Friday, January 17, 2025

Fighting Depression

 

Yesterday, I fought depression most of the day. Although I find it exhilarating to think there’s a good chance that next week the Bibas family, whom I pray for every day, will be freed, there is a downside. Many, the majority, of the captives will not be freed. Among them are most probably Avinatan Ohr, my neighbor’s son and the friend of my son-in-law and daughter, since he is a thirty-one-year-old male.

The supposed equivalency of this young man to terrorists with blood on their hands in revolting. Knowing that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas head who orchestrated the October 7th Massacre, was released in a “prisoner exchange” eleven years ago chills me. What violence will the soon-to-be released terrors commit?

It was only by looking that this week’s Torah portion I was able to achieve some emotional equilibrium. The Jewish people are enslaved in Egypt and the wheels are set in motion for our release. Every day we thank G-d for our freedom but there’s an obvious question. Why were we put in slavery in the first place? The answer is to become a nation worthy of receiving the Torah.

I have no answers as to why the horror of Simchat Torah occurred last year.  However, if I believe that G-d is good, and I do, then I believe there is a reason. We may understand that reason in a few days, weeks, months years. We may not comprehend it until the world-to-come but I believe there is an explanation that will eventually come clear to us.

I’m still praying for the major miracle to bring everyone home. Please join me.

Shabbat shalom

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