Northern Shovelers : Our Agency Dial

These are Northern Shovelers. They’re feeding. They have a huge bill which they use to root around in the pond stirring up food. These flocks keep their heads down, underwater, swimming in spirals over and over to fuel up for the coming winter. They’re attracted to rich waters like these where they can bulk up against the cold. For ducks, this is instinctual behavior. There’s no decision-making process involved, where they choose one option over another. They’re hard-wired to swim in these circles, and that’s what they do. The shape of their bills and their flock behavior both evidence how their successful survival has evolved over time.

In Biblical times, food availability was much more an issue than today. It’s fascinating to consider this issue in the light of human agency. One end of the “agency dial” is Joseph’s dream-inspired preparation in Egypt. He stockpiled crops during seven years of plenty to have reserves against the upcoming seven lean years. The opposite end of the “agency dial” is the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, where they ate manna from heaven. Manna simply appeared in the morning to be gathered up. Both scenarios, in Egypt and in the wilderness, were created by HaShem, but the ways sustenance was assured were radically different.

This shemitah year challenges us to turn our own dials. Our typical agency, our own predilection to make things happen, can be dialed back. We can experience instead simply creating space for events to evolve of their own accord. It is a challenge to change our approach to living - explicitly and intentionally - particularly when it is generally successful. But the tu(r)ning of the dial allows us to experience other ways of living, adding depth and richness to our awareness. New facets are created. Faith is deepened. The Shovelers are heads-down and pre-programmed. Our traditions by contrast bestow this seventh-year alert to be fully conscious in where we set our dials.