Parshat Bo: From Darkness to Connection

This post is in honour of Mental Health Awareness Shabbat which will be on Shabbat Bo – 24th January 2026.

In this week’s parsha we read about the plague of darkness, which can be likened to the experiences of many living with mental health challenges and/ or distress. However, the parsha also talks about how the Israelites, still slaves at this point, were full of hope and could somehow see through the darkness into the light. 

The verses regarding the plague of darkness read (Shemot 10:21-23):

“Then G-d said to Moshe, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be touched.” Moshe held out his arm toward the sky and thick darkness descended upon all the land of Egypt for three days. People could not see one another, and for three days no one could move about; but all the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings.”

Rashi (11th Century) elucidates something interesting here. He notes there was darkness of gloom when no person saw another during those three days, and there was moreover another period of three days’ darkness twice as thick as this when no person rose from their place: one who happened to be sitting when this second period of darkness began was unable to stand, and one who was then standing was unable to sit down. 

To connect this to Mental Health, mental paralysis can be a symptom of numerous mental health challenges and it can include symptoms such as cognitive overload, brain fog, difficulty making decisions and more.While what the Egyptians were  experiencing in this plague was a physical darkness, the effects that Rashi alerts us to could be present in a period of mental health darkness too.

Ibn Ezra in the 12th Century comments on the verse in a different vein to Rashi. He notes that the Egyptians had no way of knowing that three days had passed except through the Israelites, who had light. Ibn Ezra continues to note that there are times when a thick darkness comes over the Atlantic Ocean during which time it is impossible for a person to distinguish between day and night. The aforementioned occasionally lasts for as long as five days. Ibn Ezra says that he himself has been there many times.

There is a close relationship between sleep and mental health. Living with a mental health problem can affect how well one sleeps and poor sleep can have a negative impact on one’s mental health. The inability to distinguish between day and night during a period of physical and / or mental darkness can take a toll on the wellbeing of a person and those around them.

I would like to now move to talk about the light  and by way of transition, let’s look to Tehilim 130, particularly verse 6. When Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz z”l translated, and in doing so commented, on the Tanach, he read this verse as follows: “My soul awaits the Lord, I anticipate and await G-d, more than watchers for the morning, watchers for the morning, even more than those who awaken at dawn in anticipation of redemption and relief.” When one is in darkness, physical or mental, one can and should remember that the morning light is definitely coming. One should have trust in G-d that there will be light. 

We can now go back to the opening verse of this week’s parsha. G-d says to Moshe בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה. Many of the translations translate this as ‘Go to Pharoah’ but in fact, it could mean ‘come to Pharoah’. Various commentators elucidate that it is as if G-d was saying to Moshe, ‘I’m with you, and I’m going to give you the strength and resources you need when you’re facing Pharoah’.

For those with common mental health problems we know that only around 36% of people report receiving treatment. One of the reasons why people struggle to ask for help is there is a fear that asking for help would make them appear incompetent, weak or inferior. 

There is a growing body of evidence around something called social prescribing and how it can be used alongside other treatment methods. Social prescribing is a service that connects people to community resources to improve their health and wellbeing. Being connected to others can alleviate the feeling of being in darkness that one struggling with mental health challenges might feel. That is, to use the opening language of this week’s parsha, someone saying בֹּ֖א, come. Come for a walk. Come for tea. Come let’s talk. 

Together we can raise awareness of Mental Health challenges and/ or distress and alleviate some of the darkness by shining some light on it, talking about it and saying בֹּ֖א, come.