For most of this year, I’ve been sharing with our community—and continuously reminding myself—that, despite the many concerns in the wider world that warrant our attention and response, we must not allow ourselves to become so consumed by the trials of the moment that we obscure the blessings and miracles that surround us. We must not let doom-scrolling and situational schrei-ing trump the need to be present for the people and experiences that are most important and enduring for us.
In this week’s Torah portion, Vayeitzei, Jacob’s immersion in his fears and obsessions can only be quelled by the power and drama of God’s presence, made manifest in the form of a cosmic ladder appearing in a dream. Jacob awakens, both physically and spiritually, to the importance of a “God-place” that rouses and elevates him from a struggle with the mundane to an embrace of the infinite.
I hope that this Thanksgiving has also provided you with a similar awakening to the priorities that most give our lives purpose: family and friends, happiness and hope, and a faith in the God within and around us to withstand fear, uncertainty, and doubt.