Saturday, December 31, 2016

Pearls and Sparks


Hebrew is also called the “holy tongue." It describes each thing according to the function it represents in creation. The word for pearl in Hebrew, פנינה (penina)comes from the word פנימי (pnimi), which means internal. A pearl is made when a mollusk is bothered by an intruder. The mollusk slowly encapsulates the intruder by excreting calcium carbonate again and again, eventually forming a precious stone in its inner chamber. More than a plattitude or quip, a pearl is an insight that invites considerable contemplation.
“Sparks” of Torah have dispersed throughout the world, to be recovered by the various exiles of the Jewish people.  Disguised and muddled, they bare a faint reminiscence to the light they originate from.  My hope is that by sharing some short Torah thoughts related to observations of the world, readers will be enticed to mull them over, search for more sparks, and form pearls of their own.

No comments:

Post a Comment