compasion

First moment of dawn…

November 16, 2016

Mark Nepo

A very touching story from the Talmud captures this soft paradox of how we all journey alone together.

A rabbi asks his students, “How do you know the first moment of dawn has arrived?” After a great silence, one pipes up, “When you can tell the difference between a sheep and a dog.” The Rabbit shakes his head no. Another offers, “When you can tell the difference between a fig tree and an olive tree.” Again The Rabbi shakes his head no. There are no other answers. 

The Rabbi circles their silence and walks between them, “You know the first moment of dawn has arrived when you look into the eyes of another human being and see yourself.

[Simply breathe your heart open, and try to feel both your aloneness and what you share with every other human being.]