, every few inches another weed is creeping through the ground. Every few days I find myself plucking out the weeds and trying to keep the look right as well as a watering every so often. I wish I could have just planted the nice stuff and not have to constantly deal with it, perhaps not touching a leaf until the fall when we begin to rake the millions of leaves. Unfortunately or fortunately (it depends on perspective) it seems that my work is cut out for us and we will be busy sprucing up the lawn and plants for the next few months.
Over the years, my garden has taught me many things, for example if you do not remove the weeds, you can plant all the good plants that you like, but it will not look good and will not grow well. In addition planting beautiful plants and flowers alone is not going to be enough, one also has to continuously work on removing the negative stuff and weeds. It’s an ongoing job and not just a quick fix, sitting back and enjoying the garden doesn’t work for too long, the garden needs nurturing and watering. And of course sometimes we have to contend with watering bans and other regulations in how we manage our gardens.
But what does Horticulture have to do with Judaism?
Well how do we look at Judaism, what are the main ingredients that will make Judaism be a beautiful element in our lives, something that we will find meaningful, enjoyable and enduring for our children and ourselves?
One thing is certain, there are no quick fixes and we can’t just sit back and hope for the best, incorporating Judaism and its values into our lives takes ongoing work and commitment. But its deeper than that, Judaism asks us to refine ourselves so that we don’t just indulge in everything and anything, rather, sometimes we are asked to refrain from certain things, sometimes Judaism is about holding back and achieving some self discipline as is exemplified by some of the various commandments. In a sense Judaism asks us to weed out the weeds in our lives, to uproot the negative traits in our personalities, to prune certain tendencies and to be mindful of the what we can and should do and vice versa. In Hebrew this is known as Sur Mera, removing and pruning negativity.
However, weeding weeds alone is not enough, we need to plant flowers, shrubs and perennials; we need to add and implant beauty into our lives. We need to find ways to add goodness, acts of kindness, and beautiful Mitzvoth into our lives, so that the landscape is not just bare of weeds but also full of lush vegetation and beautiful flowers. Some of these flowers may be one time acts and some might be perennials that come back and become part of who we are. In Hebrew this process is known as Aseh Tov – doing good.
There is one more dimension of this process and that is the commitment to taking care of the garden no matter the circumstances. If we start to take care of it but run into a busy few weeks where it takes a back role in our lives, our garden may just disappear; it may dry up, or become covered with weeds. A good garden requires an ongoing commitment to nurture and sustain, whether it’s convenient or not, or rain or shine. In Hebrew, this concept is known as Kabbalat Ol which symbolizes submitting and committing yourself to an ideal and cause.
Judaism too, requires commitment that regardless of the circumstances we will tend to our garden, to our personality. Sometimes it may not be convenient, we may not be in the mood, or there may be too many other seemingly pressing things that seem more important. Nevertheless, our commitment to nurturing our garden will ensure its longevity, its endurance, and the beauty and pleasure that we will get from the garden.
These three ingredients are alluded to in this week’s Torah portion, which describes the three families of Levites and their jobs in the desert in carrying and constructing various elements of the Tabernacle. The Levite family of Gershon which means to “Remove” carried the protective coverings of the Tabernacle and symbolized removing negativity. The Levite family of Kehat which means to “gather together” carried the inner vessels and items used for the good and special things done in the Tabernacle, and they symbolized adding in good. Merari the third Levite family carried the Pillars of the Tabernacle and their name stems from the root “bitterness”, symbolized humility and submission to a higher cause. Together these three elements represent a wholesome approach to Judaism and the various important elements that create a wholesome Judaism.
The lesson is clear, for a healthy balance of wholesome and enduring Judaism, these three ingredients of Adding in Good, Removing Negativity, and Commitment and Submission to a Higher Cause, are three tools that will enable us to live a happy, rich and wholesome Jewish life that will be long lasting and sustainable for both ourselves and our children.
If anyone would like to help out with some practical gardening or some spiritual gardening, give me a shout!
Good Shabbos
Yisroel