In addition to an exploration of the tragic account in Parashat Shemini of the death of Nadav and Abihu - it invites an example highlighting the awareness of our energetic states as we move through life and experience different emotions. Shemini also teaches on the laws of ritual purity including the purifying power of the mikvah (a pool of water meeting specified qualifications) and the wellspring. Thus the people of Israel are enjoined to “differentiate between the impure and the pure.” These two accounts touch on concepts of mindfulness that invite us to deepen our awareness of our fluctuating emotions/energetic states and invites us to explore ways to be loving as we move into other states – or seek to be in a different emotional/spiritual space than we currently are in. As we transition into Passover and this season of renewal, we find ourselves simultaneously holding the trauma of October 7th and its aftermath: fear, pain, sadness, uncertainty, etc along with other emotions. What can we learn from the ancient tradition of transitioning from one energetic state to the next, whether through the ritual of mikvah/ritual immersion, or through other rituals and practices - candle lighting, breathing, meditation, connecting into nature that can aid us as we move into a season of renewal during this unprecedented moment in recent Jewish history. This teaching is followed by a guided meditation.