Unless you are living under a rock, it’s “Behar” d to miss the fact that the cicada apocalypse is entering its beginning phase. I noticed it just the other day, when the normal five-minute walk down the street with my dog Reese suddenly became a 15-minute hunting and feeding session, seeking out the hundreds of crunchy and noisy critters, which finally made their resurgence into our world! Despite the grotesque look of our winged friends and the blood-curdling noises, there actually is some Torah connection that can be drawn from this week’s Torah portion Behar, and what I have come to call the “cicada-pocalypse.”
In the Torah portion Behar, we learn about the Shmittah year, or in English the sabbatical year. After seven cycles (49 years), we spend the 50th year as a year to let the land rest. This concept of cycles is just like the cicadas, who emerge from the ground after 13 or 17 years. Taking this one step further, the cicadas’ life cycle is a natural process that involves long periods of inactivity, followed by bursts of life and renewal; just as is the Shmittah year!
Let’s take a moment to look at the concept of transformation as well. When cicadas emerge, they transform our world with their loud mating calls and laying of their eggs. Many of you may have even seen smaller trees around the area covered in what looks like saran wrap to protect them from the cicadas. In Behar, the rest periods and the Jubilee year transform society by providing ecological balance and ensuring social justice, reinforcing the continuity and stability of the community. It seems that Behar and cicadas have more in common than you may have previously thought!
While I often try to take space in my articles to connect on more serious topics and reflect on current events, I couldn’t help but use this week’s portion to make light of what has been the talk of the town recently. The fact is, we don’t often see a cicada emergence of this sort, and it truly is fascinating to watch. I don’t think in my life I ever imagined that I would watch a swarm of cicadas emerge from the ground, but I also didn’t think that I would see the Northern Lights from my backyard in Vernon Hills either! The point is, whether we consider things to be gross and inconvenient or a magical part of the circle of life, we ought to take time to appreciate what we are witnessing, because it’s not something that happens every day. However, if you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the noise and looks of the cicada-pocalypse, know that you are always welcome to stop by Temple Jeremiah programs and services for cicada-free company.
Shabbat Shalom,
Matt Rissien