The Owyhee River is a 346-mile-long tributary of the Snake River that begins in northern Nevada and flows through southwestern Idaho, before finishing its route in Oregon. In the fall Brown trout begin their fall nesting ritual. You can see them excavating their nests in the gravelly shallows.
Wise fishermen know that fish are
spawning and try not to disturb them. They avoid walking on gravel bars where
they might trample the eggs, or wading upstream from the nests where they might
dislodge debris that can smother them. And they don’t fish for these trout,
though it’s tempting to do so as they rest near their nests.
These precautions are part of an ethic
that governs responsible fishing. But there is a deeper and a better cause.
This week’s Torah portion Behar stress
the fact that we are only God’s tenants here on earth. “for the land is mine—; for you are
sojourners and resident-settlers with me;”
(Leviticus 25:23) The earth is ours to use, but we must use and care for it
because it is only on loan to us.
I marvel the work of God’s hands every
morning when I walk around Cunningham Park. The men and women who take care of
the park do an awesome job. I love seeing all those trees with their pink
blossom in the Spring as well as all the beautiful colorful flowers that change
season to season. When I see trash to spoiling the beauty of the park, I don’t
hesitate picking up and throwing it in the trash receptacle.
What we love, we protect.
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