On hearing tragic news we make what we call the broken blessing, acknowledging our very limited human perspective and the hopelessness of trying to understand the place of suffering in our world:
בָּרוּךְ דַּיַּן הָאֱמֶת
Blessed is the Judge of Truth.
This morning as the synagogue was wrapped in a heavy mist, we began our Simchat Torah gathering with this beloved passage about Torah from the Book of Proverbs:
She is a tree of life to those who grasp her and those who hold on to her are fortunate.
Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her pathways are peace.
עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃
דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכׇל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם׃
We discussed how the pathway of Torah is made of many individual steps of peace. At this terrible and bloody moment in Jewish history, we reflected on how each of us can walk a path of peace.
Our hearts are broken by the harrowing violence, loss of life and the desperate situation of civilian and military hostages. We’re stunned by both the depth of hatred displayed in heinous acts and the breadth of government incompetence that time and again leaves innocents vulnerable to murder and misery. We understand the need for legitimate retaliation and effective defense; we condemn calls for vengeance.
Reform Leaders Respond to Hamas Terrorist Attacks in Israel
We also grieve for thousands of victims of the earthquake in Afghanistan, another failure of heartless governance that abandons the impoverished to living and dying in mud huts on earthquake faults.
American Jewish World Service – urgent relief to communities around the world
Our tradition teaches us to pursue justice and pray for peace. Let us continue to do both with all our strength.
B’shalom,
Rabbi Naomi