One breath at at time

הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ

(דברים ל:יט)

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life — so you and your offspring would live.” (Deutoronomy 30:19)

It feels like a hard time to be alive, and a hard time to be Jewish. We are again, in living history of the last attempt at Jewish genocide, forced to confront the fact that a great proportion of the world hates us and wishes we would just disappear, whether or not they are willing to do the dirty work themselves.

Many of us are struggling to find ways to go on, to come to terms with new depths or depravity and evil, to keep on with our lives while we are grieving and our hearts are broken, for what was and for the tragedies that continue to unfold.

The death cult of Hamas, and the Iranian terror axis, wishes us total annihilation. That’s pretty confronting. But on the other hand, what the fight demands of most of us ‘ordinary’ Jews, on most ordinary days, can be simple.

Choose life.

For some people, at some times, that directive inspires them to do great things: build organizations that change people’s lives in big and important ways or join lifesaving initiatives and professions.

But for others, at other times, perhaps many of us at this time, I argue that it is enough to interpret and act on this statement literally.

Keep living.

They want dead Jews?

Keep breathing. You will drive them wild with rage.

They burn shuls and Jewish childcare centers?

Bring up Jewish children. Teach them with pride what it means to be Jewish. Many Holocaust survivors view their descendants as their greatest revenge against Hitler. Why shouldn’t we do the same in the face of our own enemies?

They tell us to go back to Poland and Yemen and Iraq?

Make aliya. If you live in Israel, plant a garden, or grow flowers on your windowsill. Burrow your roots even deeper into this wonderful land.

When they choose death, and try to impose death on us, continue to stubbornly choose life.

Nothing infuriates antisemites more than seeing Jews who stand tall and refuse to tremble and cower. Just read about Haman and Mordechai in the book of Esther. (And pay extra attention to how that story ends.)

I’m not saying it’s easy. But when all you want to do is lie down and cry, for all the fallen soldiers, for the bereaved families, for the hostages, for yourself and all of the millions of Jews who are still traumatized by all the tragedy and heartbreak of the last 15 months, resist. The time will come for grieving – it’s called 9 Av. Let’s do that on our terms, not theirs.

In the meantime, choose life. One breath at a time.