No other way to describe it...

 A tragedy is a tragedy.  There is no other way to describe it.  When a home that is supposed to be a safe place where people live and are protected, suddenly gives way and hundreds of people are lost-this is a tragedy.  I have read many theories about why the building in Florida crashed, but nobody really knows for sure.  As believers in Hashem and Divine Providence, we ask “how could Hashem allow such a thing to happen?”  It’s a legitimate question, and there is really no answer.  We don’t understand, we don’t know, and we should not look for ways to justify it.  We mourn for the dead, we pray for the injured and the survivors, and for their loved ones and all those affected.

 

But there is another narrative here.  The incredible outpouring of chesed – kindness – and unity in the aftermath of the tragedy.  People from the local community and from around the world jumped in to help.  Money was raised, food was provided for survivors and visiting families, counseling offered, an IDF rescue team flew in from Israel, and so much more.  I’m not saying that we need tragedies to show our kindness.  There are many ways that people show kindness every day in good times.  I am just saying that we should notice how much goodness there really is in the world.  Looking at the news and social media, it seems as if the world is a terrible place and people are really bad to each other.  Let’s notice that this is not really the case.  There is a lot of goodness in the world, and we saw it demonstrated this week.

 

We are now in the period known as The Three Weeks.  This period starts with the 17th of Tamuz, when the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem, leading to the destruction of the Holy Temple three weeks later on the ninth of Av, the day the first Temple was also destroyed.  This is a period of mourning for the destruction and the long, bitter exile that followed.  The Talmud says “when the month of Av arrives (a week from this Shabbat), we should cut down on our joy.  But this does not mean that we should get depressed, G-d forbid.  Cutting back on joy implies that we are still joyous, but a little less so. 

 

It is a principle of Judaism that we must always serve Hashem with joy.  It is very difficult to do so when tragedy hits, whether personal or global.  Yet this is what the Torah demands of us.  Perhaps one way to achieve that is to focus on the good that is shown in these difficult times.  An olive needs to be crushed for the oil to be extracted.  It is the crushing that allows it to shine.  The exile and all the challenges that come with it are painful and bitter.  Nevertheless, we must remember that it is all leading to a bright tomorrow, to a time when all our work to find positivity in the negative, and light in the darkness, will culminate in the transformation of the world to a place of peace and tranquility. 

 

This period of the three weeks is a time for us to reflect on how we can change the situation.  Rather than just accepting that the world is a horrible place full of tragedy, we can choose to improve it with acts of goodness and kindness.  The knowledge that we have a choice on how we react and act brings us comfort and joy.  Yes, I can make a difference.  Yes, I can do a Mitzvah and help tip the scales for good.  Yes, I can be part of the solution, to finish the work of refining the world by refining my corner of it.  We can’t throw our hands up and give up, we must use our hands to do good things.  That is our mission and that is why we are here.