Creating a Universe

Lab 1.0 by Robyn Awend

We began our Lab with Rabbi Davis leading us in a new version of Oh-Say-Shalom. Then we dove into dissecting Bresheit,discussing how water is part of the creation for everything and how G-d used it as a raw material for creation.

"Why is water the focus of creation?" Rabbi Davis asked the group. Some answers included:

"We are made from water and composed of water"

"It flows freely"

"Most of earth is water, land is the exception"

"It’s needed for survival"

We discussed the terms shamayim - heaven and tohu va bohu -without form and void (soupy mixture). Then we went on to talk about, "Why is separation the methodology of creation?" and "Why during some days of creation does it say and it was good twice?" We observed the difference in the days of creation, separating darkness from light and water from water.

We then had the chance to see a beautiful work by artist David Moss, "Prayer for Peace" and how the artist separated components of each letter so that the prayer could only be read when the two panes of glass overlap. We ended our session by circling back and singing O-Say-Shalom.

From there, Liba crowned us all "creators" as we embarked on a journey to assemble our own Ecojars. We followed a specific set of instructions to build a balanced biosphere. First a handful of rocks and a shell or two, then mucky pond water to cover the rocks, then one or more plants, then sea life (snails and other assorted living creatures), then distilled water to top it off. Each one contained similar ingredients but in the end, they all were so very different. We observed our own Ecojars and watched our snails become acquainted with their new environment and wrote about what we observed. We shared excerpts from our reflections and ended with one statement that began with "when I create, I…." creating an ongoing organic poem, one after the next, until the room was silent.

My Ecojar sits in on our bathroom shelf, soaking up natural light to sustain its longevity. I observe it every morning when I wake up and every evening before I go to bed, being reminded that life is about balance, simplicity and beauty.

 

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