This Week's Thought From The Koby Mandell Foundation
- Sherri Mandell
Beyond Time
Recently the New
York Times reported that Russian scientists had generated plants from the
fruit of an arctic flower, the campion, that died 32,000 years ago. A ground
squirrel stored the fruit so that it remained frozen in Siberia until scientists
excavated it a few years ago. They cloned the fruit and reproduced the plant in
culture dishes.
Sounds like science fiction. A plant reborn after 32,000
years. Many scientists remain dubious until the radioactive dating is
confirmed.
Still. One can only call this phenomenon a rebirth.
It is said that King David wore a ring on which was inscribed:
everything passes. But in our faith it's also true that everything returns.
We look at the bare winter branches and know that the tree will again
be covered with foliage. When we wake we thank G-d for returning our souls. And
in our prayers, we bless G-d who revives the dead.
It's almost
impossible to believe. And yet it's our greatest faith—to see our loved ones
again.
The revival of the campion is a reminder that faith is seeing
beyond the limits of this world. God's time is different than ours. We can't see
much from our limited vision. But sometimes eternity reveals itself in our
fragile, broken world.
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