We woke up to the news of a Houthi drone strike in the middle of the night in Downtown Tel Aviv. The explosion was heard around the city and beachgoers captured the footage on cell phones.
The one casualty was a man who immigrated to Israel after the start of the war in Ukraine, from Belarus.
What would the normal reaction be of an event like this? Hiding, retreating, and living in fear.
Yet, as I view live coverage through personal social media feeds, I see the exact opposite. Mourning loss while continuing life. Fitness classes continuing on the Tel Aviv boardwalk, people going to work and cafes once again open.
This moment is not to be taken lightly. Israel is now being attacked by Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north, and Houthis in the center.
The Torah tells us the famous story of the prophet Bilam who is asked by King Balak to curse the Jews. God tells Bilam he cannot do so, ki varuch hu, because they are blessed. Ibn Ezra explains that these words are written to emphasize that they cannot be cursed.
Rashi gives a different interpretation. When Bilam says he will bless the people, God responds, “They do not need a blessing, for they are already blessed.”
Blessings are not foolproof. We cannot simply accept that a blessing will fall upon our heads and not be prone to curses. Yet, when we recognize that blessing surrounds us, how do we use that blessing to bless others?
It is difficult in a moment like today to read that we are blessed while mourning loss of life. It is confusing to say we are blessed while we are at war. Yet, our tradition has the beautiful approach to find blessing in the most difficult times and spaces so that when these moments become memory, our blessings will be that much more uplifting.
