Itchy eyes…runny nose…scratchy throat…in the springtime…
No doubt about it, it must be allergy season.
At first, I tried to ignore it. After all, I’ve never been one of those people who walk around with swollen, watery eyes from the first whiff of a springtime blossom. In fact, I’ve never experienced any pollen-related ill effects at all.
Until now.
After several days of denial, I finally came to the realization that I have now joined the ranks of the 50 million Americans who suffer from pollen. I’ve managed to keep it under control with eye drops and Claritin, and in the process I’ve learned a whole lot more about seasonal allergies than I ever thought I would.
Apparently, many people’s bodies mistakenly recognize pollen as a danger, rather than the benign substance it actually is. In response to this perceived threat, the immune system rallies to neutralize the invading allergen by releasing histamines into the blood. It’s the histamines which cause the runny noses, itchy eyes and other unpleasant symptoms.
There is currently no known cure for allergies, just multiple ways to manage it, from over-the-counter nasal sprays to acupuncture to doctor-prescribed steroids. With an estimated 50 million sufferers, it is the country’s most common disease and approximately $18 billion are spent on it each year.
All this, and what is the root cause? Misidentifying the enemy. Our body’s inability to differentiate between a real threat and those cute little pollen particles, that only want to help invigorate floral growth, leads to chronic suffering for millions of people for a significant chunk of time each year.
What can we learn from all this?
Like our physical bodies, our souls also react to friendly and harmful substances, but we are the gatekeepers. It’s our job to identify which things to keep out, and which to allow in.
Going to shul, studying Torah, keeping kosher, putting on tefillin, giving charity, lighting Shabbat candles—superb for the soul. Gossip, lying, cheating, slander—extremely harmful.
It’s our responsibility to weed through all the opportunities and temptations that come our way, hand-picking the things we allow in, so that our souls remain healthy and strong.
And in this way we will fulfill the first commandment of this week’s Torah portion “You shall be holy.”