| Dear Congregants,
As Jacob is leaving Be’er Sheva, going on a journey to his uncle’s home, he dreams his famous vision of angels going up and down the ladder. There are many interpretations to this dream, but currently, I am fixated on the concept that the angels passing each other on the ladder are actually changing shifts. One angel was guiding Jacob through one leg of his journey and now a new angel is assigned to his care.
This seems to be appropriate to all of life’s journeys. I’m struck by how much mentors, friends, and family members impact who we become. Without one or more of them, we may have taken very different paths. As with all of life, the only constant is change. New mentors must come in to help guide us into the next iteration of our lives.
This last year, I have meditated on the image of myself standing at the edge of a cliff, taking a step, and having the cliff meet my feet as they extend forward. The path isn’t even there unil my foot touches down. This is life. The future is not written yet and who we become is open to the influence of experience and various angels on the way. It’s as if family, friends, and our own personal nature all work together to lay this path, extending the cliff to meet our feet.
We can be grateful to those who impact us and for our own will to continue living and being open to an unwritten future. Perhaps before Shabbat, we might each reach out to a past mentor or friend who was there helping lay the paths of our lives. It can be very gratifying to know you have made a difference in someone’s life.
Thank you all for helping me lay the foundation of our community and join to support one another.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Bernstein
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Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism