I spent a fascinating 20 minutes this morning getting an ECHO ultra-sound of my very own heart (everything’s fine, my GP just asked me to get it as a precaution). They say that the heart is the seat of the emotions and the one that struck me as I observed those faithful contractions was that of gratitude. What a reliable little thing! I calculate that it beats 3600 times an hour for me, 32 million a year and hence almost 1.25 billion times since I was born.

What makes it go? The technician explained some of the complexity to me-the various chambers and valves and the “circuitry” of the electric flow that actually stimulates the contractions. If the walls were any thicker, not enough blood would flow, any thinner, the walls would rupture. If it needed to take a 2 minute break…ever! we’d be finished.

The Midrash says that the patriarch Abraham discovered monotheism by exploring nature, especially the structure of his own body. It strangely suggests that he even “spoke to his kidneys”-trying to understand their reason for being on the deepest level. Similarly, Job declared that “through my flesh I see Gd”. The graceful complexity of the design reflects the brilliance and ingenuity of the Designer.

You can’t beat that!

Shabbat Shalom