The psalmist says of Hashem, "You set all the borders of the earth. You made summer and winter (Psalm 74:17)." Time and space are two of the central organizing principles of the universe. Our lives are shaped by our geographical location; the seasons define our tasks and activities. But time and space are not of our own choosing. It is G-D who sets all the borders of the earth. Hashem sets the borders of all the different parts of the earth, separating land and water, valleys and mountains, arable and arid land. Furthermore, Hashem controls time, changing the seasons over the course of the year. G-D makes the hot season, summer, and follows it with its opposite season, winter. Our times and spaces are in Hashem’s hands. What is in our hands is the ability to perceive G-D’s control and the willingness to invest our times and spaces with holiness.

 

Copyright, 2008 Rachel Lerner