Dear Diary,

This will be my first entry. Given my desire to live in, as well as inability to escape, my remote location I expect I shall confide in you regularly.

Love,

Sela[i]

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Dear Diary,

It is extremely hot and dry. Day after day the same. Just me and the sun… me and the wind. Nothing new to report.

Love,

Sela

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Dear Diary,

An unexpected turn of events! A large group of tourists has invaded my sublime home. They are a boisterous people – if they're not complaining, they're slaughtering goats. In the center of their camp is a large tent, in which they must have a megaphone or speakers or something. Every so often a loud announcement is made by a booming voice. I think today's announcement had to do with a cow.[ii] There’s also this Dude. I think he’s a tour guide or group leader… but definitely not a fishing leader. There’s no water in the desert, DUH! More tomorrow.

Love,

Sela

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Dear Diary,

Today was a day that will go down in infamy. I was sitting, as per the usual, just minding my own business. The loudspeaker made an announcement and all of a sudden the leader Dude hits me with a stick. It hurts, but I stay strong. He hits me again and I start gushing tears.[iii] It's not the first time this guy has attacked me and I've cried about it.[iv] Unlike the first time, however, the loudspeaker comes on to reprimand the Dude. Something about how he can't go to Disneyland, or Legoland, or the Promised Land… or something.[v] I'm not sure what's different between this act and the first. Anyways, everyone is packing their stuff like they’re going to move on. I think I'll be alone for a while.

Love,

Sela

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Dear Diary,

It was quiet for a long time before I had another visitor. This French tourist hiked up and I offered him a place to rest. We talked about my incident. He said the news of my interaction with the Dude had made it to his home. He speculated that the Dude who hit me was punished by the loudspeaker because the Dude did not follow instructions.[vi] The Frenchman says this simple sin was not using his words like he was told. Seems kind of harsh. Besides, everyone knows I’m a Chevy – you know… strong… like a rock. I can take a beating. I don’t know why I happened to cry just that time.

Love,

Sela

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Dear Diary,

I am SO excited. Today I met a nice, learned, German fella. I can’t remember his name, except that it meant “deer” in English. Again, I discovered I’m super famous to him. He said the Dude was punished not for hitting me, but for his treatment of the tour group.[vii] The Dude lost his temper, impatiently calling his tour group “rebels” and struck me in his frustration. I reflected on the experience questioning whether it’s possible the Dude who hit me was upset because his sister died. The German said while it’s possible, it’s still not an excuse. He recited a quote, telling me “When a prophet loses his temper, his gift of prophecy abandons him.”[viii] I’m not sure I buy that.

Love,

Sela

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Dear Diary,

I’ve spent decades trying to understand how the Dude’s minor interaction warranted such a serious punishment. Would he have acted differently if he knew the consequence earlier? It was just the other day that I was visited by an Israeli tourist. She was a poet, so I couldn’t understand half of what she told me, but I do think I came to some sort of understanding over the whole matter. She spoke at length of how my kind stand still and strong, seemingly for ever and ever. Waves crash against us. Wind, rain, and all sorts of natural elements attempt to break us. But the smallest thing can open a wound. And if a rock can crack, so too can a person.[ix] They may be feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. Deprived of sleep, dealing with complaints - the Dude cracked. It’s okay when these moments hit us. Rocks can cry. Humans can cry. These moments will hit us, the ones when we can’t keep our wits about us, we break down. But unlike a rock, humans – when seemingly broke – can pull themselves together, continuing their journey. They’re amazing; they can have tears and see a way through them! That’s just the opinion of a humble rock.

Love,

Sela

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[i] Sela means “rock” in Hebrew.

[ii] Numbers 19:2ff,  “Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, etc.”

[iii] Numbers 20:11, “And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank.”

[iv] See Exodus17:6

[v] Numbers 20:12, “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.’”

[vi] RaSHI’s commentary on Numbers 20:12. RaSHI was a medieval French rabbi, highly esteemed even today for his comprehensive commentary on Talmud and TaNaKh.

[vii] Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch commentary on Numbers 20:12. Rabbi Hirsch was a 19th century German rabbi.

[viii] Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 66b

[ix] Dahlia Ravikovitch, Pride.

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