As we close the book on 2024 and begin 2025, we see a lot pain and suffering. Our brothers and sisters in Israel continue to live under threat, and so many are still held hostage; we look forward to their immediate and safe return and the complete and total victory of our IDF soldiers. So many of our people continue to be persecuted across the world with a rise in violence and vile hatred against Jewish people. Where do we go from here? How do we inspire ourselves to rise to the challenge and continue spreading light in the face of darkness?
The answer lies in this week's Torah portion Shemos. There, we learn about the start of Egyptian slavery and the brutal treatment of the Jewish people who cried out to G-d in pain. The Torah tells us, "But the more they were oppressed, the more they increased and the more they spread." This is an inverse response to pain and suffering; most people throughout history have buckled under the pressure and eventually disappeared altogether from the face of the map. But we, the Jewish people, have not only survived the worst persecutions imaginable, we've grown stronger from them; how?
The answer lies in our belief in Divine providence and divine presence. If everything in our lives is intentional, placed by G-d for a purpose, then this moment is no different. There must be something for me to accomplish here, as painful as it might be. If G-d is everywhere at all times, then now, too, G-d is with me; I am not Chas V'sholom abandoned to face these obstacles alone; I am right where I need to be with all of the divine force I need to overcome the challenges in front of me and expand my illumination of the world.
Let us not diminish the challenges we face today in Israel and worldwide. At the same time, let us not diminish the power of our people and the incredible energy G-d gives us to not only survive but thrive. Now is not the time to play defense but rather to go on the offensive, expanding our work of bringing meaning and purpose to the world. Our light unto nations must be intensified and shined ever further to places and people who have never seen it before. To do this, we must first live more Jewishly, for only when the light shines brightly within us can we share it with the world.
Will you join me in this holy mission? Will you commit to living more Jewishly in 2025 and beyond? What that means individually will be different for each of us, but we will be united in the ever-growing light we shine on the world. This is how we will end this exile and bring peace and harmony to our world.
Mission: Resolve to live more Jewishly by adding one new Mitzvah you will observe and 1 hour of Torah study each week. Unsure how? We're here to help :)