Biblical Cavemen
It was our first program at Livnot. I was a program coordinator and Michael was our tour educator and mentor. I had not known it at the time, but Michael was more than a teacher… he was also a Jewish caveman.
At some point during this amazing 10-week program, Michael took us to a Bar Kochba tunnel system. I had been underground before. I'm sure of that. But honestly, I can't remember. Probably because it was not a memorable experience.
However, Michael created a memorable experience. He crafted a mundane spelunking exercise into a transformative teachable moment. He turned a cavity of dirt and darkness into a place of holy inspiration and light. Since that excursion twenty years ago, I have taken hundreds of people to Bar Kochba caves. They are guaranteed “WOW!” sites. On many evaluation forms, this experience is marked as “most inspirational.”
Michael is still very much my mentor. Recently I was once again inspired when he spoke on Zoom about biblical cavemen. This blog is mostly based on his insights.
At this point you may be thinking, “I didn’t know there were biblical cavemen? You gotta be kidding!” Well, there were. There actually were many. Young (King) David, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and Jonah to name a few. In this blog I will only focus on three: Noach, Moshe and Eliyahu.
Noach was a biblical caveman!
The world of Noach’s time is corrupt. Society is immoral. People are cruel. According to a Jewish tradition, even the animal kingdom rebelled against the laws of nature. Righteous Noach was the anomaly, and as such, he builds his ark, retreating into its dark interior as the world is cleansed in a mega wash-rinse-repeat cycle. When he emerges from the ark (which for all intents and purposes was very cave-like), it is as if God had hit the “restart” button, and mankind, led by Noach – the emerging “caveman” from his “cave” - will begin again in a new and improved reality.
Moshe was a caveman too!
Moshe grows up in a world of power and experiences first hand just what power can do. It is a world governed by Man’s commandments and false gods. After many trials and tribulations, Moshe ascends the mountain and brings down the Ten Commandments. Now the world will be governed by God’s commandments and the one, true God. However, to Moshe’s dismay, reality has not changed, and in his absence, the people created the infamous golden calf. At this point Moshe retreats from society and God suggests to hit the “restart” button once again, obliterating the Israelites, and re-starting with only Moshe. During the ensuing conversation, Moshe asks to encounter the true full essence of God. God replies that this would be impossible, but if Moshe retreats into the small cave – a mere crevice in the rock – God will pass before him. Although that singular moment is quite esoteric, what happens next is clear: Moshe climbs the mountain for the second time returning with the second set of tablets. With the Torah introduced into the world, one could argue, that similarly to the post-flood era, here too is a situation of a new and improved reality.
Yet another biblical caveman: Eliyahu.
Eliyahu is very much the prophet of fire and brimstone. After a particularly difficult event, he defeats the false Baal prophets and demands that the people of Israel serve only the one true God. However, instead of becoming the national celebrity, he is spurred, shunned and a price is put on his head. Eliyahu decides to leave it all behind as he retreats into the desert and secludes himself in a cave on Mt. Horev. This event culminates in one of the most moving encounters where man meets God. God sends a mighty wind, fire and earthquake – and God is in none of them. Eliyahu then encounters God in the “infinitesimal still voice.” Soon after this, Eliyahu’s disciple, Elisha, replaces him in shaping the new world – not a world founded on Eliyahu’s zealous fire miracles but rather on Elisha’s calming water based miracles.
Upon further examination of the biblical stories, one can notice the similarities in the overarching narrative and in the details as well.
Here’s the overarching theme as a three stage process: 1. there is a known reality, and that reality stinks. 2. A crisis forces the biblical character to retreat from that reality and go into seclusion. 3. A “new”person emerges along with an emerging new reality.
The details reveal even more layers. Here are two: Noach’s flood lasts for 40 days and nights. Moshe spends 40 days and nights on the mountain (and then there are two more periods of 40 days and nights). Eliyahu spends 40 days and nights at Horev.
Water plays a part in all three episodes. Noach’s flood is obvious. Moshe sprays water (with the dissolved ashes of the golden calf) over the people. A drought-ending deluge preceded Eliyahu’s episode.
Water and the number 40 both have very strong connotations in Jewish literature and tradition with concepts of completion of a cycle followed by renewal.
(Note: Jews and water do not mix. Noach floated on the waters. Moshe split the Reed Sea to walk on dry land, and Eliyahu did the same with the Jordan River!)
Biblical Butterflies
The Bible is chock-full of stories of transformation. However, I feel that these three stories possess an element that goes beyond transformation – they are about metamorphosis. These are the biblical caterpillars (men) who retreat into a cocoon (cave), and when they emerge, the caterpillar is no more, but the butterfly (matured individual) is now fully formed and ready to spread its wings.
But do not let the analogy lead you astray. For the insects, metamorphosis is a work of art. For us, it is the art of work. The butterfly is an emergence of art. For us, we need to practice the art of emergence.
On an etymological note, the Hebrew for cave is me’arah. The verb of the same root has meanings of being involved, infused, and conversely, also exposed and uncovered. A cave is infused in the earth, and we are only aware of it as its opening is exposed to the air. Perhaps this also hints of a process the “cave-people” undergo while spending time in caves. In the cave, they focus inwards, being involved only in the self, and the end goal of the process is to uncover new strengths and return exposed to the world.
Back to the analogy above, why would our caterpillar/butterfly ever want to leave the safety, warmth and familiarity of the cocoon? Why strike out towards the unknown? All of our three characters contemplate making their temporary, yet uplifting, experience into their permanent reality. They were all lured by their “cocoons,” their caves. In all three cases, God needed to nudge them onward. To Noach He commands “Leave the ark!”; to Moshe “Climb the mountain!”; to Eliyahu “Why are you still here?! Go back!”
[On a philosophical note, I feel that in these biblical stories there is another hidden message. It is the grand idea of “life after death.” Religious texts are typically infused with this idea, but it is totally absent from all the books in Tanach, even if it is a basic tenet of belief in Judaism. I would suggest that the narrative speaks of life, then death (burial was done in burial caves), followed with rebirth – but rebirth into a new reality that we cannot even fathom from our point of view.Further discussion on this topic is fascinating, but is beyond the scope of this blog.]
COV-19 and the Cave-People
Here comes the part about Corona. Do any of us still remember life before Corona? It had its ups and downs, and for better or worse, it’s what we knew. Than a crisis struck and we were (still are) forced into our personal caves, our homes, our families, ourselves. And then what happens is…
Here I need to pause. As many of you who have toured with me know, I have a standard answer regarding all questions dealing with “what will be?”… And that answer is: “I only know yesterday and today. I don’t do future! Tomorrow is for the prophets. I know that this is the land of prophets, but I'm not one of them. (I'm enrolled in a course of ‘Prophecy - A How To,' but so far I'm flunking)”
So although I'm not a prophet, I am still an educator, and here what I'm getting from this comparison. First of all, there is “life after...” You can think of “life after death,” “life after Corona,” “life after my Israel trip,” or “life after any hardship that comes my way.” How do I know? I don’t. but I have faith, and it seems to me that this is God’s promise that He made sure to repeat multiple times in His bestseller.
But there is also the caveat (ah… there always is…)… God can't/won’t do it alone. He demands our participation. If we want life after this global pandemic to actually be different… be better, than what was before, we have work to do.
Thankfully, I had a biblically-minded caveman – Michael - teach me about leaving caves. One of my most profound feelings after emerging from spelunking in the Bar Kochba caves is my deepest appreciation for grass, for wind, for sun… for my reality. Almost as though reality had changed during my seclusion. Or maybe it was just my perception of reality? Maybe I changed? Or maybe both?
I have no doubt that the Noach, Moshe and Eliyahu who went into those caves, were not the same Noach, Moshe and Eliyahu who came out of them.
Will I be the same Josh when I emerge from my “cave?” Will you?
Their worlds changed. Their societies matured. Will ours?
Also of this I have no doubt: it will take effort. It will be a challenge.
This is why God is telling us… no, God is commanding us: “Leave! Climb! Go!”
When our “40 days and nights” are over, it will not be easy. Nevertheless, we must Leave our safety zones of comfort. We have to Climb those proverbial mountains! And we should always Go onwards and upwards!
And hopefully, by changing ourselves, inherently our world will be changed as well.
Here’s to the challenge!
Love and blessings.
Pjosh