The Light After The Darkness

As Winter and the longer nights approaches, we all are looking to accomplish as much as we can each and every day. Most of the time we are motivated and willing to do the work that is cut out for us. However, there are those days where we experience some bad moments, and we are thrown off our emotional balance. This “phase” can last for some time and cuts down on our productivity. We then long for those days where we were excited and ready to deal with any of life’s challenges. The question arises, “How can we get back to those days?”

There is a simple idea which can change our whole outlook on life. “In the beginning… The Earth was chaos and desolate,” Hashem said. ‘Let there be Light…’ Hashem called the Light ‘Day,’ and the darkness He called ‘Night.’” We see that Hashem made order out of the chaos and created darkness and light. In the Jewish calendar, the halachic day begins at nightfall. The Zohar explains that the body is a microcosm of the world. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov z”l explains not just is there physical light and darkness but there is also conceptual “light” and “darkness” in our lives. Therefore, just like in the world, during creation the night comes first and then the day followed, so too in our lives we experience spiritual darkness and then a spiritual awakening. This is the process of creation. We have times where many of our plans go wrong and we experience many troubles. We feel that we are in such “darkness” in our life. Nevertheless, we should realize that this really the beginning of our day. It the beginning of creation of a new stage of our life. It is a new opportunity to experience something different in life and to learn something new. We must know that this “darkness” is only temporary and is leading to a new beginning. We should not look at it a coincidence or an excuse to become depressed.

At times, we especially feel this “darkness” in our thoughts. Darkness can also represent lack of knowledge. It represents our doubts and questions. Light can also represent wisdom. Visually we would imagine someone who just got an idea to have a floating lightbulb turn on over their head. Light is when we feel we have the solutions and clarity. Rabbi Nachman explains that here too one must be patient and realize that it is a process – the process of creation, first dark then light. We must make the utmost effort to think good thoughts in such times – we are where our thoughts are. We are also constantly thinking thoughts, but we are in control of our mind. We can only think one thought at a time. We can influence ourselves to keep a good thought and kick out the bad thought. Eventually the yetzer hara will give up on trying to give us that bad thought. This is the fight against Amalek. The battle for the control of our mind. The numerical value (gematria) for Amalek is 240 which is the same as safek, meaning doubt.

Even if we feel like we have been in the “dark” for so long and cannot seem to be thinking good thoughts or be successful in our endeavors, we must always be willing to start over. Hashem constantly creates the world anew, every second. We must do the same to our thoughts and attitude. We must pray that Hashem should guide us and give us the knowledge needed to persevere through our ups and downs. We should pray to be able to have faith in Hashem, even in difficult times. King David said it the best, “Your faith is at night,” (Tehillim 92:3). For example, a person can pray by saying “Hashem, I am going through so many tribulations and I am having so many doubts. Help me have faith in You; help me overcome the challenges – please give me the strength to reach the understanding I am missing and finally see the light.” With Hashem’s help, the darkness will lead into light and understanding and through faith we will understand. It is up to us to make use of what is sent our way.

May we merit to always remember that after the darkness comes the light and to have unfaltering faith in Hashem. May Hashem redeem us with the coming of the Mashiach very soon in our days. Amen.

By Rabbi Tomer Zino