Have Faith — Shine a Light

I find myself counting down the days at this time of year.

Not in anticipation of the end of the pandemic, the New Year, or in the hopes of getting “the perfect gift” driven by consumerism.

Though I have lived in this region for almost 20 years, it is not the gray or rain that overwhelms me, but the dark.

That third week in December that augurs the Winter Solstice, and thus the darkest day of the year, marks the nadir of my energy, my focus and even my broader perspective on life and the world.

I do not clinically suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but I am acutely aware of the drain on my psyche and spirit.

And so, I count ...

down to the winnowing light of the solstice, and then up again, moment by moment, to the zenith of brightness in the last half of June.

The literal darkness of this year is amplified by the figurative, myriad darkness of our current moment – with its challenges to health, our political system and our social fabric. And yet, perhaps we can embrace the enlightened symbolism of winter celebrations – whether the Jewish celebration of triumph over religious oppression, or the Christian rejoicing at the birth of Jesus – in a more thorough and impactful way.

For at our most reflective, we appreciate the tenuousness of each moment – fleeting glimpses that can overwhelm us in their uplift or their despair. Jewish tradition teaches the axiom “gam zeh ya’avor ... this too shall pass.” It is both a warning and an inspiration. In moments of unqualified joy, we are encouraged to fully embrace the blessings that are as precious as they are infrequent. And even in the throes of struggle and suffering, there lie the seeds of faith, promise and a path to a brighter future.

As we kindle the Chanukah lights or reaffirm the illumination brought into the world by the birth of the Son of God, let us more fully and essentially nurture the spark of hope that lies in our hearts and in the heart of this nation: for a coming vaccine that will bring an end to this pandemic; for a renewed answer to the call to common cause and common purpose; for our ability, through our actions, our attitudes and our aspirations to become agents of holiness, goodness and blessing that is the true foundation of our redemption.

As our sacred texts confirm, the primordial light of that first day of creation lies not in the combustible reactions of stars, but in the deepest recesses of inspired souls, awaiting the needs of the moment and the will of the spirit.

Daniel A. Weiner is rabbi at Seattle’s Temple De Hirsch Sinai.