In The Darkest of Times, I Pray.

VAYETZEI In The Darkest of Times, I Pray. In recent days, a moment has been publicized that can leave no one indifferent. Since that fateful Simchat Torah morning, there was a solitary moment of happiness, a moment of "light" in a dual sense: the rescue of Ori Megidish from captivity in Gaza, where she was founds alive, and safe. A video was circulated a few days before the rescue: her mother, Margalit Megidish, participating in a ceremony of separating challah for the salvation of her daughter. She stands and pleads with G-d for deliverance and salvation, and suddenly, she utters with a pounding heart, "Hashem, I love you." But where does this come from? Whom does she love? Her life fell apart; her daughter is in Gaza, in the hands of creatures beyond human description, and she loves the A-lmighty?! Does she feel Him with her? Does she have energy left to love?! This moment captures the deepest and most profound dimension of our relationship: "And our faith in the darkness." The faith that G-d does not forsake us and is always by our side. Faith doesn't produce answers and doesn't explain why, but it provides the strength to live with the questions. It awakens an intuition above reason and understanding, that even in chaos, He is present, and even when He seems distant – He is close. And when it seems like He has abandoned us– He is protecting and shielding us as always.