In Bereishit (22:17), G-d promises Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the “stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore.” This promise signifies the enduring legacy of the Jewish people. The imagery of sand also illustrates the vastness and diversity of the Jewish people around the world, for there are many different types, colors, and shapes of sand, much like our people all over the world.
In Vayikra (19:18), it says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” From this, our sages get the concept of ahavas Yisrael, loving your fellow Jew, an important mitzvah that we don’t always follow, but should.
The other characteristic of sand is its shifting and reshaping nature. With all the shifting and reshaping and transience of our nation’s collective ideas and rituals over time, space, and politics, it can be hard to easily pinpoint whom we should love and hold dear as ourselves, but if we are kind and patient with each other, then we can get to know one another and develop the appropriate love and appreciation.
