Daily Prophets
Day 171
For the Lord shall comfort Zion; He will comfort all her ruins; and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found in there, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Listen to Me, My people; and give ear to me, O My nation; for Torah shall proceed from Me, and I will make My judgment for a light to the people. Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My Torah; do not fear the taunts of men, nor be dismayed by their insults.(Isaiah 51:3,4,7)
It is so appropriate to speak of comfort this week as this is the first week of consolation after Tisha B’Av. This is the challenge for the people of Zion, for all of us really. We keep being redeemed and being comforted, yet it seems like it is never enough. The people Israel went back to Jerusalem, rebuilt the Temple and began engaging in the same practices that brought their destruction in the first place. What has become apparent to me is that the destructions that we bring upon ourselves are not because some other person/state/nation is more powerful; it is because we have allowed ourselves to rot from the inside with jealousy, pride, power, lack of concern and care for another(s), etc.
This is the reason, I believe, that God is calling for us to listen, to hear, to understand God’s Torah and make it our own. “Listen…give ear” is God’s call to us to pay attention and here God is calling on us to truly pay attention to Torah so that the judgement we have just gone through become a light for us rather than keep us stuck in darkness, in victim, in hopelessness. God’s words are reminding us that we are able to grow through each and every experience and we do not need to ‘poor me’ ourselves into more ruin. We get to use God’s Torah as a light and a path to live in. How are we using Torah today? How are we using the Bible today? Are we using them to forge a path of light and connection? Are we hearing and giving our ears and our beings over to God and living God’s will here and now? How are we giving lip-service to Torah and Bible while living the negativity, fear and mendacity in our hearts?
We have Torah in us! God is asking us to remember this fact, remember that we are righteous in our nature and in our deeds. We have these traits and attributes inside of us and we have to bring them forth in all of our actions. We have to listen to what is inside of us, we have to mature our inner life and clean out the schmutz that continues to block God’s power, strength, love and teachings from reaching our consciousness. Once we do, we do not have to fear the taunts, the insults from another(s) and we can stand upright knowing we are following God’s will and God’s path for us. This is such a crucial experience in maturing, being able to stand apart from those who insult and taunt us to be less than we are out of their fear. God is reminding us that we have within us Torah, Bible, God’s words and ways and we can lead with righteousness and we can know that we have nothing to fear by being righteous, kind, truthful, loving, compassionate, charitable, just and caring. In fact we have everything to gain by being this way.
Rabbi Heschel says: “What Jeremiah proclaimed as God’s promise for the future… Second Isaiah seems to regard as fulfilled.” (The Prophets pg.194). I am struck by the difference in the times of the two prophets, Jeremiah was before, during, and directly after the destruction while Second Isaiah is, seemingly, at the end of the exile period in Babylon. As I am understanding Rabbi Heschel, the difference is the exile worked, it got the people of Judah, the remnants of Jerusalem to realize the Torah of God is their path and God is their salvation, not power nor prestige. Second Isaiah is giving the people credit for learning the lessons of their exile, doing their T’Shuvah and having a new plan, a plan where God and Torah are the centerpieces of their existence and of their country. They have heard the word of God, they have committed to living in God’s ways and treating each other well. While we know it did not last long, we know that God’s will was fulfilled even if for only a short time. Knowing this we know we are able to find this Torah within us again and live from righteousness rather than fear.
In recovery, we get to listen to God’s call each and every day. Without these new ‘hearing aids’ and ‘glasses to see’, we would be stuck in our old paths and patterns. In recovery, we hear differently and we respond appropriately to what is, not what we think it should be. We get to be of service to another(s) and God throughout our days.
Knowing I am redeemed and I have to keep honoring this redemption is my daily challenge and gift. I also keep hearing God and following the direction of God even when people want me to be different. I have found the comfort and the joy that the prophet is speaking about within the heartache and heartbreak of the insults and the taunts of those I believed knew me. I am grateful to experience this joy and comfort from God and feel blessed to be in the comforting arms of my bride of almost 31 years, Harriet Rossetto, the embrace of my daughter Heather and grandson Miles Stuart as well as my brother, Rabbi Neal, my sister, Sheri and the many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Stay safe and God Bless, Rabbi Mark