In this video you can see an ancient mikveh found in Jerusalem that was dated as being from the Second Temple Period. It seemed almost poetic that something so old was found while trying to build a kindergarten for children who are so young. It is great to be able to see bits of history without having to travel if you are not in a position to do so. It is interesting how often it seems people in Israel discover old buildings while in the process of building something new.
This video can remind us of how important it is to acknowledge and honor history instead of just dismissing it as irrelevant. Whenever we start to build something in life it is good to question our foundation and seek to evaluate the larger context before we commit to building on it. I’m not just talking about physical buildings, I am talking about the logic we use in life to build our beliefs and values. It is easy to never question the foundations of a lot of the assumptions we take for granted and go through life without deep reflection.
As much as we would like to think we are purely objective beings detached from our surroundings and past, but a lot of what we take for granted is shaped by core assumptions which are influenced by our experiences and the experiences of those around us. This can be in good ways or bad ways, or ways that are not even good or bad but just different. But we don’t get to the true richness behind a lot of our thinking or the thinking of others if we don’t first question the fundamental assumptions with which we approach life. When we stop to reflect on the rich history that lies beneath the things we take for granted life becomes a lot brighter and more interesting.
