This blog is inspired by a recent “Thought for the Week” posted by Igor Zinkov, a rabbi from the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London. He starts with a quote from Disturbing the Peace by Václav Havel, a Czech politician, playwright, and former dissident, who became the first democratically elected president of the Czech Republic.
'Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for early success, but, rather, an ability to work for something because it is good[1], not just because it stands a chance to succeed. The more unpropitious the situation in which we demonstrate hope, the deeper that hope is. Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.’ (pp. 181-182)
Rabbi Igor goes on to link this understanding of hope with the passage from the Bible appointed to be read in Synagogues on the upcoming Saturday at the time of the post. The passage describes the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, a portable place of worship which the Jews took with them on their wanderings through the desert. The passage ends with a description of how God’s presence descended on the Tabernacle and was seen by the Israelites as a cloud by day and fire burning over it by night: 'For over the Tabernacle a cloud of The Eternal One rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.’ (Exodus 40:38)
Rabbi Igor suggests a metaphorical reading of this passage which gives a beautiful message of hope. In the darkness of night, the people could see the fire, representing warmth, light and protection from the wild forces of the desert. He says that the smoke, which covered the light during the day might serve as a reminder that you need to be prepared for the unexpected in good times. “At the same time, during darkness, God sends us the message of hope - because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.”
Mother Sarah
[1] My italics
Respond
