To everything there is a season…

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Snowy Egret

“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven.”  These are familiar words to many of us, and English speakers are likely to have heard the song Turn, Turn, Turn, popularized in the 1960’s, when folk singer Pete Seeger put these very words to a beautiful melody.  But did you know that the origin of this statement is the opening verse of Chapter 3 of the Megillah of Kohelet (Book of Ecclesiastes)?

The book of Kohelet, attributed to King Solomon, is read aloud in synagogues around the world during this holiday of Sukkot.  The Harvest Festival of Sukkot is known by many names, one of which is Z’man Simchatenu, The Time of our Rejoicing.  Kohelet admonishes us to be mindful of the transience of our earthly existence, but to “live joyfully” and be thankful for what we have.  G-d “has made everything beautiful in its time.”  (Koren Tanach).

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Female Cardinal

Personally, I’m rejoicing every day this fall in appreciation for all the many blessings of good health I have and the joy my family brings me. And I am also rejoicing that – for the first time – I will now be able to enjoy the beauties of the wetlands and the marshes throughout the whole cycle of the coming year!!

Green Heron
Great White Egret
Red-bellied Woodpecker
(Yellow-throated?) Warbler

14 thoughts on “To everything there is a season…”

  8. I did know that the words came from the Old Testament, but couldn’t have told you from where. I’ll look forward to reading about and seeing the seasonal changes as you share them.

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