As we inch closer to the end of one year and the beginning of a new one, our prophets give us hope of what the world can become. This week, Isaiah visualizes a world so different from our present one, forming the basic foundation of emuna, of faith. The Haftorah begins, “Shine, for your light has arrived!” The rabbis explain that darkness is not like the physical plague we see in the Passover story. Rather, darkness is a spiritual space, dominated by false ideals and values. These are moments when people have doubts of faith, deepening the darkness in our lives.

And yet, there are moments when the ray of light shine, the light of our Torah and tradition. As I write these words, we are diligently preparing for the High Holy Days. Two weeks from tonight, our sanctuaries will be filled with so many of us searching for those rays of light. Isaiah reminds us that the light is always there. It just takes a push of the darkness to shine through. One person at a time until the sound of the shofar will remind us how bright tomorrow can become.