Yellow-headed Blackbird : Senseless Wisdom

This is a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Obviously. I found him in his nesting grounds in the lakeside reeds. As I stood there staring, I was left completely at a loss by this utterly preposterous bird. Did Frankenstein create him? How else would this electric yellow be plopped down atop the deepest black? Typical explanations for birds’ coloration usually involve camouflage or attracting mates. This color scheme simply makes no sense. But then I stopped being a “smart scientist” for a moment. What would a “wise artist” see? The artist immediately appreciates that despite “not making sense,” this bird is stunningly beautiful. He is utterly as he should be.

Jewish tradition teaches two components of our legal code: mishpatim and chukim. Mishpatim are the sensible laws: “Don’t murder. Don’t steal.” Chukim, contrastingly, are laws which defy explanation: we are prohibited from wearing shatnez, clothing composed of a linen/wool mixture. Whatever for? The Sages postulate explanations, but they humbly acknowledge that none is self-evidently compelling. The chukim are different, expressions of faith. In accepting these laws, we suspend our typical inquiry of “Why?” We take these laws as they are. Their authority derives from the totality of Torah as Avinu Malkeinu’s gift. They are, “Because I said so!”

Much of the world doesn’t make sense, less and less as I age. And it’s OK. A not-inconsequential aspect of aging into wisdom is recognizing - more importantly, accepting - that some things won’t ever make sense. Human perspective and time-scale simply can’t discern the Divine rationale underlying all that we encounter. And it’s OK. A new year is dawning, bringing inexplicable events, good and bad. To guide us through it, we rely on our statutes and ordinances, some understandable, some opaque. So even if we don’t recognize the “why,” we can certainly appreciate the “what” - in both the splendor of our tradition and the beauty of the Blackbird.