Mourning Dove : Harbinger of Our Return

This is a Mourning Dove. She’s poised for flight. Savor the photo for a moment. Take in the strength of the muscles, ready for launch. And marvel at the delicacy of the feathers, glinting gold in the eastern light. This dove is an archetype of force and gentleness combined. The ballet of her flight requires the exquisite balance of underlying strength, shaped and guided by the controlling feathers which give her lift and direction.

Genesis recounts how Noah built an ark, a refuge, into which he gathered all the world’s animals to shelter them from the impending Flood, the “reset” intended to restore life on the proper basis. Towards the conclusion of the Flood, Noah sent forth a dove three times. The first foray, the dove merely returned. Then she brought back an olive sprig. And the final time, she didn’t return, tradition teaching that she’d found hospitable conditions to stay. Each flight confirmed the world was becoming progressively more suitable for Noah’s mission: the restoration of life to the earth.

This is a moment when we return. We return to our sacred space. We return to being in the presence of our holy community. We return to the patterns of our lives through which we observe and remember Shabbat. We return. We return in stages, acknowledging the progress we’ve made, recognizing we and others still face challenges ahead. The Dove’s mission was a harbinger of Noah’s success. We too will return to the world, utilizing the same strength and gentleness that epitomize this Dove and HaShem’s love for His world.