Q:
What can a girl accomplish in summer camp?
A:
To tell you the truth, I’m not an expert on this. But I can guess that one thing is that while she’s in the camp she should look at all the natural phenomena around her. She should admire the trees and say, “Boruch Atah Hashem that You created trees.” She should look at the grass. You know, grass is such a wonderful product. First of all it’s a carpet; a beautiful green carpet. That’s how you should look at the grass in the country; as a beautiful green carpet. Also, the grass keeps the soil from blowing away and getting washed away. The topsoil would go lost if not for the grass. The grass also supplies a freshening to the air – the grass freshens the air. Grass also supplies us with milk. The cows eat grass and they produce milk. Cheese and butter and cream all come from the grass that cows eat. Also, cows eat grass and produce calves. So we get meat that comes from grass. Clothing too. Sheep eat grass and turn it into wool. Where does wool come from? From the grass that the sheep eat.
And if while you’re spending time in the country you think these thoughts, little by little you begin to realize that you’re in the country for the purpose of recognizing that יודוך השם כל מעשיך – All Your works praise You Hashem (Tehillim 145:10). Everything in the country speaks about Hashem. In the city you don’t see it as much. In the city you see more things that people made. But in the country it’s all כבוד מלכותך יאמרו וגבורתך ידברו – Everything is speaking the glory of Your kingdom and telling of Your power (ibid. 11). And for what purpose? להודיע לבני האדם – To make known to people (ibid. 12). Those are the most important words: להודיע! To make known to people the greatness of Hashem. The purpose of all these things is to make known to us Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
And therefore, one of the things you can accomplish in the country is to gain a hakarah chushis, a real tangible sensory perception of the chesed Hashem and the chochmas Hashem which is displayed in the country more openly than in the city.
In the city you can also do it if you try. You walk by the stores and you see food in the windows; let’s say you see bread. “Ahh! Hamotzee lechem min ha’aretz.” You see clothing, “Ahh! Malbish arumim.” You know that the cotton grows from the earth, and wool grows on the back of sheep. Yes, you see things in the city as well, yes.
But in the country you see it more readily. And that’s why the country, if you’re there – I’m not saying you should go – but if you’re there you can utilize it and grow great in emunah and da’as Hashem and ahavas Hashem.
TAPE # E-153
