Netzah b’Yesod

by Rabbi Howard Cohen

No, wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization that destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself. –Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire

Wilderness is a necessary condition for every revelation: Whoever would wish to acquire Torah, must make himself ownerless like the wilderness. –Midrash Rabbah

Reflections / Contemplation:

In what ways is wilderness necessary to my life, to my appreciation or understanding of Judaism, and to my relationship with God?

Yesterday we looked at a passage from R. Nash who suggested that the term wilderness defies definition. How do I define the term for myself in the two passages for today?

A Commitment for Inner / Outer Action:

Today I will devote 18 minutes to learning about one threat to our remaining wilderness areas.