Transition: Pain to Consolation

“I don’t know how I and my husband’s parents and sister will find the consolation and strength to carry on, but I know that the ways of G-d are good, and He will reveal the path and give us the strength to continue. I know that their holy souls will remain with us forever, and I know that very soon the time will come when we will be together again with the coming of Moshiach.” - Mrs. Eva Sandler, wife of murdered Toulouse Rabbi, Jonathan Sandler

The Jewish Nation has been struck once again. A young Rabbi, his two children, and another child, murdered at a center of Torah study. Their crime? Being Jewish.

While it is natural to question and demand to know why, we all know that no answer or explanation would be adequate. How could there be a acceptable reasoning? Children, cut down in the earliest of stages, in the purest of places, a center of Torah study.

As our hearts make the transition from anger to coping; from shock to reality; from pain to consolation, I draw a lesson from the transition from last week’s Parsha, Vayakhel-Pekudei, the final portion of the book of Exodus to this week’s Parsha, Vayikra, the introduction to the book of Leviticus.

Towards the end of last week’s portion the Torah states that the Mishkan - the Tabernacle - which had just been completed, was inaccessible due to a cloud hovering over. Moses - or anyone - could not enter. As Vayikra begins, we see a quick change. “G-d calls out to Moses...” - the cloud had risen, Moshe could enter!

The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s take on this lends a unique perspective to the “light that follows the darkness.” The Rebbe explains, “the fact that it was immediately preceded by a period of darkness” makes the revelation of goodness that much greater!

When one is struck by tragedy, there are different ways they can choose to go, but when one elects to strengthen his relationship with G-d and Torah as a result, the effect of the divine relationship can strengthen them in return. Strength coming from strengthening.

We as a people have been attacked. together. this is not the plight of the family alone. While the pain is felt by them, we are their supporting cast. We also need to act. We cannot stand by idly and allow terror to dictate how we conduct ourselves.

The famed author Elie Wiesel, in response to the attack in Toulouse wrote, “We say, as is Jewish tradition: “May G-d avenge their blood.” That will be the response from Above.

“Our own answer must be concrete and to the point. When we are persecuted, our response must be: We will remain Jewish – and do everything to become more Jewish.”

The dark clearly reared its ugly head to the world at large this past week. The Jewish response must be brighter and louder. We must add positive effect to the world and not succumb to the evil wishes of our foe.