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Rabbinic Insights:  Into the Cave

San Diego Jewish Times, December 2, 2005

By Rabbi Wayne Dosick

Let's pretend.

It is a beautiful day. The sun is shining brightly in the clear blue sky. You are walking in a beautiful meadow, filled with green, green grass, and bright, sweet smelling flowers. A creek bubbles through the trees and bushes.

As you continue on your walk, you come to what looks like the opening in the hillside. You stop for a moment to explore, and you see that the opening seems to be an entrance to a cave. You walk in, and it is cool and dark inside. Yet, the pathway into the cave seems to be lit by little, twinkling lights. You begin to follow the winding, curvy path, with the little lights still guiding you, and you go deeper and deeper into the cave.

Your walk takes you ever deeper into the cave, and your path is filled with many twists and turns. It is a lovely, joyful walk, and even though you have never been there before, and you don't know what the next curve will bring, you are not at all afraid. Somehow, the cave feels very familiar, and comfortable, and safe.

You walk on and on, deeper and deeper inward, and, then, as you make a wide turn, you come into what seems like a gigantic cavern-like room in the cave. It is filled with bright, white light. And, in every nook, and space, and cranny, there are glittering, sparkling jewels. There are diamonds, and rubies, and emeralds, and sapphires. There are amethysts, and lapis, and tourmaline, and tanzanite, and garnets. There are crystals and gemstones of every kind and shape. And these previous jewels are lying on the floor, and embedded in the walls, and hanging from the top of this in-cave room. And you are overwhelmed with the beauty that is before you.

And then, you hear a voice. It says, "My precious child. Take with you any of these jewels. Take as many as you wish. Take one, or two, or six. Fill your pockets, if you wish. Fill your backpack, if you like. Take the jewels, and they are yours. Take anything and everything your heart desires. Take the jewels, and do with them what you like. Take them and be full and satisfied. Take the jewels, and be blessed."

And, so you stand in the midst of this treasure. And you are bedazzled, and you are very, very glad. For, if you wish, as much of this treasure as you can carry IS yours.

So, you must decide. You must choose what to take. Will you take one jewel? Or two? Or three or four? Will you take just what your hands can carry? Or will you fill your pockets too? Will you fill your backpack? And which jewels will you take? The most beautiful? The most sparkling? The ones that you think are worth the most?

You stand there for a long while, thinking, deciding, choosing. And, then, you make your decision. You take what you have chosen. And, you turn, and take one last look at the bejeweled room in the cave, and you begin your journey back to the meadow.

You walk through the twisting, curving pathways. The little lights that guided you in are now guiding you out of the cave. You carry with you the jewels that you have chosen. You walk, and walk, and walk. The cave remains cool and dark, except for the little lights that mark your way. Still, you feel comfortable and safe, for the cave envelopes you.

Finally, finally, you begin to see the light of day through the opening to the cave. You walk toward that opening; the light of the outside becomes brighter and brighter, and, finally, you come back to the entrance to the cave. You walk out, and you are back in the meadow. The sun is still shining brightly; the sky is still blue; the creek still bubbles.

You are amazed and awed by your experience. Now, you turn back into the meadow, and you continue on our journey.

So, how many jewels did you take from the cave? One? Two? Twelve?

As many as your hands could hold? As many as would fit in your pockets? As many as would fit in your backpack?

When you left the cave and continued on your journey, did you thank the cave for the gifts it had given you? Were your words of gratitude sincere? Or were they perfunctory? Or, did it not occur to you to thank and bless the cave?

When you left the cave, did you sense that you would never be back? That you would never be able to find it again? Or, did you sense that the cave is always there, and that you can easily find it again? That you can come back whenever you desire? Do you know that the little lights in the cave will always be there to guide you? Or do you think that even if you ever find the cave again, the lights will be gone, and the twisty path will be too hard to follow?

What are you going to do with your jewels? Wear them? Make them into rings and necklaces? Sell them for the money they will bring? Hide them away to keep them safe from thieves?

Will you tell others about the cave? Will you tell others about the jewels? Will you tell them how to get there? Or will you keep the cave a secret? Keep the story of the jewels to yourself? Never reveal the place?

At this season of gratitude — the season that begins with the celebration of the American holiday of Thanksgiving, and includes Christmas for Christians, Chanukah for Jews, Ramadan for Muslims, Kwanza for African-Americans, and the coming of a new year for everyone — ask yourself: What is abundance for you? What do you need? How much do you need? How many jewels make your happy? What is the real and true treasure of your life?

How do you express gratitude and appreciation? How do you give thanks? How much do you share? How much do you give from what you have, what you get?

How much faith do you have that God and the universe will take care of you, that the cave of abundance will always be there, that you will always be guided on your journey?

Amidst all the festivities and the feasts of this season, take a moment to ask yourself the real questions of your existence, the real questions that define you. Ask yourself who you are, and what makes or breaks you as a human being. Ask yourself if you are in the Divine flow, aligned with the Divine design. Ask yourself how you can answer all these questions so that your God will say, "Well done, my child. Well done.

Rabbi Wayne Dosick, Ph.D., the spiritual guide of the Elijah Minyan, an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego and the Director of the 17: Spiritually Healing Children's Emotional Wounds. He is the award-winning author of six critically acclaimed books, including Golden Rules; Living Judaism; and Soul Judaism: Dancing with God into a New Era.