The culmination of a ten year search for a hidden treasure was in the news this week. Forrest Fenn of Santa Fe, New Mexico who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, was an art and precious coin collector. Wishing to leave a legacy, he hid a treasure trove filled with a million dollars of collectables in the Rocky Mountains. He then wrote a poem with nine clues where it could be found.
Over 350,000 people searched to find the hidden treasure, some even quitting their jobs and some even giving up their lives in their search.
The upside of the story is that Forrest Fern survived his illness and at the age of 89 lived to hear from the finder, who wished to remain anonymous, through an email, confirming the specific contents.
Forrest wrote on his website, ‘the treasure has been found, the search is over.’ His only request: “Whatever you choose — keep the thrill of the chase alive and continue the legend.”
I’m a bit embarrassed to say I never heard of this chase and when I shared it with my son Moshe, he immediately responded, Wow! “They found it? What was in it?”
The story intrigued me. Here is a man who wanted to leave a legacy of his passion and wasn’t even sure he would live to see if it was found. Eventually he lived, yet, the finder wished to remain anonymous – kind of anti-climatic.
But the thrill of 350,000 people seeking clues and searching for the treasure must have given Forrest Fern great pleasure.
In truth, we have been placed on this vast earth on a mission to find a treasure – within this treasure lies the ultimate meaning of life.
However, this treasure is not hidden. “It’s not in the Heavens or somewhere across the sea.” So where is it? “It’s found in our inner core, in the heart of each one of us.”
G-d calls us an, “Am Segulah – a treasured Nation.” We received this title when we as a nation accepted the Torah and had an encounter with G-d Himself.
The Talmud teaches us that while in utero an angel teaches each fetus the entire Torah. As we are exiting our mother’s womb, the angel taps us above the lip and we forget the information we were given. The question raised is what is the purpose of the angel teaching us Torah if it is going to be forgotten?
An answer offered is that, yes, the Torah knowledge is forgotten, but the imprint that Torah has on our core by being once taught by the angel, enables us to channel our way through life to find and absorb the holy direction, message and impact of our holy Torah. It’s similar to retrieving a lost item.
So G-d calls us a treasured nation and we have the imprint of the treasure trove of Torah within us.
The Torah that was given to us is more precious than the greatest treasures. Each Shabbos in the morning service we recite King David’s Psalm 19 in which he extols the priceless value of the Torah, “It is more precious than the most refined gold or precious gems and is sweeter than the sweetest honey.”
When we are challenged to find the treasure of the meaning of life, we do not have to follow some obscure poem to find it, nor does the finder keep its message or findings all for himself.
Rather, our treasure is clear, profound and accessible to all. This treasure is to be shared with others, for the more it is accessed, performed and spread, the more clarity it provides. This treasure has the special component that when it is retrieved, studied and followed, a relationship and an eternal bond are forged with the Provider of the treasure.
The treasure of course we are talking about is the Torah that G-d graciously and lovingly gave us; it is the true prescription for life and its meaning. The G-dly charge we got at Sinai is the only way to possibly understand how we as a people have endured our tumultuous history with our foes trying to strip us from being loyal to our treasure or to destroy our sacred and treasured lives.
Our enemies know quite well where our treasure lies. Our charge is to proudly and faithfully embrace it, live it and treasure it!
