I imagine that, like me, many of you are feeling extra anxious lately. It’s not just that familiar, healthy, and often-humorous dose of Jewish anxiety that has been passed down for generations, but real stress and unease caused by the unrootedness, disruption, and illness that we have all been exposed to for nearly two years. Whenever I feel anxious and fearful, this text from Isaiah comes to mind:
“Have no fear, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with the power of my righteousness.”
– Isaiah 41:10
Jews don’t pray to a God who magically cures illness or washes away grief. Rather, our tradition encourages us to give our fear over to God when it becomes too much for us to bear on our own. When the fatigue from long hours in a mask wears us down, when the fear of a potential exposure or positive test hits us, or when the disappointment of changed plans affects our families, we—like Isaiah before us—ask God to bless us with strength, courage, sustenance, and steadiness.
May our fears be banished and our dismay short-lived. May we draw encouragement and comfort from the wisdom of our tradition and our relationship with God. May we make room to share our anxiety, our worries, our burnout, and our disappointments openly with our loved ones, our friends, and our community. May we end and begin each day with hope and strength.
Shavuah tov, to a good and healthy week ahead.
— Cantor Emma Lutz