Never ask a storyteller a question without expecting a story for an answer. Recently a ranger was talking about the Wilderness Pledge, and then I remembered a story about a thoughtless act by many….

It was summertime, a time for relaxation, and for restoring one’s strength. A holy rabbi was spending some time with his son in the fields and forest outside their village. The two used to take long walks through the countryside, marveling at the beauty of G-d’s world. 

The fields were ripe with their golden harvest of wheat. The swollen sheaves swayed gently, promisingly, in the gentle breeze, swishing softly to and fro. It felt good to be alive! 

They walked along in silence, enjoying the peace of the area, suddenly the father turned to his son, saying,

“Just look at the marvel of nature! See how G-d has a plan and a purpose for every single stalk of wheat, every puff of wind, the swaying of each blade of grass. Everything is included in G-d’s overall master plan of creation! Is it not marvelous that One so exalted and mighty should consider every tiny, minute speck on this world?” 

They continued along the country road, breathing in the fresh air, each one silent with his own thoughts. Soon they came to a forest and continued walking leisurely among the trees. Engrossed in his thoughts, the boy absent-mindedly plucked a leaf off a branch. He held the leaf in his hand and from time to time would unconsciously tear off a bit and throw it away. 

His father noticed what he was doing and commented:

“I don’t understand how you can do something destructive like that without thinking. Don’t you know that even a leaf is part of creation, that it has its purpose? Did I not just tell you how G-d guides the destiny of every tiny thing, even a leaf? Don’t you realize that a leaf is also a living thing; it breathes and grows. Why is the ‘I’ of a leaf any different than the ‘I’ of a human being? To be sure, you can think and speak while it is only a plant. Still, just as you, a human being, have a task to fill in this world, so does this leaf have a purpose to accomplish during its lifetime on this world.” 

It is important to remember that “when G-d created the first human beings, He led them around the Garden of Eden and said: “Look at my works! See how beautiful they are. How Excellent! For your sake, I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My world: for, if you do, there will be no one else to repair it.

(Kohelles Rabbah on 7:13)

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Ira, a Jewish Advisor, came in 2007 with his crew for a Cavalcade with their  to have the adventure of a lifetime. They found more adventure than they expected on Baldy Mountain that Sunday as lightning struck and everything went crazy. 

The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightning lighted up the world, the earth trembled and shook” (Ps. 77:19). 

They returned in 2009 full of hope and ready for a new adventure of a lifetime in a Cavalcade. They climbed Baldy and rejoiced in the beauty of Philmont. 

We visited one another in the Miranda camp and renewed our friendship and spoke of some things. When people meet and share, thoughts and actions of charity grow. This causes a healing in the world.

 As lightning springs out of its concealment in dark clouds to flash through the world, so the divine light, imbedded in matter, emerges through charitable deeds….Thus through charity, a sort of divine revelation occurs in the soul.

Seder Teffillos

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Another Shabbos has passed here at Philmont. This evening, I again had a minyan at services (that maked 16 in the last 3 weeks). This is amazing in that there has been more Jewish Scouts at Philmont this year than in the previous two years.

Kosher food, daily services, a “Shabbos Friendly” campwith an eruv and an portable eruv has made Philmont inviting to Jewish treks. It is such a pleasure to have so many Jewish Scouts coming to Philmont for the adventure of a lifetime.

We are taught:

Nine tzaddikim do not make a minyan, but one simple everyday Jewish person, joining them, completes the minyan. Truly. “in the multidue of people is the king’s glory” (Proverbs 14:28)

R’ Nachman of Breslov, Meshibas Nefesh

Sharing a Shabbat meal with Jewish Scouts and Philmont Staff each week has created a warm family atmosphere where one can freely share, learn and grow.

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A ship was sailing across the seas to distant lands. The sailors and merchants had lost their way and were wandering aimlessly at sea, tired, hungry and thirsty, confined to the ship. Every so often, they caught sight of a large island there in the middle of the sea. It was the season when the everything comes alive, and all kinds of good trees and grasses and flowers, including roses and violets were seen on the island. Sweet water was found on the beautiful and well-shaded island.

The ship’s captain, crew and passengers approached the island and went ashore to delight in its trees and rest in their shade. They ate from the fruit of the trees, drank the sweet water, and delighted in the sweet fragrance. They then left and returned to the ship to continue the voyage and find their way at sea.

One man among them decided not to leave even though the others strongly pleaded with him, he thought, “Where, anywhere else in the world, could I find such a place of delight, a paradise the likes of which even kings do not possess?” When they saw that he absolutely refused to leave, they continued on without him, found their way home.

That one man remained there, eating of the island’s fruits, drinking of the sweet water, and delighting in the marvelous fragrance of the spices. But when winter approached, the leaves of all the trees fell to the ground, as did their fruits and similarly all the spices. The springs also dried up. Only bare trees remained, affording him neither shade nor protection from either the dry hot days or the night frost. And he died there, hungry and empty-handed, having found nothing but un­told distress.

So are we in this world like that ship sailing on the high seas. Like a lost ship at sea, we are unsure of our direction and know not to whom to turn or where we are going. In this world, which resembles such a sea, we discover a large island with all kinds of delights and pleasures, more than one can ever count.

There are those who—knowing the awe of G-d—partake of these pleasures in a limited way but then immediately return to G-d in repentance. They continue along their way, fulfilling G-d’s will, even suffering the distresses of this world, which are like the agonies of being at sea, in order to proceed toward their place of rest. And, then, there are fools like that man who, so drawn to physical delights, re­mained to enjoy them until the season approached in which those delights ceased and in their place he found only bare trees and had neither food nor shade but only affliction and torment. This is the case with all those who follow the dictates of their eves and the false desires of their hearts without considering what tomorrow will bring.

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Here at Philmont it is easy to see the blessings of the Holy One, blessed be He in everything around. Each sight is beautiful, the sounds soothing and each creature leads one to remember the greatness and majesty of creation.

Nothing is without meaning and everything is filled with prayers and blessings. Today a bird came to the Rose (Shoshanah) and shared with her a secret:

We learn in Berachos 56b that R. Chanan said: Three kinds of dreams symbolize peace, namely, a dream about a river, a bird, and a pot. A river, because it says, “I will extend to her prosperity like a stream” (Isaiah 66:12). A bird, because it says, “Like the birds that fly, so will the God of Hosts protect Jerusalem” (Isaiah 31:5). A pot, for it says, “God will ordain peace for us” (Isaiah 26:12). [Tishpot, "ordain," also means putting a pot on a fire].

A pot brimming with food symbolizes domestic peace; a meandering river signifies tranquility within a country; a bird that flies unencumbered across all boundaries and borders represents global peace.

As we trek across the Ponil Creek, Rayado River and the Agua Fria may we find peace and tranquility in our homes.

As we share meals may we establish peace with our fellows and also the stranger.

As we watch the birds gliding through the air, may our prayers for world peace be borne upon their wings to the very gates of Heaven.

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