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Clarity of Vision in a Time of Confusion
October 2024
Shifting Perspectives: Navigating the Distorted Lens on Israel
Rosh HaShanah brings new life; it is the time when a new flow of energy descends on the world. On Rosh HaShanah we beseech G-d that the torment of the previous years should be replaced with kindness and blessings. Indeed, we are confident that G-d will grant us many blessings for the new year, as expressed in the liturgy of the High Holidays.
Looking back on the past year, it has been an exceptionally tough one, starting with the brutal massacre in Southern Israel on the 7th of October, which left us all in shock. The taking of the hostages and the long-suffering of so many families has taken its toll on all of us.
The agonizing impact of October 7 was magnified by a global negative reaction to Israel even before Israel had a chance to respond. Israel’s opponents telegraphed the message that the victims and their defenders were the aggressors, and the attackers were the victims.
This distorted view is circulating on college campuses and playing on the nerves of many good people who feel as if the bottom has fallen out from beneath them. Somehow, we feel as if everything is upside down. It’s as if the world has flipped — what was once on top now lies at the bottom, and vice versa. This topsy-turvy perspective challenges our understanding of right and wrong. How did we arrive at this point, and how can we regain clarity?
As we are seeking light amidst the darkness, we find in the Book of Genesis a powerful comparison that correlates with our dilemma. The Torah writes that on the first day, G-d created light and separated it from darkness. The classic question is asked by Jewish Sages, why the need to separate light from darkness? Simply, they cannot coexist because the very nature of light dispels darkness.
The sages explain that the Torah is alluding to a metaphoric light and darkness. Truth is likened to light, and falsehood is compared to darkness. In the beginning, G-d allowed them to be jumbled together, and then He separated them. There is a tolerance for darkness to be mixed with light, which allows people to be influenced by false impressions. It is our duty to seek out truth and make it prevail. The Talmud predicts that there will be a time when light will be perceived as darkness and darkness will be declared as light. It seems we are living in that prophesied period.
It is imperative for us to seek that separation referred to in Genesis, especially now. When light is separated from darkness, the truth can be distinguished from distortion. This process begins and is accomplished by us, the Jewish people. The Mishna teaches that to move forward, we must know where we came from. When we examine the Torah’s view on life and learn our history, we can appreciate our unique culture and the ethos we live by.
It is time for us to look inward and understand who we are as Jews. We need to reacquaint ourselves with the timeless Jewish values, which originate in the Torah, and have guided us for thousands of years. This will give us the clarity of vision that is so absent today and infuse us with self-confidence.
Our depth of knowledge about our foundational history, going back to Sinai, instills within us a true sense of pride for our rich legacy. It also gives us a genuine appreciation for heritage that includes the Torah and the Land of Israel, both of which have been bequeathed to us by G-d as an eternal inheritance.
May G-d grant healing to our people, and may this New Year be filled with blessings of peace, health, and happiness.
