וְדִרְשׁ֞וּ אֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הָעִ֗יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגְלֵ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה וְהִתְפַּֽלְל֥וּ בַעֲדָ֖הּ אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֣י בִשְׁלוֹמָ֔הּ יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם שָׁלֽוֹם׃
And seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the ETERNAL on its behalf; for in the peace thereof shall you have peace. (Jeremiah 29:7)
No matter where we live, whether we see ourselves fully at home or perhaps a little bit in “exile,” our tradition wants us to want the very best for that place and that community. The logic in this 2,500 year old verse from the Prophet Jeremiah is clear: if things are “whole,” filled with shalom, in the place in which we live, we will experience shalom as well.
This verse reminds us as well that it’s not enough to pray for the peace of our city, nation, and world—we must actively seek its well-being. Participating fully in civic society (which of course includes exercising our right and duty to vote) is just one way we do that.
May our city, our nation, and our world be filled with civility, harmony, and wholeness so that we all might know shalom.
— Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
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