This Shabbat, we will read a double Torah portion: Behar Sinai and Bechukotay, and with them we will conclude the third book of the Torah, Vayikra.
As we complete the reading, there are communities that say with strength and hope: “Chazak, Chazak, Venitchazek.” “Be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened.”
And this is precisely what we need most in these painful and complicated times: strength.
Strength to resist, to stand firm in the face of rising antisemitism, to not be overcome by fear or hatred, and to be resilient.
Yes, we must take every safety precaution, but beyond that, we must remember who we are.
We are a people who have survived exiles, persecutions, the Holocaust, and wars. How did we do it? By uniting, supporting one another, putting aside our differences, and embracing one another as one soul with one heart. Because when we are truly united, we are invincible.
More than 3,300 years ago, God brought us out of the exile of Egypt, gave us the Torah, and guided us to give us the Land of Israel—and all this happened thousands of years before those who wanted and want to destroy us existed. Our history and our relationship with the land of Israel does not begin with the creation of the modern state of Israel, with wars and suffering; it begins with a covenant of eternal love between God and the people of Israel. And that love is stronger than any storm. As the Shir Hashirim says: “Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it.”
This verse, which moved the world when sung by the brave and resilient Israeli singer Yuval Rafael at Eurovision, showing the world the beauty of the Jewish people, has a power that transcends music. It speaks of all the turbulent waters that try to sweep us away: pain, hatred, loss, exile… but none of them could or will extinguish the profound love between God and the people of Israel.
In the face of barbarism, terrorism, and darkness, our response must be light. We must fill the world with more spirituality, more values, more acts of kindness, love for our neighbors, and commitment to our roots. Every mitzvah, every act of generosity, every word of Torah and every prayer are candles that light hope. And the more darkness there is, the stronger our light must be.
This Shabbat, let us pray with all our hearts for the safe return of all those kidnapped, for the protection and success of our soldiers, for the unity of our people, and for the souls of Sara Milgrim and Yaron Lishinski who were murdered this week in Washington DC. We’re praying that all human beings will finally be able to see the truth with the eyes of their souls, to distinguish between barbarism and love, light and darkness, evil and goodness.
Chazak Chazak Venitchazek. May we move forward with faith, with courage, and with a love so strong that not even the deepest and most turbulent waters can extinguish.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen