Western Sandpipers : Shabbat’s Challenging Reflection

These are Western Sandpipers. They’re beautifully mirrored in this photograph I received. An odd-sounding phraseology, but it’s purposeful. Photography is simultaneously a creative and a reflective art. Some people speak of “capturing an image.” Others say “to make a picture.” And of course there’s “taking a snapshot.” All creative. None of those felt entirely comfortable to me. Particularly in the context in which I work: these drashot are offerings shared with my community and HaShem. I wanted - I needed - an apt way to name them. Today it dawned on me I should say rather, “my photograph I received.” Reflective.

Shabbat is arguably the defining element of Jewish life. From the very outset of creation, our rhythm of life was established in reference to Shabbat. Shabbat is the time for appreciating what has been created. On Shabbat we reflect; we savor our previous week’s work. We step back, gaining perspective, like artists surveying our paintings. Tradition teaches thirty-nine categories of creative labor prohibited on Shabbat. The thirty-nine derive from the building of the Tabernacle, which was analogized to HaShem’s creating the world. Six notes and one reflective silence define the Music.

Shabbat is a challenge. The easy route: flopping down exhausted after six days’ toil. Alternatively, after six days in a row, we can fall into the rut of continuing along, working for a seventh - then an eighth, and ad infinitum without conscious intention. Shabbat’s challenge is maintaining awareness - heightened even! - and bringing that sense to the seemingly passive role of savoring what we have created. Shabbat is for active reflection - not creative, but nonetheless active. Photographing these Sandpipers and their reflection was a challenge, a good one. As we receive Shabbat, we joyfully engage in its challenges as well.