The Birth of Inspiration

One of Israel’s most beautiful flowers is called “Harduf”- הַרְדּוּף- or as we know it in English, Oleander. Today we shall learn a story about it which is called “The Birth of Inspiration.”

In a cave on Mount Carmel lived a young man. He was brave, wise and diligent.

All day long he worked hard in order to provide for his family. While he was working he always gazed upon magnificent landscapes and flowers that surrounded the mountain. He would come home to the cave and decorate the cave walls with beautiful floral prints.

When summer came and he couldn’t find more flowers to draw, the young man became sad. One day when he was walking by the river, he saw a flower that he thought might poison the nearby animals, so he decided to cut it.

However, the flower kept sprouting new roots, so the wise young man understood that every animal and flower has its own destiny. He learned how to love these flowers and called the plant “Nerium oleander”- הרדוף הנחלים.

After the flowers withered, he wanted to remember them, so he drew them on the cave’s walls. This was the day that inspiration was born, with the first flowers’ drawing.

Want to hear more stories about Israeli flowers? Tune in next month for another great story!