At this moment, we are on the precipice of the growing season, a transitional time full of energy.
On Rosh Chodesh Nisan, we celebrated one of our four Jewish New Years, and the birth of our identity as a People. On the full moon, we celebrated Pesach, with a dramatic retelling of our enslavement in Egypt, “The Narrow Place,” wandering in the desert and liberation in the Promised Land. As we step into this new land, we leave our old selves behind, shedding what kept us in bondage in our minds and in our lives.
In the greenhouse this month, peppers and onions and eggplant seeds are germinating, popping up from the soil and stretching toward light. We nurture them with the right moisture and temperature, but the work of liberating themselves from their protective seedcoats is their own. They transform into what they are destined to become, drawing on the genetic information and stored energy they carry within them.
It’s astounding, really. How does this little seed know how to become an onion plant, one that forms a purple bulb, resistant to Fusarium basal rot? What sustains it until it is ready to break free from the narrow confines of its shell?
If you’re starting seedlings at home, you’ve likely begun setting up your supplies: trays of light, fluffy seed-starting mix on a rack or table, with a fluorescent or LED grow light positioned just above (if seedlings become leggy, they need more light, sunny windows are often not enough).
A heat mat supports crops like tomatoes and eggplant that require higher temperatures to germinate. Frequent watering keeps the soil evenly moist until germination; afterward, slightly drier conditions and good airflow help prevent damping-off. These seeds already know what to do, but we do what we can to help them along.
Despite all odds, our ancestors were able to sustain themselves, and their stories, through this transition from the Narrow Place. What sustained each person may have differed, but one enduring thread is storytelling. Stories have carried us: preserving knowledge, offering guidance in times of hardship and shaping who we become.
I love our tradition’s dedication to storytelling, and the Passover story remains relevant year after year.
At this moment, we are on the precipice of the growing season, a transitional time full of energy. Seeds are breaking open, the ground is softening, something new wants to emerge. And the questions return (you know we love questions) what are the narrow places in your life right now? What liberation lies ahead for you in the Expanse, and what stories and resources will help carry you through?
Liberation, like germination, is both mysterious and participatory. Something within us already knows the way forward. And at the same time, we are called to tend the conditions, individually and collectively, that make that unfolding possible.
As we journey through Nisan, may we trust what is stirring beneath the surface. May we find the courage to break through what constrains us. And may we help create a world in which more life can emerge, take root, and grow toward its fullest expression.
Min HaMetzar karati Yah,
Anani vamerchav Yah.
“From the Narrow place I called out to G-d, who answered me within the Divine Expanse.” (Psalms 118:5)
A Year in Jewish Gardening is a column exploring rhythms of the Hebrew calendar and our region’s agricultural season. Each month, around the new moon, Carly Sugar of Chamomile Gardens shares reflections from forest and field, insights from Jewish tradition, and practical vegetable gardening tips — helping you cultivate a deeper connection to the land and bring the farm-to-table movement to your own backyard.
As owner-operator of Chamomile Gardens, Carly brings garden visions to life throughout Metro Detroit for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations seeking to grow food and flowers in their space. Learn more at chamomilegardens.com.
Gardening questions you want to see answered here? Send them to Carly at growchamomile@gmail.com.
The Detroit Jewish News has been supported by readers like you since 1942. Support independent, local, Jewish journalism with a donation today.
DONATE
Comments are closed.