The days between Pesach and Shavuos are set aside for reflection. Rabbi Akiva’s suffered the loss of 24,000 precious talmidim. He had given his life to his students, and then had to deal with incredible grief and loss. Day after day, levaya after levaya.
Rabbi Akiva was left with five students. He could have said ‘I’m done! Obviously I’m not meant to be a rebbe.’ Rabbi Akiva could have thrown his hands up in frustration and pain. Instead of giving up, Rabbi Akiva decided to begin all over again.
Rabbi Akiva gives us direction for life.
Even in the darkest of times, we never give up. We dig deep and discover the power of hope. The ability to rise above, connect to the fortitude and resilience that has kept us alive for thousands of years. We start again.
As we find ourselves immersed in the agony of a war that has left so many chairs empty at the seder, still shocked from the greatest massacre of our people since the Holocaust, we must also plug into the koach of Rabbi Akiva. The power of resilience. The spirit of our nation.
It is not only sadness that sefira brings. The story of Rabbi Akiva also brings us hope for tomorrow. A Jew never gives up! Even in the choshech there are cracks through which light enters. If we open our eyes and find the light, we can illuminate the darkness.
October 7 woke a sleeping giant. Thousands of Jews who have never identified Jewish suddenly found themselves alone. They had marched for every cause and now all those they had raised their voices for, turned their backs on them. They were canceled, defriended, derided, and made to feel as if they were the ones responsible for being murdered and abused. Suddenly, these Jewish souls found themselves seeking connection.
I, myself, have received numerous calls asking for classes and Torah’s wisdom. Before Pesach I met a group of women who had never before made a real seder, never really tasted the joy of Judaism. Many asked what to do with the atheists and non-believers who will be sitting at their table. Their friends and family members who have tragically disconnected from their heritage.
We spoke about the power of the pintela Yid, that flicker of a light that never dies. We spoke about being the match that strikes and ignites the spark of the soul. We spoke about our ability to inspire others to choose life.
Agam Berger has become a voice of passion for Am Yisrael. Incredibly, she has relayed her story of emunah that she discovered within the dark tunnels of Gaza. We, who have grown up with our chinuch and education have much to learn from this courageous young woman.
Erev Pesach, Agam wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal. Her voice is a voice of hope for our nation. As we journey from Pesach to Shavuos, we must take a moment to reflect upon her words and the meaning of being a Jew.
“I learned, as my forebears did, that imprisonment can’t overwhelm the inner spiritual life. Our faith and covenant with G-d, the story we remember on Passover, is more powerful than any cruel captor. Even as Hamas tried to coerce me into converting to Islam – at times, forcing a hijab on my head – they couldn’t take away my soul.
“I chose to observe every fast possible. I kept kosher which at times meant refusing non-kosher meat when I was hungry. I chose not to light a fire on Shabbat to cook for my captors.”
Agam describes trying to make a seder together with Liri Albag. From scraps of paper they made ‘napkins’ and a makeshift Haggadah. They tried to somehow create a holiday mood despite being held in a tiny room, no natural light and the knowledge that they were kidnapped by terrorists.
We see with our own eyes that the spirit of Rabbi Akiva lives on. This is the hope of our nation. Despite the darkness we must discover the light. The soul of the Jew is eternal. We stand tall as we pick ourselves up from suffering and loss. We never forget who we are. Our roots remain strong.
As we count the days to Shavuos let us all make an effort to make each day count. Rabbi Akiva fortifies us to begin again. Don’t give up on yourself, on your people or your G-d. Even in a dark tunnel of Gaza, a brave young Jewess refused to surrender. If you find yourself in a difficult challenge that shatters your heart, discover the light within the cracks. Take strength from Rabbi Akiva. Be emboldened by the brave souls who inspire us today. Choose hope.
