Watering the Eternal Ark

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

Noach built a Teiva and he used it well. For just over a year he, his family, and the animals of the world stayed on this Ark, and through it were protected from the flood. Once the Ark had served its purpose, however, it was discarded. Let us take a few moments to contrast the Ark with the Mishkan, the sanctuary that the Jews built in the desert.

The dimensions of the Teiva were 300 x 50 amos. The dimensions of the Mishkan were 100 x 50 amos. The Teiva was three floors, while the Mishkan was just one floor. In terms of dimensions the Teiva was considerably bigger. Nevertheless, the Mishkan was infinitely greater because the Mishkan was eternal.

Often in life, our goal is to get from point A to point B. The things we do and the experiences we have are purely functional. This can be well understood by considering a particular course that a student might take as pass/fail simply because it fits into his or her schedule. They will be glad to get the credits that they do get, but have every intent on discarding the text-books once they are done.

Sometimes, however, a person encounters a teacher, a topic, or classmates that make an impact on them forever.

I recall on one occasion meeting a senior doctor in a Medical Center in New York who told me that when he was a young boy in Israel his father insisted that he study Talmud, and he did so for about four years in preparation for his Bar Mitzva. He shared with me that, to this day, the thought process of the Talmud continues to help him when he is confronted with a situation that requires a difficult diagnosis. At such times he taps into that style of thinking: If this… If that… His childhood studies made an impact that affected him for decades.

One of our goals in life is to make sure that we are investing in eternity, and not just getting from point A to point B. This, by the way, is one of the major themes of Shabbos. All week we are very functional; we are goal oriented, going from point A to point B. On Shabbos, however, it is not about where you are going in your career goals, but rather about who you are. Wherever you are, it is your job to make it sacred. That is one of the reasons that family and friends are so important especially on Shabbos. Relationships can be forever.

One of a Jew’s greatest goals in life is to build a Jewish home, which is described as a mini-sanctuary. To do so effectively requires Shalom Bayis, harmony between husband and wife. A Jewish home is not merely a place of functionality to raise a new generation, then to be discarded. Through Shalom Bayis, a Jewish home- like the Mishkan- has the power to be eternal.

I once heard a story of a couple that were really having a rough time with each other. They consulted a Rabbi to find out if their marriage had hope and he explained that there was one way to find out for sure. It was by getting a Shalom Bayis plant. The Rabbi explained that he would bring one over the next evening. They should plant in their yard. If it grew, that would mean that there was hope for their marriage. If, however, it would wither and die their marriage would be the same.

Indeed, the Rabbi brought over the plant the next evening, they planted it, and within a few days the plant withered and died. The husband and wife were a bit sad about the prognosis for their marriage, and were quite surprised to see the Rabbi rushing up to their home breathlessly a few days later. He said, “I am so, so sorry. I just found out that the Shalom Bayis plant that I gave you was defective.” Noticing the incredulous look on the faces of husband and wife, he affirmed, “It is really defective. They have a recall on it. As soon as I found out I got a new one for you to plant.”

They took it and planted it in their yard just as they had planted the first one. The following night the woman slipped out of the house with a watering can. But as she approached the Shalom Bayis plant she noticed a figure was already standing by the plant and watering it. It was a tender moment when she recognized that the figure was her husband.

Many aspects of our lives are merely functional. They serve a purpose and are then discarded. There are, however, certain very special dimensions of our lives which have the potential to be eternal. With the proper “watering” we have the ability to transform people, precious moments, and relationships into eternal ones. A good question to ask ourselves every day is, “Today, have I watered G-d’s garden?”

© 2016 by TEACH613™