This week, we set our wake-up alarms earlier than usual. The scene outside of the windows was shockingly frightening. Pitch-black, a thick darkness in which we couldn’t see the hint of sunrise. And while we knew it was too early for the sun’s majestic rays to filter into the kitchen, our minds began to race. Why did the darkness feel so heavy? The light seemed trapped. And for a bewildering moment, I thought to myself, is there a chance the darkness is choosing to linger? Why won’t it go away?
For many, the darkness of this world feels quite heavy. This start of the secular new year is filled with regression, anger, anxiety. Adults and children alike are confused by each other behaviors; sometimes, confused by their own. We intuitively understand why acting out occurs. Furious retorts, gossip, aggression, fatigue, and depression. The darkness has yet to lift and many of us wonder, is the sun coming back? And in tirelessly waiting for the rays of the sun to reenergize our spirits, we push against each other and ourselves, not really knowing what else to do.
However, in recognizing the whys of our ways, we may find a bit more patience in witnessing reactions to the experienced heaviness of the world. We share in the human response of wandering through the night without the comforts of a flashlight.
In the morning service, we praise God, “Blessed are You, Sovereign of time and space, forming light and creating darkness, bringing peace while creating it all.” Just as light is a creation of the Divine, so is the dark. And our mission is to join God in being agents of peace while both light and darkness exists in the world.
We are stumbling through the dark. But perhaps, in a greater understanding of our reactions and responses, hearts turned towards each other will cause the very spark of light we need.
Shabbat Shalom
In partnership with The Jewish Journal, you can also find Rabbi Guzik’s blog post HERE.
