In the Talmud in the tractate Brachot (Blessings), the rabbis raise the question of what is meant by the mishnaic statement “ha oseh tefilato keva, ain tefilato tachanunim – the one who makes his prayer fixed, his prayer is not one of supplication.”

One explanation given is that our prayer lacks supplication when it is not done “eem dimdumei chama – with the reddening of the sun.” While on a peshat level the rabbis may be referring to the need for one to be earnest in his or her prayer in order for it to be supplicatory, I think there may be another level to their words.

Perhaps here the rabbis are also emphasizing the importance of being awake to the daily moments of transition, of remaining grounded in ourselves through the discomfort of not knowing what will come next and the fear of no longer being rooted to where we once were. Like the gradual shift as the sun reddens and night gives way to day and day to night, praying eem dimdumei chama may be being offered as a daily practice for us to remain present, conscious, and grounded through life’s changes. On this comment, the medieval commentator Rashi adds that the time of the reddening of the sun is the eit ratzon, the most auspicious time for prayer.

What is so special about praying at the border between dark and light?

Evidence of the power of the edge between two things is present every moment in our environment. The “edge effect,” as discussed in the philosophy of permaculture is found at the boundary between two ecological systems where we find the highest levels of synergism, biological activity and diversity.

May our moments of prayer this morning be a gentle call to us to remain awake through the challenge of transitions. May we be lifted up by the incredible energy, synergy, and beauty of the in between places. And may we embrace our time between boundaries, staring out over the edge of endless possibilities.