One Gate Towards Wisdom
A Jewish Reflection on a Country Divided
Well friends, what a week it has been. It is powerful to live in a democracy where we are all afforded the privilege of casting a vote, that we all have a voice. I hope that all of us who are eligible exercised our civic right and responsibility to help choose the person who will, in January, assume the highest office in the land.
I know some of us stayed up way too late on Tuesday night watching the election results come in, while some of us woke up on Wednesday to news headlines announcing that the public has spoken. Donald Trump will once again be the President of the United States.
In hearing that sentence, each one of us has an internal response: maybe you feel joy. Maybe you feel disgust. Maybe you are satisfied, or confused. You might be celebrating, or grieving. You might feel confident when you think about the next four years or you might be concerned. Our community represents a wide swath of American political opinion. And this community, as it always does, quietly, consistently, carries our multitudes.
I ended Torah study last week with a plea. As we studied Parashat Noach, we noticed the origin of the light that shone through the ark’s tiny window. I asked then us to notice also the origin of our light — knowing that no matter what happens this week, we will need to shine…
