This week’s parashah, Sh’mini, tells the story of Aaron and his sons’ first day of service as priests. The parashah begins: “On the eighth day [of the priests’ ordination], Moshe called to Aaron and the elders of Israel.”  Why were the elders included in Moshe’s call to Aaron, though they were not  involved in the priestly service? Rabbi Akiva explained: “Just as a bird cannot fly without wings, the people of Israel cannot exist without its elders.” The elders had to be included because, without them, the community could not take off on this new spiritual venture.

We know that children are our wings. Children energize us by connecting us to the future, and in that way help us to fly. Rabbi Akiva reminds us that our elders too are our wings. By connecting us to the past, by bringing us wisdom and perspective, they lighten our burdens and help us to fly as well.

Spiritual communities thrive by drawing energy and strength from all generations. May the awareness of how deeply we depend on one another always raise us higher.