Sacred Dialog of Shepherds
Nahath looked around at the serious faces of the shepherd leaders in the flickering light of the bonfire. He saw the anger in the eyes of his brother and spoke to him quietly: “Rahuel, you are young and impatient, but this is the night for patience and listening. You know that Gatham and his shepherds are always angry, want to go first, and care poorly for the pastures, but let me lead the talk. We must talk and listen, not shout and fight.”
Grudgingly Rahuel agreed: “All right, I will hold my tongue, but it will not be easy, Nahath.”
Nahath called out to the assembled shepherds: “Gatham, Themen, Lothan, you are leaders of your shepherds and each of you cares for great flocks. This is the night we must converse and decide what is good for our flocks and pastures this year. Remember what our young Rabbi, Benyamin, discussed with us last Sabbath at his reading of our scrolls:
Genesis 1: Let us make Man in Our image, after Our likeness. They shall rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and over the animals, the whole earth, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.
So God created Man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good.
The Psalmists sang of God in Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Remember our Rabbi said to us: “Like God did God make man to be shepherd in garden earth. He said we must hold a sacred dialogue as we do when we discuss the scriptures together. We argue strongly for our understanding, but we listen with greater passion and strength to learn from one another. We are shepherds.
We live outdoors with our flocks. We know them, the pastures, the fresh water, and the paths. We know the grazing animals: cows, buffalo, sheep, goats, gophers, and mice and the hungry predators: wolves, wild dogs, large cats.
Nahath saw Gatham looking away and spoke to him: “ Gatham, you are best and most deadly with your sling. Why do we drive off the wolves instead of killing them all?”
Gatham answered with pride in his bearing: “Nahath, you know we do that so they will eat the moles and mice so that our sheep will not break their legs and be tormented by fleas and ticks.”
Nahath continued: “And Gatham, why not kill all the moles and mice?”
Gatham, answered curtly: “Ohhh, you try my patience. The moles eat the grubs that kill the grass and with the mice they are food for the wolves. Without them the wolves would be ravenous for our lambs. It is the balance of all that Yahweh created, as our Benyamin tells us.”
Nahath spoke even more gently: “And Gatham, what of the shepherds who go first to the pastures?”
He replied with endurance in his voice: “Why they must take special care that the grass not be trampled, spoiled by dung, or eaten to the roots. Then the pasture will be even better for the flock that follows. Going first is hard, because the first must scatter the wolves when they are boldest and must scout ahead for the condition of the grass, and then send back word to those who follow. The first must create balance for those who follow.”
To honor his seniority Nahath asked: “So Gatham, which flock do you think should go first?”
Gatham asked: “Lothan’s flock is middle size. He is one of our wisest and most experienced. He has young and vigorous cousins with him. Lothan, would you lead this year?”
Surprised Lothan paused long and answered reluctantly: “Yes, Gatham, we will go first this year, but then we pick our turn next year.”
Nahath surprised them all: “Gatham, would you take my brother, Rahuel, with you? Share night watches and your knowledge of pastures with him. Share your skill with the sling. Live with him your knowledge of the golden rule of garden earth. And I will take one of your shepherds with us to know and learn from one another.”
