Yesterday we celebrated the graduation of our Wise School 6th graders. It’s one of the most inspiring days of the year for me. Our school does a magnificent job of honoring our students and their teachers in an engaging, entertaining fashion that includes music, choreography, and uplifting messages built in part around our educational theme for that particular year. This year’s Wise School theme was Nivra B’Tzelem: Our Creativity Is Godly.
The Hebrew text is taken from the Mishna, the foundational text of Rabbinic Judaism, which was put into its final form about 1800 years ago. Here’s the full verse which is taught in the name of the great sage Rabbi Akiva:
.הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם
He [Rabbi Akiva] used to say: Beloved is humanity for they were created in the image [of God]. Especially beloved is humanity for it was made known to them that they had been created in the image [of God]. (Pirkei Avot 3:14)
The text is so “meta.” It reminds us that the process of making meaning requires reflection and awareness. Being created in God’s image is a blessing to be sure. But an even greater blessing is becoming aware of the divinity within us.
I am so proud of our students, their families, our teachers, clergy, and staff for the tremendous efforts they made to ensure that our students were able to continue to learn deeply, be creative, experience wholeness, and make great happen throughout these past two most difficult years. And I am especially thankful to be part of a community and a tradition that encourages us to be ever more grateful—and ever more aware—of the blessings all around.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi
