On an early morning walk, I looked up and saw the sliver of the moon. Just a few days ago, at the beginning of Sukkot, the 15th of Tishrei, the moon was full.

As we sit in the fragile temporary Sukkot, we are guided by the brightest moon in the sky.

Yet, as we take down our shelter and enter back into the world, we only see that sliver that we have hope will be bright again.

This comes at the same moment we begin reading the Torah again. In the first chapter of the Torah, we learn that God created the human being in the image of God.

The Chafetz Chaim explains that the “image of God” means that the human being has the ability to emulate God, who bestows kindness upon people.

Someone who thinks to themselves, “Why should I help others?” completely alienates themselves from Godliness.

Listening to and watching the testimonies of the 20 released hostages brought this teaching to life.

So many of the hostages were so alone for days, months, and even years, completely shut off from the entire world. Yet, when they reunited with families and friends, the theme was consistent–I knew you were there on the other side helping me.

Even while their captors told them no one cared about them and they had been left on their own, it was their belief that someone did care.

Last Simchat Torah, Tami Barslavski, mother of Rom, stood at Sinai Temple and shared her son’s story; Rom had been held hostage for a year at that moment.

This week, I sent Tami the video of the Sinai Temple community removing the picture of her son from the wall as he was now home.

She wrote back this message to our Sinai community:

We have merited the greatest miracle and Rom is now home in life. Thank you to all of Am Yisrael for the hug and love.”

There is no better message than Tami’s words to begin the Torah this Shabbat. This week, the entire Jewish people embraced in love and in life.