January 17, 2025
A profound moment in the Torah occurs this week when we read that the cry of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt (Mitzrayim) reached up to God, and God heard their cries and took note of them. Much later, the psalmist writes that we called from the narrow place (hameitzar) and God answered us. We note that the word for narrow and the word for Egypt come for the same root. The root tzar means bitterness. Our existence in Egypt was constricted and bitter, and when we emerged from bondage to freedom, we carried the wounds with us for millennia. The story still pervades and shapes our identities. When I traveled to Israel in May, Hostage Square had an art display of a Gazan tunnel. It was narrow and tight, dark and constricted. Walking through the tunnel for a mere thirty seconds was nothing compared to what the hostages have endured these last 469 days.
When I learned the news that a hostage deal had been reached this week, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. Since October 7, 2023, our hearts and prayers have focused on the return of the hostages as we mourn the loss of so many victims. We have felt the pain of those uprooted from their homes in the Western Negev along the Gaza border, and in the north. Our thoughts are with those serving in the IDF, tirelessly fighting and working to ensure Israel’s security and right to exist, and with their spouses, who have cared for children during their prolonged absences. The wounds of IDF soldiers still recovering and the grief of families who have lost loved ones in this war weigh heavily. In these fragile moments of gratitude blended with sorrow, the hardships faced by countless Israelis—running to bomb shelters, losing jobs, and enduring immense stress—are undeniable. While some families will experience the joy of reuniting with loved ones, the journey of healing lies ahead for many. Others will bear the unbearable pain of learning their loved ones will not come home alive.
With this agreement, those who live in Gaza can begin to heal and return to their lives. The deal calls for increased aid that is so desperately needed. There is hope that they can begin to rebuild their lives with new leadership in Gaza and we hope that Hamas will not be able to rebuild and will cease to have governing control of the area.
God has heard the cry of the suffering. And now it is our prayer that the leaders will do all they can to uphold the terms of this deal. As Shabbat begins in the world, our hearts are filled with great anticipation that when we extinguish the Havdalah candle and the new week begins, the first joyful embraces will take place.
May this Shabbat fill out hearts with great hope and anticipation. And may this Shabbat bring the enduring presence of peace.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Rick Kellner