The Legendary Beekeeper: "They Told Me Another Sting Could Be Life-Threatening, but I Didn't Give Up"

Did you know that an average bee born in the spring lives only six weeks? Did you know that out of all the thousands of eggs laid by the queen bee, only one becomes a queen? And how do you think bees reproduce when their hive gets too crowded? The answer is both surprising and fascinating.

When speaking with Shlomo Rivkin, a veteran beekeeper in Kfar Chabad who heads the 'Behind the Honey' visitor center, he talks about bees with great enthusiasm. "The bee is a wondrous creature," he repeatedly states.

These are not empty words but come from personal experience. For thirty-five years, he has been involved with the apiary established by his father-in-law, Rabbi Moshe Schneerson, of blessed memory, who was one of the first beekeepers in Kfar Chabad. "My father-in-law loved Hashem's world immensely and, as an educator, always sought to enrich his students and tell them about the beauty of creation," Rivkin recounts. "He had, thank God, twenty children and was looking for an additional source of income. He tried different agricultural branches, and when he created the first hive, he was so excited and delighted by the wonders of creation that he decided this would be his occupation, and indeed, that's what he did from then on."

Rivkin also adds, "My father-in-law always said it was impossible for Jews to walk in Hashem's world without being aware of the wonder embedded in every plant or animal. In reality, children see bees but generally don't know much more about them than the fact that they might sting. But the truth is, the capabilities of bees are astounding - a two-day-old bee can clean the hive, feed mature larvae, guard and collect nectar, and much more. He wanted to impart this knowledge to children, which is why he decided to establish 'Behind the Honey' – a visitor center that tells about the wonders of creation behind the world of bees."

Life-Threatening Allergy

Shlomo reveals that he essentially joined an existing effort. "My father-in-law offered me to manage the visitor center, which suited my wife and me because we were both in education but considered leaving it, wanting to work in a field with added value. The thought of instilling these interesting values in children, about the world of bees, was exciting. We wanted it.

"But it wasn't successful from the start, far from it," he emphasizes, "We faced much disappointment along the way. For example, we built the place from scratch. The benches and tables where the kids sit were made from planks of a nearby discarded wooden box factory, as we couldn't even afford to buy tables and chairs."

But the greatest frustration came when Shlomo discovered one day that he was allergic to bee stings, to the extent of being life-threatening. "In the early stages of working with bees, I didn't know I was allergic, so I allowed myself to be stung without thinking twice. At that time, I also saw my father-in-law coming to the apiary in a short-sleeved shirt, covering his face with a net and opening the hives without any problem, and I imitated him. Until at some point, I began developing an allergy. It really surprised me because I always knew there were people allergic to bee stings, but I didn't know a person could develop an allergy just like that in the middle of life."

(Photo Illustration: shutterstock)

"At that time," he adds, "doctors warned me that every additional sting I receive would worsen the allergy, potentially to dangerous levels. I had to undergo allergy cancellation treatment, and I'm still advised not to get stung."

And you never considered leaving the profession because of it?

"Honestly, not at all. Because once you're in it, you just get drawn in and can't stop. It's also important to emphasize that although many children and even adults believe that every time you pass by a bee, it might sting, the truth is, the chance of getting stung just because you passed by a bee is slim to nonexistent. Bees sting only if they feel threatened or attacked. Hence, I am cautious, and usually, I don't get stung daily. So there's no real danger here."

Working with Faith

Today, Rivkin no longer deals with the hives themselves but manages the visitor center with his wife. "People of all backgrounds come here, including groups and schools, and families seeking an experience with value."

And although bees have accompanied him for over two decades, Rivkin notes that he still experiences awe each time anew with the groups that visit. "Bees teach us so much, like order, cleanliness, savings, responsibility, and most importantly, unity, cooperation, and mutual assistance. You can see how each one cares for all, and all care for one, much like the harmony existing among the parts of the human body or any animal body, there's amazing harmony within the hive."

"Listen to this wonder," he demonstrates, "When a person approaches a hive, the first bee will sting, releasing a scented hormonal substance that signals other bees that a battle is underway and they need to join the fight. Everything works with immense cooperation."

Shlomo Rivkin the Beekeeper

"Another thing to understand – a bee lives for just six weeks. This means when bees gather nectar in spring, they will not enjoy the nectar collected; it will be preserved for the next generation. There's so much ethics in this – thinking of others and not just oneself."

"There's a fascinating phenomenon in bees called 'swarming,'" continues Shlomo. "Bees mainly reproduce during spring. This happens when they build elevated cells, and the queen lays an egg in each. When a larva emerges, the bees feed it royal jelly. At the next stage, when the larvae reach the pupa stage, the queen bee leaves the hive with half the bees and builds a new home, leaving the old one to the new queen yet to be born."

"Swarming is spectacular – bees leave the hive on a clear day and fly around in a big group. I've had the chance to see it a few times, and it looks like a tornado. They circle and progress, then the queen settles on a branch, and all settle around her, forming a ball of about 20,000 bees. Scout bees then leave that branch looking for a suitable place to establish a new hive, usually a large cavity. Once they find a suitable place, they return to the branch and report to their companions that a location has been found."

How do they convey the message?

Shlomo notes that they have a special language – a dance language they use to communicate with each other. They also use electrical signals transmitted through feelers."

"Once, an amazing incident occurred – in one of our hives, the bees fell ill and died, leaving the hive empty. I planned to bring in a new bee family, and suddenly, one morning, I woke up and discovered to my surprise that the hive was full. What happened was that apparently, in another hive in the area, the bees reached the swarming stage, flew out looking for a place to settle, and coincidentally chose the empty hive. It was simply extraordinary and emphasized how much wisdom Hashem placed in these tiny creatures."

Sweet Life

Since people from all walks of life visit the visitor center, Shlomo mentions that they constantly encounter interesting stories. "Not long ago, there was a very moving situation - a group of children from a public kindergarten visited us, and as part of the activity, we offered them to make a candle from the beeswax. We always try to make it with two wicks so it can be used for *havdalah*."

"I heard one child ask the guide: 'What is *havdalah*?' And she answered by explaining that on Motzei Shabbat, there's a special prayer involving wine and a candle, and then he continued and asked: 'Why specifically a candle?' She replied: 'On Shabbat, we have lots of light, and on Motzei Shabbat, the light departs, so we want to add more light, so we light a candle.' It was a public school, and I observed that both the students and the staff were very interested and impressed."

"These are the moments when we gain strength and satisfaction to continue our work," he concludes, "because here, in a place where the wonders of creation are seen up close, you simply can't deny the divine beauty. It's not that we need to explain and tell; just coming and feeling is enough."