No Words

Pain. Anger. Grief. Sadness. Rage. Helpless. There are not enough or adequate words in the English language (or any other language) to communicate the feelings of much of the Jewish World in the last few days. With over 500 days since the hostages were abducted, we now got word that Shiri Bibas, along with two toddler sons, Kfir and Ariel, had been killed, and their bodies were returned in coffins to Israel. To make matters worse, Hamas conducted a sickening ceremony filled with ugly propaganda in handing their bodies to Israel. If anyone had any doubts about the death cult and sheer evil that Hamas represents, this should put it to rest. There are so many layers to this development and awful tragedy. From security, anti-terrorism, geopolitical intelligence angles, and more. There is also the spiritual dimension. There have been countless tears and prayers shed for the welfare of the hostages in general and the Bibas children in particular. Witnessing the Israeli babies being paraded in coffins was too sickening to bear. A fair question can be asked is what about all the heartfelt prayers? Were they all for naught? As a community of faith, we continue to struggle during these painful times with more questions than answers. In last week's Parsha, the Torah records arguably the greatest moment in the history of the world, the transmission of the Torah from G-d to the Jewish People. There is a bizarre statement recorded in the prelude to the big moment. The Torah states, “וַיֹּאמֶר הֹ' אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי .בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן Translation: And G-d said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you.” Why is it necessary to get a weather report in that it was cloudy when G-d spoke to Moshe? I would imagine everyone would prefer a clear blue sky rather than a cloudy day feel from London, but why is this remotely consequential? The Rabbis teach us that the notion of G-d appearing in a thick cloud has little to do with the weather but rather has to do with our ability to see the Hand of G-d during difficult times. The reality of Hester Panim, or the Concealed Face of G-d, is a bitter reality during certain periods in our lives. The challenge of attempting to see or feel the presence of G-d during a tragic time is real, but that doesn't mean He is not there for us. That is precisely the message of His appearing in a thick cloud. Even when there are storm clouds in our midst, G-d tells us He is there no matter the circumstances. As the Psalmist writes in Tehilim/ Psalms, גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי. Translation: Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me. It's important to note that there is no assurance that no harm will occur. Instead, the assurance is that we will not be alone, even in the darkest periods. As we mourn the tragic passing of these holy souls, let us remember this powerful message. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, Rabbi Yaakov Fisch (Please note, this message was written before it was discovered that the body of Shiri Bibas was not returned)