Tuesday, Day Three.  In Creation, the fruit bearing trees and plants were created.  Fortunately for them, tomorrow, Day Four, will bring them necessary sunshine to thrive and survive. 

In this New England summer season, we are surrounded by an abundance of juicy, native fresh fruit: blueberries, raspberries, peaches and plums. 

I recently read that the average produce item at the supermarket had traveled about 1,400 miles to reach us, ripening somewhere in darkness between tree and shelf in some truck, warehouse or rail car. I was always puzzled why these stores didn't at least try to carry local produce when it was available; surely it costs less to transport, and it certainly tastes better and is more healthful.  Alas, I suppose that, with such a short harvest, it is easier to keep the long distance supply channels open and not disturb the flow.

No worries, this keeps the farmer's markets and farm stands open and thriving, one of the seasonal rites-of-passage of our New England summer. 


I went to a self-development workshop years ago with Wayne Dyer, and he asked a few questions of the attendees that I remember to this day. 

"What happens when you squeeze an orange?", he began. 

The unanimous response was "Orange juice". We were on a roll. 

He then asked, "What do you have to do to get grape juice to come out instead?" 

We were less sure of our response, mumbling a mixed incantation of "you can't" and "impossible".

He finally asked, "Why can't you get grape juice from squeezing an orange, no matter how hard you try?  Why?  Because it is not what's inside." 

Stress is all around us.  We've all seen people, even those close to us, react in unusual ways when they are "squeezed" by circumstance.  The insight for me, was that, nothing can ever come out of a person that isn't "already inside" of them.  Just as grape juice will never drip from an orange, we can never provoke or elicit bitterness, bigotry or intolerance from a person if it is not inside them, no matter how hard we squeeze.

Each of us is an actor of sorts, and we navigate through life with many faces.  At our core, however, lie certain beliefs and values that guide us.  Judaism has much to say about working diligently on these underlying values.  Like the navigation and guidance system for a sophisticated aircraft, these crucial settings and programs lie hidden deep inside of us, but affect all of our decisions, action and direction.

We can expose and reveal some of "the stuff that we're made of" when we are stressed and squeezed, and we can more clearly examine whether our core is coherent or colliding with the values of our external faces. 

The juice that gets squeezed from us when we are stressed can be affirming, or a catalyst for change and self examination.

I hope that you find that "what's inside" you and those surrounding you is as pure and healthy as fresh squeezed juice.

Don't forget to join us for our next Shabbat music worship on August 13th, with guest EJ Cohen, from London, England.