Summer vacation has arrived!
Is summer a time for relaxation in Tanakh? Yes and no. Let’s take a look:
If you’re toiling at a summer job or frantically studying and working on assignments, you’re in good company: For Ruth, and for farmers, summer is a time to work vigorously, gathering crops (Ruth 1, 23- 2, 22).
If you’re preparing lesson plans over the summer or taking advantage of professional development opportunities- or even catching up on some reading, your time is well spent, and in the spirit of the book of Mishlei. Is summer a time for sleeping in? The book of Mishlei warns against wasting summer’s potential (Proverbs 10, 5). Summer can be a great time to prepare for winter (Proverbs 6, 4-8). And the ants crawling around picnics can serve a positive purpose: reminding us to be productive during the summer (Proverbs 30, 25)!
Going away for the summer seems to be a luxury of the kings, at least in the time of Amos (3, 15). But in the time of King Shlomo, one could argue, there seems to be an idyllic picture of peaceful relaxation under vine and fig trees for many other people, as well (I Kings 5, 5), and the prophet Mikha aspires to this peaceful picture, too (Micah 4, 4).
Returning to the example of Ruth, though, summer can also be a time of discovery, growth, journeys, transformations, and fulfillment.
What will your summer look like?