• How do you find faith during difficult circumstances?
• How did you feel when you finally were able to celebrate overcoming the challenges?

Yuval Raphael, a 24-year-old Israeli, whose voice became a beacon light that helped lift Israel and Jews worldwide from the depths of suffering to the heights of joy. Her journey, from surviving the horrors of Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, to the triumph of winning the #1 Fan Vote and second place at Eurovision 2025 echoes an ancient rhythm. The song of Miriam, who led the Children of Israel in dance and timbrel after the trials of the wilderness (Exodus 15:20).

On that fateful morning of October 7, 2023, the Nova festival pulsed with the heartbeat of Israeli youth; some 3,500 souls dancing under the desert sky during the joyous holiday of Simcha Torah. Then, in a moment of unimaginable horror, Palestinian Hamas terrorists descended, turning celebration into carnage. At least 364 young lives were lost. Approximately 40 more were taken hostage, part of over 250 Israelis abducted across southern Israel that day, in an attack that claimed at least 1,195 lives, the deadliest civilian massacre in Israel’s history. Yuval survived the attack by hiding in a bomb shelter. In a desperate phone call to her dad, Yuval’s father told her to “play dead in order to survive.”  Yuval hid underneath dead bodies of fellow festival goers. Refusing to give up she endured, all the while praying to survive. Fast forward to May 17, 2025, her  resilience was revealed again, her music a defiant note of hope in the face of hate.

In Exodus 15:20, Miriam stood at the edge of the Sea of Reeds, her timbrel in hand, leading the Children of Israel in song and dance. “Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dancing. And Miriam sang to them…” The Children of Israel had known suffering during the bondage of slavery and a dangerous escape from Egypt while chased by Pharaoh’s army. Miriam did not linger in the shadows of pain. She danced, she sang, and she inspired.  Her voice invigorated the people, turning their weary steps into a celebration of life. Her timbrel became a symbol of joy reborn, a testament that even after the deepest trials the heart can find its rhythm again and our voices can express our faith.

Yuval and Israel would face dual terrorist threats again on May 17, 2025. While Houthi Terrorists launched missiles on Tel Aviv, Israelis watched Yuval overcome the threats of violence by Palestinian Hamas terror supporters in Basel, Switzerland, during Eurovision. Yuval inspired Israel with her resilience and determination. At the end of her song, Yuval proudly and defiantly exalted  “Am Yisrael Chai” as a tribute to Israel and Jews world-wide. Each and every loss of life on October 7th and IDF soldier lost since  was conveyed in each and every note Yuval sang In that moment, all of Israel, Jews, and Yuval marked the moment from suffering to celebration, made possible by perseverance, faith in G-d/Hashem, and compassionate community.

In the Jewish tradition, song and dance are sacred acts, weaving the earthly to the eternal. Miriam’s timbrel resounds through the generations, a reminder that joy is not the absence of suffering but the courage to sing through it. Yuval’s journey mirrors this timeless truth.

From the bomb shelter on October 7, 2023, to the global spotlight on May 17, 2025, from the shadows of Nova to shining stage of Eurovision, Yuval wove her melody to lift the Land of Israel, and lead a modern exodus, from sorrow to strength, inviting all to join in the dance of hope and determination.

What does it mean to sing through shadows? Yuval Raphael’s triumph asks each soul to pick up their own timbrel. To find a moment of beauty, to share a note of kindness, to dance even when the ground feels unsteady. In the quiet of this moment, listen for the melody of resilience. Let it guide our hearts to a new day, where joy rises like a song that cannot be silenced.

Who will lift a timbrel today? What song will carry us forward?

Appendix

Israel has had remarkable success at the Eurovision with four winners in the past 15 years.  It is particularly remarkable for Israel to have placed #1 Fan Favorite, #2 Overall, and #5 overall since October 7, 2023, despite the virulent antisemitism and pernicious propaganda and threats of the pro-Hamas Palestinian terror supporters who threatened and tried to impede the Israeli singing and participation efforts.

Eurovision 2025: Yuval Raphael – “New Day Will Rise”

Final Result:

• #1 Fan Favorite
• 2nd place

You can enjoy Yuval’s song here.

You can read more about Yuval’s survival story here.

You can read about how Yuval’s Eurovision outfit paid homage to the Bibas Boys here.

Eurovision 2024: Eden Golan – “Hurricane”

Final Result: 5th place

You can watch Eden Golan’s song here.

You can watch Yuval Raphael and Eden Golan singing together here.

Andy met Eden Golan in April, 2025

Eurovision 2023: Noa Kirel – “Unicorn”

Final Result: 3rd place

You can watch Noa Kirel’s song here.

• Have you ever had a philosophical difference with a friend or family?
• Have you looked after your brothers despite experiencing a divide?

Recently, I was banned from a group which I had previously considered my friends. Since October 7th, 2023, we have seen an explosion of antisemitism and philosophical differences across society; even within the Jewish community.

My college class has a Facebook Group where we shared fun personal stories and class events. Since October 7th, a group of classmates have hijacked the platform, turning it into an active forum to attack Jews and Israel.  Other Jewish classmates and myself tried our best to express a sincere and simple belief that Jews should be able to study freely and without harassment or assault on our alma-mater’s campus.  Nevertheless, many classmates actively attacked us and ultimately our voices were silenced. I was banned, and then later I, along with other Jewish classmates, resigned from the group. They can try to silence our voices, but they cannot subdue our spirits.

Given this painful experience, I looked to the Torah for learning and healing.

In Genesis 4:8, Kane killed his brother Abel. The story of Kane and Abel is a sibling rivalry resulting in a senseless killing. However, a deeper reading can reveal a number of other significant themes to explore: good vs. evil, being  a brother’s keeper, looking after your flock, and philosophical differences of how to connect land and community.

Kane and Abel is the first example of sibling rivalry in the book of Genesis. It is followed by Isaac and Ishmael, then Jacob and Esau, and finally Joseph and his brothers. Genesis is concluded with the unity among Joseph and his brothers. Joseph is later buried in Israel by Moses.

Exodus teaches us the true power of faith in G-d/Hashem and unity of community. Moses, Miriam, and Aaron are the first truly unified siblings (from their life beginning). Ultimately, they delivered the Children of Israel to the Promised Land with their faith in G-d/Hashem.

Kane and Abel both showed their respect to G-d/Hashem by making a sacrifice. However, they gave their offerings in  very different manners.  Abel, a shepherd, gave G-d/Hashem his “choicest and finest” by offering the “fattest and firstling of the flock”; carefully chosen and intentionally offered.

Kane, a farmer by contrast, simply picked some fruits and vegetables from among the harvest and gave a paucity of produce to G-d/Hashem.

When G-d/Hashem noticed Kane’s shame, G-d/Hashem spoke to Kane for the first time. Kane felt shame because he recognized that his sacrificial offering was not sincere in comparison to Abel’s. Kane’s feeling of shame is in contrast to Adam and Eve were naked and felt “no shame” while in the Garden of Eden.

G-d/Hashem offered Kane the first example of choosing between good and evil.

Kane chose evil and killed Abel. Kane’s detachment from his violent actions was evident when G-d/Hashem asked about Abel and Kane replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Kane’s detached and dismissive statement is a stark contrast from Genesis 37 when Jacob (Israel) sends Joseph to check on the “shalom” welfare of his brothers. and Joseph tells a stranger “I am looking for my brothers”.

Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob/Israel. Joseph’s brothers came to have tremendous envy and hatred for him. In Genesis 37:14, Jacob (Israel) sends Joseph to check on the “shalom” welfare of his brothers.

For context, Shalom (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם‎ shalom) is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility and can be used to mean both hello and goodbye. (Shalem) שָׁלֵם means whole, complete, and intact.

On the way, Joseph got lost in Shechem. There he happened to run into a stranger. This stranger asked Joseph, “What are you looking for?” Joseph answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?” The stranger replied “they have gone from here, for I heard them say “let us go to Dothan” so Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dothan.

Joseph unlocked his heart by sharing that he was “looking for my brothers”.  In spite of the fact his brothers “hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him”, Joseph was still open and vulnerable to seeking their “Shalom”.

I have been truly blessed with the love and support of my brothers when we dealt with the loss of our mom and other difficult life circumstances.  The lesson of sibling strength in the Exodus story of Miriam, Moses, and Aaron working together to deliver the children of Israel is the final bookend on Kane’s “Am I my brother’s Keeper?” and seeking their “Shalom”.

This concept of Joseph “looking for his brothers”, seeking “Shalom”, and Shalem peace and wholeness is in contrast to the philosophical differences of Kane and Abel. Kane was a farmer, with a fixed mindset and fixed attachment to a specific piece of land. Abel was a shepherd, compassionate towards his flock, with flexible mindset to find “new and welcoming” pastures.

The Shepherd’s flexible mindset to seek new and welcoming pastures is also evident in the stories of Avram, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses seeking spiritual connections in new beginnings for their flock and community.

In shul we recently read Deuteronomy 22:11:

“You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.”
(Hebrew: לֹא תִלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים יַחְדָּו)

Why is this combination of garments prohibited?

Wool is made from sheep and linen is made from plants.

The torah clearly displays the favoring of the biblical leaders being shepherds of the flock as the preferred life instead of farmers of the land.

There are modern examples of Jews being restricted from farming and land ownership. In medieval Europe (12^th and 13^th Century), Jews were restricted from owning land but allowed to lend money.  This example of Jews lending money was central in the Shakesperean merchant of Venice which focused on Shylock who was the Jewish moneylender.  In Nazi Germany (1933–1945),  under the Nuremberg Laws and other legislation, Jews were gradually stripped of property rights, including the right to own businesses and land.

Given this dichotomy, how do we reconcile the attachment of the Children of Israel to the Land of Israel? How can we combine the philosophies of shepherds of the flock and farmers of the land? I believe that that the answer is Faith in G-d/Hashem.

Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden and lost their connection with the land. After the killing of Abel, Adam and Eve had another son, Seth.  Seth’s descendants later begat Noah. In Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with G-d/Hashem.” Noah is the first and only person before Abraham to receive this explicit title of “tzadik” (צַדִּיק).

In Genesis 9, the story of Noah’s Ark unfolds. G-d/Hashem instructs Noah to build an Ark (Teva) in order to save his family and a pair of all animal species, because G-d/Hashem was going to flood the earth and destroy all its remaining inhabitants. G-d/Hashem wanted a reset and Noah to begin the world anew. After the flood, G-d/Hashem presented a rainbow to Noah in the sky, signifying his promise to never destroy all life on earth again.

By building the Ark and loading it with his floating flock, Noah became the first ship shepherd and delivered humanity to a new beginning , which Hashem poetically framed with a rainbow in the sky. In Genesis, Hashem promised Abraham that the Children of Israel will be like the stars in the sky and sand in the desert (Genesis 22:17). In Exodus, Moses was also delivered in a Teva (Basket) from the water and delivered the Children of Israel (his flock) across the Sea of Reeds to a new beginning.   Hashem promised Moses and the Children of Israel to enter the Land of Israel which would be filled with Milk and Honey (Exodus 3:8).

It is noteworthy that G-d/Hashem helped the Children of Israel evolve from a vision in the sky (rainbow and stars), to delivering them via the water (Noah and Moses), to finally connecting them to the place and Land of Israel (flowing with milk and honey).

Accordingly, the Land of Israel became both a space for living in and a spirit to  live by. It is notable that modern day Israel became of thriving agricultural economy based on the establishment of Kibbutzim.  Kibbutzim are communities – gathering of flocks of families and friends.   These Kibbutzim created a thriving agricultural economy, culture, and community.

The Land of Israel finally became filled with love and labor. Communities connected by faith in Hashem created the fullness of a reconciliation between Kane and Abel. It was a joining of the best of both philosophies (shepherds and farmers).

I want to return to Jacob asking Joseph to look for the “Shalom” of his brothers. This concept of “being your brothers’ keeper” can bring peace and harmony to the world. Let’s explore the words “hole” and “whole” in the context of “Shalom” and “Shalem.” When you add a “w” to “hole” it becomes whole. The “w” represents “We” which is community. Thus adding “We” creates wholeness and enables a community to create peace.

I hope that we can all invite and encourage the collective “we” to join together in seeking both shalom and shalem. The peace and wholeness of our brothers and flocks, despite philosophical differences, to make this a harmonious and compassionate world.

Further Reading:

The Children of Israel’s connection to the Land of Israel: The land of milk and honey.  Am Yisrael Chai.

Kibbutzim were foundational in the development of Modern Israel (1920s-1960s) and played an outsized role in agriculture, defense, and politics.

Despite the small population share, kibbutzim contributed heavily to:

• Agricultural output (over 40% of Israel’s farm produce in some decades).

Agricultural Productivity Metrics

• Milk Production: Israeli cows produce approximately 13,000 liters per cow per year, the highest in the world, surpassing North America’s 10,000 liters and Europe’s 6,000 liters.
• Citrus Yield: Israel achieves 261 tons per hectare of citrus fruits, outpacing North America’s 243 tons and Europe’s 211 tons.
• Tomato Yield: Israeli farms produce 300 tons per hectare, significantly higher than the global average of 50 tons.
• Post-Harvest Grain Loss: Israel maintains a remarkably low grain storage loss rate of 0.05%, compared to the global average of 20%.

Global Leadership Areas

• Drip Irrigation: Pioneered by Israeli company Netafim, drip irrigation revolutionized water-efficient agriculture and is now widely adopted worldwide.
• Water Recycling: Israel recycles approximately 86% of its wastewater, leading the world in water reuse, with 80% of its sewage treated and repurposed for agriculture.
• Agricultural Technology (AgTech): Home to over 750 AgTech startups, Israel invests significantly in agricultural innovation, attracting 7% of global AgTech investments.
• Desert Agriculture: Utilizing advanced irrigation and soil management techniques, Israel cultivates over 40% of its crops in desert regions, including melons and jojoba, with the Jordan Valley desert producing nearly half of the world’s jojoba

Japanese Agricultural Growth – Catalyzed by Rice

Japan is another example of how the love of the land can yield outsized agricultural output. In this case, the Japanese love rice. It is a stable of their economy and diet.

Agriculture in the Empire of Japan was an important component of the pre-war Japanese economy. Although Japan had only 16% of its land area under cultivation before the Pacific War, over 45% of households made a living from farming. Japanese cultivated land was mostly dedicated to rice, which accounted for 15% of world rice production in 1937.

Rice was a core component of the food diet. Rice was also the foundation of Sake (a type of alcohol). In the Shogun period, Daimyo paid their taxes with rice. On the eve of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the nearly 300 semi-autonomous domains across Japan had widely varying tax rates. Some handed over 70 percent of their rice yield to the samurai ruler of the domain.

Harvard Facebook Recap

In the beginning, our Harvard Facebook page was fun and lighthearted. We shared family stories, classmate reunions, and personal advice.

For some reason, after October 7, 2023, our page was hijacked by politics and nearly always negative about Israel and Jews. The moderators never took notice to protect the boundaries. It was a constant stream of negative and provocative posts, largely criticizing Israel and justifying pro-Hamas protestors on campus. Whenever, the very few Jewish members countered by explaining the harassment against Jewish students, the preponderance of the group overwhelmed us.

In 2025 the Trump administration began to investigate the funding of the schools based on the antisemitism on campus. Last week, Harvard released a scathing self-confession of 311 pages of documented antisemitism.

Harvard’s history of antisemitism was first documented in 1719 when the first Jewish Professor Judah Minas was forced to publicly convert to Christianity in Harvard Yard. In the 1922, President Lowell forced the Admissions Office to place a maximum Jewish percentage of the student population at 15%.

Here is an article about how Harvard rewarded pro-Palestinian terror supporters for assaulting a Jewish student on the campus of Harvard Business School.

Rabbi David Volpe, visiting scholar and member of the Harvard antisemitism panel shared his perspectives in this article.

The attacks on Jews on our Facebook page reached a crescendo.  Then when the tension heated, a few Jews voiced their support for Jews on Campus. The number of anti-jew speakers grew. The number of posts and replies with personal attacks and antisemitic attacks intensified.

Ultimately, the Jews were overwhelmed and the moderators banned us and we resigned from the group.

What is the lesson?

We were playing chess without seeing the  pieces.  While is it distressing to have the antisemitism be fully revealed, it is fortunate that we can now see the entire board. Blissful ignorance is not a blessing but a danger. We need to be aware of the possibility of quicksand in order to avoid stepping in it.

I have a deep devotion to Harvard and my Professor and mentor Henry Rosovsky who was the first Jewish member of the Harvard Corporation and first Jewish President of Harvard.

I am hopeful that Harvard President Alan Garber will follow the Jewish ideals of truth and peace in order to radically change Harvard to eliminate antisemitism and to discipline those who perpetrate antisemitic acts in the classroom and on campus.

I look forward to the day when a moral compass returns to the Harvard Campus. I believe that that day will be celebrated by G-d/Hashem by a rainbow over Harvard Yard.

What is the better way to have Harmony of Opposition

I looked to Greek Mythology for another perspective. Harmonia is the Greek deity of harmony. Harmonia is the daughter of Ares (the Greek deity of war) and Aphrodite (the Greek deity of Love). Harmony is truly the connection of the opposites of love and war.

You can read more about the harmony of opposition here.

President Ronald Reagan and Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil

President Ronald Reagan and Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill were ideological enemies, but they learned how to disagree without being disagreeable. This video from March,1986 is a persuasive and poignant example of being friends as people, in spite of being philosophical foes.

Please watch this inspiring and profoundly educational video about how to find harmony in opposition and disagree without being disagreeable.

Here is a report about the “Traumatic invalidation in the Jewish community after October 7”

Enjoy a haiku inspired by this blog:

Brothers turn away,
Silence echoes ancient pain
Be your brother’s guard

• Do you have a family tradition that was taught to you by your parents or grandparents?
• Have you incorporated this tradition in your life and shared it with your children?

My love for gnomes began with my mom, who filled my imagination with their magic. After I became a father, my mom gave me my first set. Their tiny red hats peeking out from a box she’d wrapped with care. She whispered to me: “They’ll watch over your dreams.”

My mom encouraged me to plant a garden. She loved the saying “Sleep, Creep, Walk, Leap” to describe how flowers grow over the seasons.  She also said that gnomes are caretaker of gardens. (Just imagine if the Garden of Eden had a Gnome?)  My mom’s stories turned our garden into a place of wonder, where I imagined gnomes tending to the flowers with care. Now, her gnomes stand in our garden, a quiet reminder of her love. I’ve shared that same magic with my children, Lucy and Caroline.

Lucy inspired me to grow our gnome collection when she led us on treasure hunts looking for smurfs hidden throughout  the forest trails we called the “Enchanted Forest.” She’d announce the rules: “Youngest to oldest, take your turn, no running ahead, no trading of smurfs until the end,” as the children searched for smurfs which I told them were planted by the gnomes.(I am grateful Caroline’s maturity to allow Lucy to take the lead on our treasure hunts.)

The Talmud teaches us that “every blade of grass has an angel standing over it saying Grow, Grow, Grow.” I imagined gnomes as partners to these angels, nurturing both our garden and the traditions that grow across generations in our family.

Tradition, much like a gnome’s quiet work in the woods, often goes unnoticed until we pause to see its beauty. In Jewish life, traditions of lighting Shabbat candles, chanting the Kiddush, and singing the Four Questions at the Passover Seder, contribute to the ritual rhythm of meaning. These individual acts bridge across generations, and  us to our remind us of who we are. The Torah tells us, “You shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:7), speaking of the commandments and values we pass down. This verse captures the heart of tradition: a sacred duty to share our stories and lessons. The Talmud’s image of angels cheering for each blade of grass mirrors the way our traditions encourage growth, helping us flourish through the generations. Just as my mom shared her love for gnomes with me, and I with my children.

I felt this deeply during Lucy’s Bat Mitzvah, when I shared the story of those treasure hunts. As I watched her read from the Torah, speaking about Avram’s transformation into Abraham, I saw how those playful moments in Lenox had planted seeds of growth. Lucy had grown through our family’s traditions, bringing humor, happiness, and hope which connected with the “H” in Abraham’s name bringing new meaning. The treasure hunts, which left her with a special and sweet smurf collection proudly displayed in her room, were a tradition of their own, teaching her to lead with fairness and joy.

Gnomes, in their whimsical way, teach us how to honor tradition with a light heart. There’s a legend that gnomes live by five simple rules: be kind, tell the truth, be generous, keep things tidy, and celebrate every day. These rules feel like they could have been written by our sages! Take our tradition of chesed, acts of loving-kindness. It echoes the gnome’s call to “always” be kind. When we invite guests to our Sukkah, give for Tzedakah, or share matza at the Seder; we are acting with the same generosity that gnomes encourage. Celebrating every day? That’s the spirit of Shabbat, a weekly pause to find beauty and gratitude in the ordinary.

Traditions come alive when we make them engaging for everyone, especially the youngest among us. At our Passover Seder this year, the younger children brought the Haggadah’s words to life by performing a play about the Ten Plagues. As they acted out each plague, I thought of the Torah’s account in Exodus 7–12, where God sends the plagues to free the Israelites from Egypt. Their playful performance, filled with laughter, turned the story into an adventure they could truly understand, making them active participants in the Seder rather than just sitting quietly at the table..

I would like to explore the concept of magic in the Torah.  Many people are familiar with the Magician’s incantation: “Abaracadabara” before performing a magic trick.  Let’s explore the biblical origin.

Bara is the second word in the Torah. It means “to create” in Hebrew בָּרָ֣א. (Genesis 1). It is part of the root of Abaracadabara.  Dabar in hebrew דָּבָר means to speak. Abaracadabra literally means “I will create as I speak

So how can we bring the gnomes’ magic and the angels’ encouragement into our traditions? Here are a few ideas, inspired by this legacy and my own journey:

Infuse Kindness: As you prepare for your next holiday, do one small act of chesed. Maybe invite a new neighbor to your Shabbat table or share a smile with a stranger.

Celebrate with Play: At your next Seder, make the reading of the Ten Plagues fun for kids, perhaps using finger puppets or a play like ours, turning the afikomen hunt into a magical adventure that grows their love for tradition.

Pause for Gratitude: Like the gnome’s call to celebrate every day, take a moment during your traditions to feel gratitude. As you light the menorah, braid challah, or chant the Shehechayanu to celebrate special happy occasions, these rituals mark the moment and provide an opportunity to gratitude for friends and family.

Keep the Story Alive: Traditions are stories we tell through actions. Share a family memory using family heirlooms for shabbat candles, kiddush cups, seder plates can help keep the family stories and traditions alive.  It is also an opportunity for children to create new ritual objects to start new story chapters.

This season, as we gather for our holidays, let’s channel the spirit of the gnomes and the angels. Let’s approach our traditions with wonder, kindness, and a playful heart. Just as my mom did with me, and as I’ve shared with Lucy and Caroline. Let’s make every moment a remembrance of the past, celebration of the present, and spark inspiration for the future.

Please share the story of your tradition with someone you love or with our Breaking Matzo community. Together, we can make every tradition magical, meaningful, and memorable.

Appendix

You can learn how to make your own fun Passover gnome garden to decorate your Passover table here.

Enjoy a haiku inspired by this blog:

Gnomes guard tradition,
Magic weaves through time’s embrace,
Legacy lives on.

• Have you ever found meaning in not knowing?
• Has ignorance ever opened your mind to new possibilities?

As we prepare for Passover 2025, I look forward to reading about the four sons with greater anticipation. When I was younger, I vacillated between my aspiration to be the wise son and my devious exploration of the wicked son.  Rarely, if ever, did I feel a connection with the simple son.

This year is different. I used to believe that I knew so much…and that it mattered. I have now discovered the meaning of not knowing. I would like to share my journey of finding inspirations in ignorance.

After 30 years in Boston, I relocated to Miami in late 2022. In the fall of 2023, I celebrated the Jewish High Holidays in Miami for the first time. I vividly remember celebrating Succot at the Chabad in Bal Harbour in September of 2023. It was my first time celebrating Succot without my family. I specifically remember my conversation with Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Z”L) on that first night of Succot, inside the succah and under the stars.

“Andy, you need to start putting on tefillin every week and try to do so every day.”

Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Z”L)  asked me to promise… I hesitated and did not commit.

Now, I find myself, laying my tefillin 3-4 times per week.

I recently had a conversation with my daughters about what I have learned since I moved to Miami. My tefillin experience unfolds my new learning.

When the Rabbi told me to lay tefillin, I hesitated because I did not know the meaning. Although I still do not fully know the meaning, I sincerely believe in the purpose.

My older daughter, Caroline, taught me this basic lesson when I was about to have a hip replacement. I was full of angst because I did not understand the details of the surgery and how it was possible for my entire hip socket to be removed and replaced and still be able to walk the same day.

Finally, Caroline, who is a medical student, explained. “Dad, you do not need to know all of the recipes at a restaurant in order to enjoy the food.  You do not know how an airplane actually flies, but you can still travel”

Caroline’s warm and wise words released my inner requirement to understand with my mind and immediately salved my spirit.

Since I moved to Miami, I have been welcomed by a broader community of Sephardic and African Jews from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Iraqi, Panama and many other communities that I had not previously celebrated with from my time in Boston which had a predominant Ashkenazi (Eastern European) community.

While I found myself lost amidst newly discovered rituals and customs, I felt myself fully embraced by purely participating.

I have experienced the honor of being the 10^th man to enable a minyan for a stranger to say the mourner’s kaddish for their beloved father.  Although I did not understand the details or implications in that moment, the gratitude of the family has been everlasting.

I have also learned the power and purpose of prayer – of connecting with God and the community around me.

Let’s explore the story of the Four Sons in Exodus and focus on the simple son in Exodus 13:14:

“In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

This direct question and answer of the simple son and his father may be intended to extend a welcoming hand to our broader community.  The sincerity of the simple son seeking to learn is the greatest blessing for a teacher who wants to teach.  The challenge to respond to a simple question is to be concise and sincere.  Personally, brevity has not been my greatest attribute.

While the circle of knowledge has limits, the possibilities of curiosity are infinite.

Prior to moving to Miami, I did not attend Shabbat services. Since October 2023, I have regularly celebrated Shabbat services. Although I do not know understand the specifics of the services or the particulars of the prayers, I feel the warmth of my fellow participants and our sincere desire to connect with each other, with God, and to pray for better tomorrows. I used to think about praying, now I simply enjoy being amongst prayers. Singing songs, and dancing with unbridled joy – simple and sweet.

At our weekly shabbat dinners, I share with my loved one, Joan, friends, and family, I have found a weekly oasis from the outside world.  Joan’s Challah, shabbat meal of Moroccan delicacies, and engaging discussion makes for a wonderful respite and bookend for our week. In addition, I seek deeper meaning in the weekly torah portion to explore within myself and how to connect timeless words with the present world.

I recently had a revelation of the purpose of prayer. I was out for dinner on a Saturday evening at a restaurant in Miami. At the end of the meal, I felt an impulse to send my two daughters a text. I had been missing my daughters very much and earlier that morning at shul (temple), we the “yismachu” prayer which I had not heard in many years. I did not even understand the words or the meaning of the prayer. I was merely mesmerized by the tune and staccato cadence of the rhythmic chanting. Nevertheless, the tune felt as familiar as if I had heard it yesterday. I remembered singing this prayer with my daughters all those years ago. Inspired by this memory, I spontaneously recorded a video of me singing.  I immediately sent it to our “Father Daughter Daughter Chat Group” at 11:15pm ET.  Within 15 minutes Lucy replied with her own video recording.  After another 15 minutes, Caroline chimed back in unison.

You can watch our yismachu singing here.

It was precisely at that moment that I understood the potential of prayer.  For me, it was not about the words or the meaning.  It was about the desire to connect with others – in this case with my daughters – and to immediately feel a reciprocal connection – spontaneously and free of judgment.

I played the video of me and my two blessed daughters chanting the yismachu over and over again that week.

Someone once told me:

You may forget a lifetime of facts, but you will remember feelings for a lifetime.

I knew in that moment, that I felt a lifetime of blessings.

Appendix A:

On May 4, 2025, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar passed away. I will be forever grateful to Rabbi Sholom Lipskar (Z”L) for teaching me the purpose of prayer and tefillin. I will forever remember his teachings.

You can listen to some of Rabbi Sholom Lipskar’s (Z”L) words of wisdom here:

Please watch the incredible development of The Shul in Bal Harbour and the vision and vitality of Rabbi Shlomo Lipskar (of blessed memory).

Appendix B:

This is a photo of my teffilin and teffilin case. My Hebrew name is written “Avram ben Zvi” (Avram son of Zvi – my father Dr. Harold Goldfarb is a Zvi.)  My teffilin originally belonged to my great grandfather Max Fish.

I am also grateful to my friend Koby who helped me lay my teffilin for the first time and helped begin my weekly practice.

The Four Sons by Arthur Szyk (1894-1951)

Arthur Szyk (1894-1951), is considered today to be one of the greatest modern artists to work in the style of medieval illuminated manuscripts. Szyk undertook his greatest project, the Haggadah, between 1934 and 1936 while living in Poland. It was his masterpiece, and something he was urgent to share.

When first published in 1940, each copy sold for $500 (the equivalent of $8,800 today), making it one of the most valuable books produced in the 20th century. The Szyk Haggadah was described by the London Times as “a book worthy to be placed among the most beautiful of books that the hand of man has produced.”

Appendix C

Enjoy a haiku inspired by this blog:

Simple son seeks truth,
Ignorance sparks wisdom’s light,
Questions guide the way.

Have you ever experienced a tragic event that transformed your community and brought everyone together?

Have you ever experienced a family gathering after a loss where the collective compassion created a new path forward?

In the Batman comics, Gotham city has an emergency method to alert Batman when the city needs saving: the Bat Signal. A beam of light that creates an image of a bat in the night sky. It shines for all to see and is immediately recognizable. When the Bat signal shines, Bruce Wayne transforms from an ordinary man into the extraordinary Batman to emerge from the shadows and bring light to the world. Batman always defeats evil and saves Gotham City.

The Bat Signal is a simple message; light always shines through darkness. During challenging periods, a community that comes together becomes stronger. Love among each other is more powerful than hate from others.

The tragedy of the Bibas family is an opportunity for a Bat signal to unite the Jewish Community and the world at large.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists from Gaza kidnapped Shiri Bibas and her baby boys Ariel (age 3) and Kfir (age 9 months). Hamas proudly shared videos of Shiri’s terror as jeering mobs captured her and her young boys. We later learned that Hamas terrorists strangled the Bibas boys with bare hands and mutilated their bodies in an attempt to cover up their evil actions. When the hostage exchange occurred on February 20^th, 2025, Hamas and hundreds of Gazan civilians cheered and celebrated the casket exchange for the world to see. Hamas cruelly switched the caskets of the boys and padlocked them without sending a key. They even swapped the body of Shiri to cause even more psychological terror.

The Bibas family became a rallying cry for Israel and the world beyond. The iconic images, which inspired the world, was a family photo of Yarden, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir all dressed in batman tee shirts.

Seeing this Bat Signal catalyzed all of Israel and many in the world beyond to unite in mourning their deaths and celebrating their inspiring, albeit tragically short-lived lives. The inhumanity of Hamas taking a nine-month-old infant hostage and strangling them to death reveals the depravity and evil of Hamas and its supporters.

At the funeral, Yarden decided to bury the boys in the same casket with their mom. The Bibas boys’ final resting space was together facing each other and within in their mother’s grasp…forever.

This poignant image of the boys together resembles the description of the architectural design of Mishkan in Exodus 25:18-20 when the two cherubim are described on top. “The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.” As Rashi noted, the cherubim were soldered together so that they would be not two cherubim but “make one cherub from the one end. “

When I read Exodus 25 again, it really raised a question in my mind. Why does the Torah devote relatively few verses in Genesis to Hashem creating the Universe but so many verses in Exodus (and others) to the design of the Mishkan. As I explored the passage describing the Mishkan design with the Bibas Boys and Bibas Family on my mind and heart, I found new opportunities to learn.

As we explore Exodus 25, there are other potential connections to the Bibas boys and their family. The Hebrew word Sabib סָבִֽיב appears 4 times in three verses: once in Exodus 25:11, once in Exodus 25:24, and twice in Exodus 25:25. The word סָבִֽיב means to encircle or to surround. The meaning can be physical, to surround. It can also be spiritual – to be a presence or an influence.

The word Sabib סָבִֽיב spelled backword is Bibas בִּיבָס

Bibas/Sabib is therefore mentioned four times in Exodus 25.

Looking at the three verses reveals a potentially prophetic connection between the Bibas Family and the building of the Mishkan. The four mentions of Sabib/Bibas could be representing the four members of the Bibas Family with Yarden in Verse 25:11. Then in verse 25:18 when the Cherubim are meant to inspire life and faith, in verse 25:24 when Shiri Bibas is next to her baby boys, Ariel and Kfir who are mentioned twice in verse 25:24.

Exploring the numerological significance of these passages can reveal:

• Exodus 25:18 – 18 is Chai and means Life. As the Cherubim are facing each other and shining light on the life around us.
• Exodus 25:11, eleven can signify spiritual growth beyond completeness. Yarden Bibas buried his loving family, his wife Shiri and beautiful boys Ariel and Kfir. If 10 are the commandments, then 11 is the next stage of Yarden’s growth and spiritual journey. May we all Sabib (encircle) Yarden during his moments of mourning and healing.
• Exodus 25:24 – 24 can be interpreted as completeness (as in the 24 books of the torah) and Shiri was returned to Israel with her baby boys (in the next parsha) and buried together in the same casket so that she can hold them forever.
• Exodus 25:25 – The two mentions of Bibas/Sabib could be representing the two Bibas Boys: Ariel and Kfir together at last, facing each other and bringing light in the darkness for the world to see. Five can be interpreted as a divine presence as the 5 books of torah, the 5 human senses (smell, touch, hearing, seeing, tasting), 5^th letter H which is part of the Hebrew word for god. If 5 is divine, then 5 x 5 = 25 which is even more divine. Then 25 x 25 is an ultimate expression of divine presence.

In the week since the Bibas family funeral, we have seen the skies around the world filled with orange balloons and orange lights to remember the beautiful Bibas family.

New York City, USA

Berlin, Germany

San Francisco, USA

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Budapest, Hungary

Paris, France

On social media the image of a broken orange heart posted in solidarity and remembrance of the Bibas family went viral. It has been written that a broken heart allows light in.

Returning to my question about the connection about why the torah explains the creation of the Mishkan in so much more detail than the story of the creation of the universe. I carefully reflected on this question over the past week since the Bibas family funeral and reexamined the parsha of Exodus 25. I also looked for clues in Exodus 24 to understand the context. Interestingly, in Exodus 24, Moses gathers the Children of Israel together and reads the 10 commandments to them.

After reading the Ten Commandments to the Children of Israel, Moses returned to Mt Sinai. The passage describes Moses spending 7 days alone with Hashem. He then spent 40 days and 40 nights alone on the mountain.

The reference in Exodus 24:15 to the 7-day period could be interpreted as a new stage of the 7 days of Creation. Hashem, with Moses’ leadership, creating a new universe. In Exodus 24:18, Moses spending 40 days and 40 nights can be another interpretation of the creation of a new community. Forty years in the wilderness was the period for the Children of Israel between Slavery in Egypt and Promised Land.  Forty days was also the period of the flood when Noah led the formation of a new community with the population from his Ark.

I then explored why the Mishkan was so important following Exodus 24 when Moses read the Children of Israel the ten commandments. I realized that this moment was the most united and unified moment for the Children of Israel. Prior to this moment, the Children of Israel were enslaved in Egypt and experienced sibling strife with Kane/Able, Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, and Joseph and his brothers.  Following this moment, the Children of Israel divided over the Golden Calf and the twelve tribes fought about the promise of the Promised Land.

At this very moment, the Children of Israel were united.  In that spirit of unification, they build the Mishkan and within the holy of holies the Arc of the Covenant – as detailed in Exodus 25. It was truly the most precious collective creation of the most unified people.

However, I firmly believe that the Mishkan was not intended to be an object to worship but rather as a vehicle to enable worship.

The symbol of the Bibas family intertwined in the design of the Mishkan can be a symbol that this is the moment for the Children of Israel to unite and unify.

It is my fervent prayer that the Jewish community and world collectively see these orange balloons, lights, and broken hearts as the Bat Signal to awaken and unite in our collective fight against evil. That it will catalyze us to lead with love in a new path forward to the promised land of peace, prosperity, and freedom of spiritual celebration.

While we will of course face many obstacles and challenges, may the feeling of cohesive community enable us to experience collective creation based on our shared faith and belief in God. As we remember the beautiful Bibas Boys as the Cherubim of the Mishkan, and See the Bat Signal, may we feel the compassionate presence God all around (Sabib) us.

Appendix A:

You can read about other examples of Jews inspired to action by the Bibas Boys Bat Signal here and here.

You can read about the story of a Jewish runner at the London Marathon who dressed as Batman in honor of the Bibas Boys here.

Appendix B:

There is a beautiful tradition in the Amish community to gather for a day and build a barn. This reminds me of the collective creation opportunity of the Mishkan. A unified community sharing a common purpose. Please enjoy the video.

Appendix C:

Exodus 25

Please read the update at the end of this blog about the tragic deaths of Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

Have you experienced a deep loss? How did it make you feel about God?

At a recent shabbat service, we were studying about Joseph’s dream reading (Genesis 41:25-30), when a young boy asked “If Joseph dreamed the future, how can humans have free will? Is everything that we do already pre-determined by God?

I was really struck by the young boy’s question. I remember when I asked the same question for the first time. I was 15 years old, living in Japan as an exchange student when I experienced true loss for the first time.

In 1984, I won a scholarship sponsored by the Mazda Motor Corporation to live in Japan as an exchange student. Our trip orientation took place at  Mazda’s Hiroshima headquarters, during which we went to the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Park for a peace ceremony and met with Atomic Bomb survivors. Their stories of loss, survival, and hope were paradoxically both devastating and inspiring. I still carry those feelings and conversations with me today.

That evening when I was back in the company dorm, my feeling of devasting loss went from historical to deeply personal. I was notified by the dorm monitor that I had a phone call from the US. My heart raced and my breath shortened. I anxiously picked up the phone to hear my mom’s voice cry and crackle. “Normy has died”.  I burst into tears and walked alone for over three hours in circles in the parking lot. Normy was my grandfather and the most inspiring and positive voice in my life.  He was my relentless cheerleader and epitomized the saying he taught me “Don’t let anyone rain on your parade”.  Later each of my brothers and I named our eldest children with his name after his memory.

I tried to process the losses of the Atomic bomb survivors I learned about with the personal loss of my grandfather. My sadness lasted and my wounds slowly healed. However, I still struggled with my faith in God.  When I returned to the US, I found the book by Rabbi Harold Kushner “When Bad things happen to Good People?” I was truly struck by the sadness of Rabbi Harold Kushner discussing how his son tragically died prematurely from a terrible illness.

When he explored his own faith and understanding of biblical texts, he resolved the paradox of “How bad things can happen to good people?” with a re-interpretation of God being “all-powerful” to God being “all-compassionate.”  Rabbi Kushner posited that it is the compassion of God in difficult circumstances that allows humans to experience the frailty and fallibility of free will. With the compassion and care, God helps to support and heal the physical wounds and spiritual scars of these choices. This book salved my heart for a period of time.

When I was in college, I studied Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. I was struck by how Boethius was asking the same question as Rabbi Kushner but came to a different allegorical answer.

Boethius, who was severely mistreated by the Roman court in 524 BCE was locked in prison wrongly and sentenced to execution. In his treatise, Lady Philosophy explained that humans operate in past, present, and future, linearly and sequentially. God operates in the “eternal now” across all times zones with mobility and awareness of everything at the same moment.  Human fallible free will choices are made in the moment, while God knows all time periods, past, present, and future in the “eternal now” and sees all events at once. This book calmed my mind for a while.

When I look to the torah, I realized that God often presents humans with choices – even knowing that the desired outcome may not be followed.  In Genesis 2:16 and 3, God instructs Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, even though he knows that they will disobey.

In Deuteronomy, 30:19, the Torah states “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life…” There are many commandments which God intends for man to follow, nevertheless human free will fails freely.

In Numbers 20:7-12, God commanded Moses to “speak” to the rock to receive water, and instead Moses struck the rock twice with this staff.  It is understood that God punishes Moses for his disobedience by not allowing Moses to enter the Promised Land.

Let us return to the young boy at the Shabbat service who explored the dreams of Joseph. The story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis shows how humans can make bad choices and then recover in their own way.  The evil of the brothers towards Joseph is later replaced by the compassionate collective of their sibling ties who later became the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Another poignant paradox is eloquently written in Ecclesiastes 3 which describes the polar opposite choices in same seasons “a time to be born and a time to die, a time to love and a time for hate, a time for war, and a time for peace.” The juxtaposition of opposite choices in each of the same verses without judgment demonstrates the importance of human free will to choose even within the frame of divine teaching.

This pathway of the paradox can be explored in, Exodus 14:19 which states, “And the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of clouds also moved from in front and stood behind them”.

In this passage, the angel of God and the pillar of cloud move from “in front” of the Israelites to “behind them”. The children of Israel are now free to lead on their own, no longer being led.  At the same time, God will remain behind them, like a protective parent to provide compassionate support at moments of distress.  God can be both “near” and “far” and still be ever present in the midst of the human free will journey.

This concept of “near” and “far” and “in front” and “behind” can be explored within the inspiring words of Victor Frankl, a renowned Austrian philosopher whose wisdom was born out of his experience in the holocaust.

“We have absolutely no control over what happens to us in life but what we have paramount control over is how we respond to those events.”

― Viktor Frankl Meaning of God

The key addition to Viktor’s wise words is that the compassion and support of God/Hashem provides compassionate “near and far” “from behind” support to our human responses.

In conclusion, in Genesis 32:28, God commanded Jacob “From now on, your name will no longer be Jacob. You will be called Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won.”

The perpetually persistent paradox of human free will vs. an omnipotent god may be the essence that makes us the Children of Israel.  Pursuing this paradoxical path with purpose and faith may be the prescient pathway to the Promised Land.

Appendix:

February 20, 2025, Today, I, and a “collective and compassionate we”, are experiencing a new low, a new loss, with the tragic news that Shiri Bibas and her two beautiful angelic red headed baby boys Ariel and Kfir were killed in Gaza under Hamas Captivity. Ariel and Kfir were 4 years and 9 months when they were brutally captured on October 7 from their bedrooms. This evil was proudly filmed by Hamas and sinisterly shown to the world. Ironically, only the depravity and cowardness of Hamas was revealed by displaying adults kidnapping and terrorizing two baby boys and their mother on October 7 in front of cheering crowds.

Although the Bibas boys were not our own, the collective and compassionate we, all felt as if they were our own sons or brothers.

Since October 7, we prayed. We hoped. We celebrated their birthdays. As Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote, God was with us to help us with our hope and to make our prayers even more powerful. We held our collective and compassionate breath….until today. The Pillars of Clouds were in front of us.

Today, the curtain has revealed the true depravity and evil of Hamas and all those around the world who support Hamas. Today thousands in Gaza revealed their evil as they celebrated during a cruel casket ceremony and cheered the casket delivery of the Bibas Boys’ bodies. There are no words for this depravity and evil.

(Each of the deaths of Oct 7 Israelis, Hostages and IDF soldiers and innocent civilians in the region is sacred. I am solely focusing on the Bibas Boys in this blog).

Today the world of the compassionate and collective we, mourns.

As the Children of Israel and all of Israel struggles with the brutal killing of the Bibas boys, God will protect us from behind as we struggle in the intrinsic nature of Israel.

May the memories of Ariel and Kfir and Shira Bibas be for a blessing. May we mourn all of the lives lost on October 7 and subsequent war. May we continue to pray for the remaining hostages. May we look forward to peace. Am yisrael chai.

At a recent shabbat service, a young boy asked a question during our torah discussion of Genesis 4. He asked:

“If Joseph knew the dreams of 7 years of plenty followed by 7 Years of famine? Do humans have free choice? Or is everything already predetermined by God and the dreams?” 

I was so impressed with this young boy’s question…it is certainly one of existential reflection.

How can we reconcile human free will with the understanding of an omnipotent God?  Are our dreams predetermined by divine destiny?

I would like to explore this question in the context of three books:

• Consolation of Philosophy written by Boethius around 524 BCE.
• Why Bad things happened to Good People by Rabbi Harold Kushner
• The Torah.

Consolation of Philosophy was composed by Boethius while he was imprisoned, awaiting execution on charges of treason. The work reflects his philosophical musings on fortune, happiness, and the nature of human suffering. Boethius tackles the apparent conflict between human free will and the omnipotence of God by exploring the nature of God’s foreknowledge and human freedom.

Lady Philosophy explains to Boethius that God’s omniscience—his ability to know everything past, present, and future—does not negate human free will. She argues that God’s knowledge is not bound by time. For God, all moments (past, present, and future) exist simultaneously in an eternal “now.” This means that while God knows the future, this foreknowledge does not force or cause human actions. Rather, humans still act freely within time, making choices that are genuinely their own. Humans move through time sequentially, only going forward. While God exists across all temporal periods simultaneously. Boethius introduces the concept of God’s knowledge existing in an “eternal now” where God does not foresee future events but sees all events at once. This perspective eliminates the idea that God anticipates or reacts to human actions, thus preserving human freedom.

Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Rabbi Harold Kushner was first published in 1981. The book explores the question of why suffering exists, particularly when it happens to good, innocent people.

Kushner offers a perspective on the problem of evil, particularly how it relates to the coexistence of human free will and an all-powerful God. His approach is influenced by his own personal tragedy—his son’s illness and death—and the struggle to reconcile suffering with belief in a benevolent and omnipotent God.

Kushner suggests that while God is all-loving, he is not all-powerful in the traditional sense. Instead of adhering to the conventional view that God controls every event in the world, Kushner argues that God does not have the power to prevent all suffering or to interfere with human free will. He emphasizes that God created a world where humans have the freedom to make choices, and with this freedom comes the potential for both good and evil actions.

Instead of preventing all suffering, Kushner suggests that God’s role is to provide comfort, strength, and companionship to those who are suffering. God does not cause bad things that happen but is present with those who endure them, helping them to cope and find meaning.

In this way, Kushner reconciles human free will with the existence of suffering by suggesting that God’s omnipotence is not about controlling every aspect of life, but about being a source of love and presence in a world where suffering is sometimes unavoidable. This interpretation allows for both human autonomy and the continued belief in a compassionate, loving God.

While the Torah portrays God as all-knowing and all-powerful, it also consistently depicts humans as having the capacity to choose between good and evil. One example is in the story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 16). God gives them the freedom to choose whether or not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, even though he knows the consequences of their choice.

The Torah frequently emphasizes that humans are responsible for following God’s commandments, which implies human agency and the ability to choose to obey or disobey. For example, in Deuteronomy 30:19, the Torah says, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life…” This verse suggests that people have the freedom to choose their path, even though God provides the framework of commandments.

In the Torah, God’s involvement in the world is seen as both direct and indirect. While God is depicted as actively guiding events, such as in the Exodus from Egypt or the lives of the patriarchs, humans are still portrayed as making their own choices. The tension between divine providence and human freedom is often framed as God working through human actions and decisions to fulfill his purposes, even though people are free to choose their actions.

Returning to the young boy at the Shabbat service who explored the dreams of Joseph, the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis shows how God’s plan is fulfilled through human decisions, but the characters are still responsible for their choices.

Upon conclusion, I am inspired by the words of Victor Frankl, a renowned philosopher whose wisdom was born out of his experience in the holocaust.

“We have absolutely no control over what happens to us in life but what we have paramount control over is how we respond to those events.” -Viktor Frankl, Meaning of God

The compassion and support of God/Hashem to our human responses in the face of suffering provides a key addition to Viktor’s wise words.

Author’s note: This is my first blog utilizing AI to help expedite my research.  I used ChatGPT and Grok as part of my blog process.