Shabbos 35

“When one can see one star in the evening sky, it is still day; two stars, twilight; three stars, night.”

Today’s text returns to the discussion of twilight: how do you define the period between when the day ends and night begins?  How do we measure it? We are given several explanations, but essentially, we are told it is when you see three stars. We return to some of the same concerns that we experienced earlier this year in the readings from Berakhot, where there was discussion on how to know when it is the right time to say the Shema. We are brought back to a time before clocks, and calendars, telephones and network evening news. 

The ancient towns relied on what the naked eye could see in the sky to tell time and we learn today that shofars were used to signal the onset of the Shabbat, which must have been a soul stirring call to rest.  We are told that sunset can be discerned “when the sun is at the top of the palm trees.” But if it is cloudy, then roosters can be observed on city beams, or ravens in the country as they return to their nests ahead of the approach of evening. 

Most people had to live their lives close to nature if they were able to organize time and be prepared ahead of the Sabbath when everything would shut down. We are given instructions on how to discern sunset by the colors in the sky and the direction of the sun. We are instructed on how to measure the duration of twilight by looking up at Mount Carmel and descending into the sea beneath its shadows. 

Does anyone wonder what is going on out there in the world while we sit in our homes sheltering in place? I have read that in some towns, animals are taking over the streets as all the people are now gone.  The New York Times recently reported that a herd of Kashmiri goats invaded a deserted town in Wales, and coyotes have been roaming the streets in San Francisco. 

I live in the Chelsea section of New York City and have witnessed a great many seagulls flying over my apartment building early in the morning and dominating the sky with their wingspans and squawks. I may not have noticed them before because in my pre-quarantine life I would have been rushing to get out of the house for work, but I do not remember seeing so many seagulls in the city sky. They appear to be claiming the city for themselves as so many of us are harboring indoors. 

And are the big fat city rats marching down Fifth Avenue in a show of rodent solidarity? Who knows what takes over the city when we are all gone?

Here is a link to an article on animals that are taking over towns while humans shelter in place: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/science/coronavirus-animals-wildlife-goats.html