As the Hebrew month of Tishrei is upon us, thoughts from recent events are challenging, but may this time offer reflection and light despite our horrors.
In a world around us, the autumn of 2023 is a time of “senseless hatred” filling the air from Israel to America…the horror of war embarking Ukraine…each war screeching cacophony of one people’s “senseless hatred” for another.
The terror spread by extremism eats away at the human soul, and in the darkness of fear, our hearts cry out words spoken by a lone prophet in ancient Israel, inspired by the Israeli singer, Hava Alberstein: Ad Matai.
How long will Israel have to continue her biennial battles of survival
How long will such battles simply be to increase death counts?
How long will it take to eliminate the “senseless hate” of the extremists?
How long O’G-d do we have before this “senseless hatred” corrupts our souls with it point and defeat our will to live?
And thus, the song continues with lyrics that ring to today and in the past tragedies Israel has faced. The situation happening in Israel is complex. Our hearts are in the East while we remain in the West, trying to comprehend the inhumane destruction of our people.
In all this darkness, encourage yourself to see the light. A story long ago reflects on a Palestinian child and an Israeli child in Maine at summer camp. The two sat in honest dialogue in a program called “Seeds of Peace,” where they confronted their prejudices and hatreds to plant seeds of peace that, hopefully, their grandchildren’s generation will be able to taste the peaceful fruits.
Idealist? Optimist? Yes, I am, for if we are ever to wrestle “senseless hate” from the hands of extremists, the time is now! From today and yesteryear of “senseless hate” to the hopes of “seeds of peace,” this will be a long and arduous journey that, like the challenges of our personal lives, often are heart-rending. But herein lies our hope. Do not lose faith. Do not give up. Do not ignore what is happening; remain aware, but look for light in the darkness.
We know how deeply that to feel part of all the separate pieces around us, we must somehow recover the oneness we once knew. When the great pain of a broken heart overwhelms us, our humbled and helpless selves are again forced into view. We must exert all our effort to regain our connectedness to the world and others. Before too long, we can discover the wellspring of unconditional love. All the separate pieces around us magically can become part of us again. Compassion is reborn in our hearts when we lead with love.
Do not lose faith. Do not give up.
Do not ignore what is happening.
Remain aware, but look for light in the darkness
Picture: Shutterfly
Rabbi Merle E. Singer | Words with Merle 