Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homiletic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, gives us a glimpse into just that kind of wonder, through the eyes of none other than Rabbi Akiva, one of the most important figures in Jewish history.
Imagine this: A lion, a spider, and a dog are hanging out. Sounds like the start of a bad joke. But stick with me. The lion, being a lion, tells the dog to attack the spider. But then, get this, the spider asks the lion for help! And the lion actually helps the spider. And then, in turn, the dog helps the lion. They coexist. They don't harm each other.
Rabbi Akiva, witnessing this unlikely truce, this bizarre instance of interspecies cooperation, is struck by a profound realization. He exclaims, "What greatness your works are, Lord, you have made them all with wisdom!" It's a moment of pure awe, recognizing the divine hand in even the smallest interactions of the natural world.
But the story doesn't end there.
Later, Rabbi Akiva arrives at the sea, vast and wide, teeming with life. He observes the creatures that live there, and he reflects on the creatures that live on land. And he realizes something fundamental: Each creature is perfectly suited to its environment. If a sea creature were to venture onto land, it would perish. And if a land creature were to plunge into the depths of the ocean, it would meet the same fate.
Again, he's overcome with that same sense of wonder. "What greatness your works are, Lord, you have made them all with wisdom!"
What's so powerful about these observations?
It's not just about the physical world, is it?
It's about the delicate balance of everything. About how seemingly disparate elements can coexist and even support one another. About how each of us, like those creatures in the sea and on the land, has our own unique place in the world, our own specific environment in which we can thrive.
The Midrash, the interpretive tradition, isn’t just telling us about animals and oceans. It’s whispering something deeper. It’s inviting us to see the hand of the divine in the everyday. To find that spark of awe in the mundane.
It’s reminding us that even in a world that often feels chaotic and fragmented, there is a profound order, a hidden wisdom, that connects us all. And that, perhaps, the key to understanding it all lies in simply…paying attention.
So, the next time you see something unexpected, something that challenges your assumptions about how the world works, remember Rabbi Akiva and his lion, his spider, and his vast, wide sea. Remember to pause, to marvel, and to ask yourself: "What greatness your works are, Lord, you have made them all with wisdom?"