The question I often hear these days
when I speak to people is, how do we
keep our world intact when it feels as if
everything we’ve known is falling
apart? Finding ourselves anxious and
confused about all the unrest and illness
can bring us to a place of sadness. There is uncertainty
mixed with grief. We worry about our future, our children’s
future. We worry about our country. During all the
chaos we have the power to bring light.
King David says it best in his book of Tehillim, the book
of Psalms: “The world is built through kindness.” When the
universe around us is falling down, we have the ability to
raise it up. Compassion becomes a mighty force of
strength that transforms sorrow into joy. Every time we
connect with another soul, we create a link of unity. Hope
for the future is born. We are all feeling vulnerable these
days. Connecting with others unlocks the constraints we
are enduring. Knowing that we have/had parents, friends
and family who love us, care for us, and watch over us,
empowers us as we struggle with the darkness. We all
have the ability to reconnect with someone now and create
a moment of kindness.
Sefer Chasidim, a 13th century work of teachings,
explains that prayer was instituted in this way because
G-d only listens to the requests of those who are also conscious
of their fellows’ needs. So, my friends, no matter
whether we are praying alone or in community, we are
prompted to think about the whole of humanity when we
pray, not only of ourselves. Because the whole is greater
than the sum of its parts, we pray in this way no matter
where we are physically — both to improve the receptiveness
of our prayers and, perhaps, to deepen our empathy
for others. Even when we do not sit in the same room or
walk in another person’s shoes, still we pray for them.
Let us all continue in our davening, our prayers each
day, for those who are not in the best of health for a refuah
shelaimah, a full and complete healing. May it come swiftly
and soon and let us say, amen!
If anyone knows of someone who is ill or has
passed or is in some other need please call or
email me directly so that I can make contact with
them. My number is 305-338-3029 and my email is
Rabbi Schonblum