by Julie Z. Russo
Triumphing over adversity is an act of faith. Modeling one’s life after the giants of Jewish history is a way to learn and cope during difficult times as well as in times of plenty. Learning to be brave, generous, and compassionate like King David in Psalm 23 or to persevere against all odds with a belief in G-d like the heroes of the holocaust are reminders during the solemn summer months of Tisha B’av to live fully even when confronted with a painful past.
The 9th of Av, Tisha B’Av, is the conclusion of a three-week mourning period on the Jewish calendar corresponding to July 14-15, the most somber days, when we remember the trials that the Jewish people have endured throughout history as well as the attributes of faith that enable the Jewish people to survive and prosper.
Emunah , the ability to find truth that transcends reason, is one of the keys for survival. The ability to have faith in difficult times is about “shaping the events in our own life, and not being shaped by them,” said Rabbi Yisroel Kotler of the Chabad Learning Center in Cary. “We create reality, and no one can define reality for us. It’s the refusal to be defeated.”
Rabbi Kotler at Chabad Learning Center of Cary
About 20 members of the public gathered for a study session at the learning center shared insights about living in a post-holocaust age following the viewing of the documentary Triumph of Hope on July 15. The rabbi cautioned participants not to try to explain or justify the horrors confronted by the holocaust, but instead to focus on the gift we receive from G-d called emunah. Emunah is a part of the human spirit that embraces faith at all times. “This faith is a pair of glasses for which we view life,” Rabbi Cotler said. This quality is marked by belief that transcends wisdom and knowledge, to an even higher realm.
Biblical parables and stories from the Holocaust written by survivors like Viktor Frankel and Elie Wiesel give us guidance for how to accept pain and grieving. These stories remind us to acknowledge painful times as a part of life, while also trying to frame the pain in a way that makes it possible to go on living. For example, during pregnancy Rebekkah is able to cope with discomfort understanding what her soul mission is in life, or members of the Holocaust learn how to surmount their adversaries through acts of rebellion. A study guide to accompany the film was prepared by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute.
Healing begins by acknowledging faith and accepting that every soul has a mission. Together the group read from the song of David, Psalm 23:
“G-d is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He causes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even when I walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for You are with me
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.
You set a table before me in the presence of my adversaries;
You anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.
May only goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of
My life, And I will dwell in the house of the G-d for length of days.
Each of us can interpret the psalm to allow for hope and faith. To express emunah even in the most painful times in our everyday lives is a way to triumph over adversity and to inspire others.